ABRSM Grade 5 Terms, Signs and Instruments

a tempo

in time (resume the original speed)

accelerando (accel.)

gradually getting quicker

adagio

slow

allargando

broadening

allegretto

fairly quick

allegro

lively, quick

andante

at a walking/medium speed

andantino

slightly faster than andante

comodo/tempo comodo

convenient/at a comfortable speed

con brio

with vigour, lively

con moto

with movement

grave

very slow, solemn

largamente

broadly

larghetto

rather slow

largo

slow, stately

lento

slow

meno mosso

less movement

moderato

at a moderate speed

più mosso

more movement

presto

fast

prestissimo

very fast

rallentando (rall.)

gradually getting slower

ritardando (ritard.,rit.)

gradually getting slower

ritenuto (riten.,rit.)

held back

rubato/tempo rubato

with some freedom of time

stringendo

gradually getting faster

vivace, vivo

lively, quick

lent (French)

slow

modéré (French)

at a moderate speed

retenu (French)

held back

vite (French)

lively, quick/fast

langsam (German)

slow

lebhaft (German)

lively, quick

mässig (German)

at a moderate speed

schnell (German)

lively, quick/fast

affettuoso

tender

agitato

agitated

alla marcia

in the style of a march

amabile

pleasant

animato

animated, lively

appassionato

with passion

cantando

singing

cantabile

in a singing style

con dolore

with grief

con forza

with force

con spirito

with spirit

deciso

with determination

dolce

sweet

doloroso

sorrowful

energico

energetic

espressivo (espress.)

expressive

giocoso

playful, merry

grazioso

graceful

leggiero

light

maestoso

majestic

marcato (marc.)

emphatic, accented

mesto

sad

misterioso

mysterious

pesante

heavy

risoluto

bold, strong

ritmico

rhythmically

scherzando

playful, joking

semplice

simple, plain

sonoro

resonant, with rich tone

sostenuto (sost.)

sustained

tranquillo

calm, peaceful

triste, tristamente

sad, sorrowful

animé (French)

animated, lively

douce (French)

sweet

ruhig (German)

calm, peaceful

süss (German)

sweet

traurig (German)

sad

pp (pianissimo)

very quiet

p (piano)

quiet

mp (mezzo piano)

moderately quiet

mf (mezzo forte)

moderately loud

f (forte)

loud

ff (fortissimo)

very loud

sf, sfz (sforzando, sforzato)

forced, accented

fp (fortepiano)

loud, then immediately quiet

rf, rfz (rinforzando [rinf.])

reinforcing

crescendo (cresc.)

gradually getting louder

decrescendo (decresc.)/diminuendo (dim.)

gradually getting quieter

a niente

to nothing

morendo

dying away

perdendosi

dying away

smorzando (smorz.)

dying away

sotto voce

in an undertone (quietly, in a whisper)

ad libitum (ad lib.)

at choice

alla breve

with a minim beat

assai

very

allegro assai

very quick

attaca

go straight on

ben

well

come prima

as before

con, col

with

e, ed

and

ma

but

meno

less

molto

very, much