| Term | Translation |
| a battuta | return to strict time |
| a cappella | unaccompanied |
| accel(erando) | accelerating |
| adagietto | fairly slowly |
| adagio | slowly |
| ad lib(itum) | at will |
| affettuoso | tenderly |
| agitato | agitated |
| al fine | to the end |
| allargando | slowing |
| allegretto | fairly lively |
| allegro | lively |
| al segno | as far as the sign |
| amoroso | tenderly |
| andante | moderately slow |
| andantino | slightly faster than andante |
| animato | spirited |
| arco | with the bow |
| arioso | in a sustained singing style |
| assai | very |
| a tempo | in the original tempo |
| attacca | continue without a pause |
| bis | repeat |
| calando | becoming quieter and slower |
| cantabile | in a smooth singing style |
| capriccioso | freely |
| coda | final part of a movement |
| col legno | with the stick of the bow |
| con amore | tenderly |
| con brio | with vigour |
| con fuoco | fiery |
| con moto | with movement |
| con sordino | with a mute |
| cresc(endo) | becoming louder |
| da capo or DC | from the beginning |
| dal segno or DS | from the sign |
| decresc(endo) | becoming quieter |
| dim(inuendo) | becoming quieter |
| dolce | sweetly and softly |
| dolente | sorrowfully |
| doppio | double |
| espressivo | with expression of feeling |
| fine | end (not at the end of the score) |
| f(orte) | loudly |
| forte piano | loudly and then immediately softly |
| fortissimo or ff | very loudly |
| furioso | furiously and wildly |
| giocoso | playfully |
| glissando | sliding |
| in modo di | in the manner of |
| larghetto | fairly slowly |
| largo | very slowly |
| legato | tied/smoothly |
| leggiero | lightly |
| lento | slowly |
| maestoso | majestically |
| marcato | accented |
| marcia | march |
| meno | less |
| meno mosso | less quickly |
| mezza voce | at half vocal strength |
| mezzo | half |
| mezzo forte or mf | fairly loudly |
| mezzo piano or mp | fairly softly |
| moderato | at a moderate pace |
| molto | very |
| morendo | dying away |
| mosso | fast and with animation |
| moto | motion |
| niente | gradually fading to nothing |
| nobilmente | nobly |
| non troppo | not too much |
| obbligato | not to be omitted |
| parlando | in the manner of speech |
| ped. | pedal |
| pesante | heavily |
| pianissimo or pp | very soft |
| p(iano) | soft |
| più | more |
| pizz(icato) | plucked |
| poco | a little |
| portamento | carrying one note into the next |
| prestissimo | as fast as possible |
| presto | very fast |
| rall(entando) | slowing down |
| ravvivando | quickening |
| rinforzando or rfz | accentuated |
| rit(ardando) | slowing down |
| ritenuto | suddenly more slowly |
| scherzando | playfully |
| segno | sign |
| semplice | simply |
| sempre | always/throughout |
| senza | without |
| sf(orzando) or sfz | strongly accented |
| smorzando | dying away |
| sordino | with a mute |
| sost(enuto) | sustained |
| sotto voce | in an undertone |
| spiccato | bouncing the bow on the strings |
| stacc(ato) | detached |
| stretto | in quicker time |
| stringendo | faster and more intensely |
| subito | immediately |
| tacet | voice/instrument remains silent |
| tanto | too much |
| tempo | speed/beat |
| ten(uto) | held |
| tranquillo | tranquilly |
| tremolando | trembling |
| troppo | too much |
| tutti | all players/singers |
| una corda | using the soft pedal (on a piano) |
| vivace | lively |
| zoppa | syncopated |