| a tempo | in time; generally implies a return to the original rate of speed |
| accelerando | gradually faster |
| al fine | to the finish |
| allegretto | light and moderately quick, but not as fast as allegro |
| allegro | rapid; lively |
| andante | moderately slow, but moving |
| andantino | generally a little quicker than andante |
| animato | animated; spirited |
| cantabile | in a singing style |
| chromatic | by semi-tones |
| coda | the final added measures of a musical composition |
| con brio | with spirit; brilliantly |
| con spirito | with spirit; brilliance |
| crescendo | gradually louder |
| da capo | from the beginning |
| dal segno | from the sign |
| decrescendo | gradually softer |
| diminuendo | gradually softer |
| dolce | sweetly |
| etude | a study |
| fermata | a hold or pause |
| forte | loud |
| fortissimo | very loud |
| grazioso | gracefully |
| largo | very slow |
| legato | smooth and connected |
| maestoso | majestically |
| marcato | marked; with emphasis |
| marziale | martial |
| mezzo | medium; half |
| moderato | moderately |
| molto | very |
| pianissimo | very softly |
| piano | softly |
| poco a poco | little by little |
| presto | very fast |
| rallentando | gradually slower |
| ritardando | gradually slower |
| segno | the sign |
| soli | more than one performer in unison |
| solo | a composition or passage for one performer |
| staccato | separated, detached style |
| tacet | silent |
| tempo | time; speed |
| tenuto | sustain full value |