Musique is the most common way to say "music" in French. But did you know there are several other options and nuances?

Whether you're talking about a concert, a genre, or just the general art form, knowing different ways to express "music" can enrich your French vocabulary and help you sound more natural.

Let’s dive into 9 different ways to say "music" in French!

The most common word for 'music' – la musique

La musique is the fundamental and most widely used term for 'music' in French.

In French, 'music' is a feminine noun, always preceded by the definite article la when referring to the concept in general: la musique. It remains singular when discussing music as an art form or a general category.

You'll use la musique whenever you're talking about music in a general sense, whether it's an appreciation, a discussion of its importance, or just mentioning the concept.

To express 'to listen to music', the common phrase is écouter de la musique. Note the use of de la (partitive article) before musique.

When you want to say 'to make music' or 'to play music' (as in playing an instrument or composing), the phrase faire de la musique is typically used.

To refer to specific types or genres of music, you will generally combine la musique with an adjective or a prepositional phrase, such as la musique classique (classical music), la musique pop (pop music), or la musique électronique (electronic music).

Music holds a significant place in French culture, from chansons to modern pop, and la musique is your essential word to engage in any conversation about it.

💡 * J'aime beaucoup la musique. (I really like music.)

Elle écoute de la musique tous les jours. (She listens to music every day.)

Nous faisons de la musique ensemble le week-end. (We make music together on weekends.)

La musique française est connue dans le monde entier. (French music is known worldwide.)

C'est une belle musique pour danser. (It's beautiful music for dancing.)

A 'song' – une chanson

Une chanson is the straightforward French word for 'a song'.

It refers to any piece of music with lyrics, whether it's a pop hit, a traditional folk tune, or a modern track. It's the general term used in everyday conversation and in the music industry.

Remember that chanson is a feminine noun. Therefore, it always takes the feminine indefinite article une (a/an) or the definite article la (the). For example, une belle chanson (a beautiful song).

When talking about performing a song, you'll commonly use the verb chanter (to sing), as in chanter une chanson (to sing a song). For creating one, the phrase is écrire une chanson (to write a song).

Songs hold a significant place in French culture, from the globally recognized genre of chansons françaises to contemporary pop and rock. Learning this word is essential for discussing music in French.

A useful idiomatic expression is ce n'est pas ma chanson (literally 'it's not my song'), which means 'that's not my cup of tea' or 'that's not something I'm interested in'.

💡 * J'adore écouter cette nouvelle chanson. (I love listening to this new song.)

Elle chante une très belle chanson française. (She sings a very beautiful French song.)

As-tu déjà écrit une chanson? (Have you ever written a song?)

La radio diffuse souvent des chansons populaires. (The radio often plays popular songs.)

Non, ce n'est pas ma chanson, je préfère le jazz. (No, that's not my thing, I prefer jazz.)

A 'piece' or 'track' of music – un morceau

When discussing music in French, one of the most common and versatile terms you'll encounter is un morceau. It directly translates to 'a piece' or 'a track' of music.

Beyond music, un morceau has a broader meaning, referring to 'a piece' of almost anything. For example, you'd say un morceau de gâteau for 'a piece of cake' or un morceau de bois for 'a piece of wood'.

However, its frequent use in musical contexts makes it essential for learners. When someone refers to un morceau in relation to music, they are talking about a single song, instrumental piece, or a distinct track on an album.

It's important to remember that morceau is a masculine noun. Therefore, you'll always use masculine articles and adjectives with it, such as un morceau (a piece/track), le morceau (the piece/track), or un bon morceau (a good track).

You'll often hear phrases like écouter un morceau (to listen to a track), passer un morceau (to play a track), or quel est ton morceau préféré? (what's your favorite track?). It's a foundational word for any music lover.

💡 * C'est mon morceau préféré de l'album. (It's my favorite track from the album.)

As-tu écouté le nouveau morceau de ce groupe? (Have you listened to this band's new track?)

Je voudrais un morceau de pain, s'il vous plaît. (I would like a piece of bread, please.)

Ce morceau est vraiment entraînant! (This track is really catchy!)

A 'tune' or 'melody' – un air

In French, un air translates directly to "a tune" or "a melody". It refers to a musical piece, often short and memorable, that can be sung or played.

Despite its meaning, air is a masculine noun in French. Therefore, it is always preceded by masculine articles like un or le.

You'll frequently encounter un air when discussing music, whether it's recognizing a song, humming a melody, or playing a specific tune on an instrument.

It's often used in expressions like avoir un air dans la tête (to have a tune stuck in your head) or jouer un air (to play a tune).

💡 * J'ai un air dans la tête depuis ce matin. (I have a tune stuck in my head since this morning.)

Peux-tu jouer cet air à la guitare ? (Can you play that tune on the guitar?)

C'est un vieil air que ma grand-mère chantait. (It's an old melody my grandmother used to sing.)

J'ai reconnu l'air dès les premières notes. (I recognized the tune from the first notes.)

Il a sifflé un air joyeux en travaillant. (He whistled a cheerful tune while working.)

'Singing' or a 'chant' – le chant

Discover le chant, a versatile French noun meaning both 'singing' and 'a chant'.

At its most common, le chant refers to the act of singing itself, or the vocal music produced. It embodies the art and sound of vocal performance.

It can also denote a chant, a repetitive, rhythmic vocalization often associated with groups, protests, religious ceremonies, or sports events.

From the chant des oiseaux (birdsong) to a chant religieux (religious chant) or a chant de supporters (fans' chant), its usage is broad and context-dependent.

This noun is directly related to the verb chanter (to sing). While chanter is the action, le chant is the noun form representing the singing or the song itself.

As a masculine noun, le chant always takes masculine articles (e.g., le chant, un chant, des chants). Its plural form is les chants.

💡 * J'adore le chant des oiseaux le matin. (I love the birds' singing in the morning.)

Le chant grégorien est très apaisant. (Gregorian chant is very soothing.)

Son chant était magnifique lors du concert. (Her singing was magnificent during the concert.)

Les supporters ont entonné un chant puissant. (The supporters struck up a powerful chant.)

Nous avons appris un nouveau chant à l'école. (We learned a new song/chant at school.)

The 'melody' – la mélodie

The 'melody' – la mélodie

In French, la mélodie directly translates to 'the melody' in English. It refers to a sequence of single notes that is musically satisfying, forming a tune. It's a fundamental term in music, used to describe the main tune of a song or piece.

While primarily a musical term, la mélodie can also be used figuratively to describe something that has a pleasing, harmonious, or characteristic sound or flow. For instance, one might refer to 'la mélodie d'une langue' (the melody of a language) to describe its characteristic intonation and rhythm.

This figurative usage extends to expressing a general sense of pleasantness or a distinctive characteristic. It evokes a feeling of something being well-composed or naturally flowing, much like a beautiful musical phrase. It's not just about sound, but about the quality of that sound or flow.

You'll most often encounter la mélodie in discussions about music, singing, or the characteristic sound of human speech or nature. It's a straightforward term, but its figurative use adds a layer of poetic description.

💡 * J'adore la mélodie de cette chanson. (I love the melody of this song.)

Elle a une voix avec une mélodie magnifique. (She has a voice with a magnificent melody.)

La mélodie de la pluie sur le toit est apaisante. (The melody of the rain on the roof is soothing.)

Il a reconnu la mélodie de son enfance. (He recognized the melody of his childhood.)

The 'sound' (can refer to music) – le son

The French word le son directly translates to 'the sound' in English. It's a versatile term used to describe any auditory perception, from a noise to a musical note.

While it means 'sound' generally, in many contexts, especially informally, le son is often used to refer specifically to music or a particular musical piece. For instance, 'mettre le son' can mean 'to put on music' or 'to turn up the sound'.

It's important to remember that le son is a masculine noun in French, always preceded by the definite article le or the indefinite article un.

💡 * J'adore le son de la pluie sur le toit. (I love the sound of the rain on the roof.)

Monte le son, s'il te plaît ! (Turn up the sound, please!)

Quel bon son ! C'est quoi comme musique ? (What a great sound! What kind of music is this?)

Le son de sa voix est très doux. (The sound of her voice is very soft.)

Il y a un étrange son qui vient du moteur. (There's a strange sound coming from the engine.)

The 'rhythm' – le rythme

As a masculine noun, le rythme translates directly to 'rhythm' in English. It refers to a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound, and is always preceded by the masculine definite article le.

You'll encounter le rythme in various contexts, from music and dance to the pace of life or work. It describes the flow, tempo, or beat of something, indicating regularity or speed.

Common expressions include prendre le rythme (to get into the rhythm/swing of things) or suivre le rythme (to keep up with the pace). It's a versatile word for describing patterns and tempos.

💡 * Le rythme de la musique était entraînant. (The rhythm of the music was catchy.)

Il a du mal à suivre le rythme de travail. (He has difficulty keeping up with the work pace.)

J'aime le rythme lent de la vie à la campagne. (I like the slow rhythm of life in the countryside.)

Les danseurs ont un excellent rythme. (The dancers have excellent rhythm.)

The 'soundtrack' – la bande sonore

To say 'soundtrack' in French, the most common and direct translation is la bande sonore.

Literally translating to 'the sound strip' or 'the sound band', la bande sonore refers to the audio component of a film, video, or any visual production. It encompasses all sounds, including dialogue, sound effects, and music.

While la bande sonore is a general term for all audio, when specifically referring to the musical score or the collection of songs from a film, the term la bande originale is often used. You'll frequently see its abbreviation: B.O.

La bande originale (B.O.) specifically denotes the original soundtrack of a film, TV series, or video game, focusing on the composed music or selected songs that accompany the visuals. It's what you'd typically buy as a soundtrack album.

💡 *J'adore la bande sonore de ce film d'horreur; elle est tellement angoissante. (I love the soundtrack of this horror film; it's so unsettling.)
*La bande sonore du documentaire a été très bien reçue par la critique. (The documentary's soundtrack was very well received by critics.)
*As-tu écouté la bande originale du dernier Disney ? (Have you listened to the original soundtrack of the latest Disney?)
*La B.O. de ce jeu vidéo est incroyable. (The O.S.T. of this video game is incredible.)
*Il cherche la bande sonore complète du film, pas seulement la musique. (He's looking for the complete soundscape of the film, not just the music.)

Are there other ways to say 'music' in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say 'music' in French. However, the French language, rich in nuance, offers many other expressions, from formal to colloquial, that describe various musical styles, genres, or even the act of listening to or performing music.

You can also do an online search for 'comment dire musique en ___' followed by a specific Francophone country or region, or even a particular musical genre.

You might find many interesting terms related to musique. Always make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you incorporate it into your vocabulary.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — especially songs, films, and interviews — you may discover many different ways to talk about music and its various forms.

And if you’re looking for a deeper dive into French musical vocabulary, or words describing different aspects of music, the WordReference entry for musique is an excellent starting point!

I hope you found this article helpful in expanding your French musical vocabulary. To conclude, here’s a beautiful thought from Victor Hugo: La musique exprime ce qui ne peut être dit et sur quoi il est impossible de rester silencieux. (Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.)

9 ways to say "music" in French