Spanish Conversation · Level 89
60 words
Spanish word
cítara
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈθitaɾa/
Meaning
- feminine nounzither
Example
En el concierto tocaron una cítara.
They played a zither at the concert.
More examples
Mi abuela guarda una cítara en el armario.
My grandmother keeps a zither in the closet.
Core concept
Large flat board fitted with many parallel strings that are plucked while the instrument rests on a surface.
Similar words
guitarra: Hollow-bodied string instrument with a fretted neck, usually plucked or strummed.
piano: Keyboard instrument whose keys trigger hammers that strike strings inside its case.
violín: Small bowed instrument held on the shoulder or under the chin and played with a bow.
instrumento: Device used to produce musical notes or sounds.
Definition in Spanish
Instrumento tradicional de cuerda formado por una tabla o caja con muchas cuerdas paralelas que se tocan punteando para producir melodías sostenidas.
Word origin
Spanish cítara derives from Latin cithara, inherited from Greek kithara, the ancient term for various plucked string instruments.
Usage tips
- Spelled with an acute accent on the first syllable (cítara), so omitting the accent looks nonstandard, and the word refers to a zither-like instrument rather than a guitarra.