Spanish word

compás

Pronunciation

IPA/komˈpas/

Meaning

  • masculine nounbeat

Example

Escucha el compás de la canción.

Listen to the beat of the song.

Illustration for compás (beat)

More examples

El baterista marca el compás con la caja.

The drummer marks the beat with the snare.

Core concept

A rhythmic frame marking strong beats and bar divisions in music.

Common phrases

  • marcar el compás

    mark the beat

  • seguir el compás

    follow the beat

  • compás de 4/4

    four-four time

Similar words

ritmo: Flow built from varying stress and durations that shapes a piece's rhythmic character.
tiempo: Overall pace or tempo governing how quickly the music moves.
pulso: Consistent single-beat ticking that underlies the rhythmic feel.
medida: Size of a bar expressed as a fixed number of beats.

Definition in Spanish

Marco métrico que organiza los pulsos en medidas regulares (compases) y guía el pulso musical.

Word origin

Ultimately from Latin compassus 'measured step' (com- 'together' + passus 'step'), adopted into Spanish through Old French compas.

Usage tips

  • In conversation, phrases such as llevar el compás or seguir el compás refer to keeping or following the beat, and the written accent disappears in the plural (compases).

Other meanings

  • measurenoun
  • compassnoun

Word lists with this word