recital
gb/ɹɪsˈaɪtəl/ us/ɹɪsˈaɪtəl/
B2
English
~ 9200
előadóest, hangverseny, táncbemutató, szavalás, felmondás, felsorolás, ismertetés, előzmények, preambulum
NOUN
B2
1
Usage pattern:
[someone] gives [a] recital; [a] [instrument] recital; [a] [dance/poetry] recital
She’s giving a piano recital at the community center next Friday.
Jövő pénteken zongoraestet ad a művelődési központban.
Their daughter had her first dance recital at the end of the school year.
A tanév végén volt a lányuk első táncbemutatója.
The violin recital featured works by Bach and Beethoven.
We bought tickets to an evening song recital at the old theater.
After weeks of practice, the students were ready for the school recital.
Learner examples
My son will play in a piano recital this weekend.
A fiam ezen a hétvégén egy zongoraesten fog játszani.
The dance recital is on Saturday night.
A táncbemutató szombat este lesz.
We went to a violin recital at the university.
She is nervous about her first school recital.
He practices every day for his guitar recital.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "recital" with "rehearsal". A "rehearsal" is a practice and usually not open to the public, while a "recital" is a real performance for an audience. Learners may also think a recital is only for classical music, but it can be for dance or poetry as well.
Meaning
public solo or small-group performance
Collocations
piano recital
|dance recital
|violin recital
|solo recital
|give a recital
|school recital
Synonyms
concert (Usually suggests a larger musical performance, often with more performers or a full program, not always focused on one person.)
|
performance (Very general word for any show; does not suggest the small, often solo nature that "recital" usually has.)
Antonyms
rehearsal (A practice session without a full public audience, while a recital is normally a finished performance for an audience.)
Themes
arts
|entertainment
|education
|arts_entertainment
|communication
Definition
A show where one person or a small group plays music, dances, or says poems in front of people.
A public performance, especially of music, dance, or spoken pieces, typically given by a single performer or a small group in front of an audience.
NOUN
C1
2
Usage pattern:
[someone] gives [a] recital of [a poem/text]; [a] recital of [a] poem
Each child had to give a short recital of a poem in front of the class.
Minden gyereknek el kellett szavalnia egy rövid verset az osztály előtt.
The teacher organized a poetry recital to help students practice speaking from memory.
A tanár versmondó foglalkozást szervezett, hogy a diákok gyakorolják a fejből való előadást.
Her flawless recital of the speech impressed the judges.
They practiced the Bible passage every evening before the final recital at church.
His nervousness showed during the recital of his lines in the school play.
Learner examples
I must give a recital of a poem tomorrow.
Holnap el kell szavalnom egy verset.
The students prepare a short recital for their parents.
A diákok egy rövid szavalással készülnek a szüleiknek.
She did a recital of a long speech from memory.
We listened to his recital of the story in class.
The teacher asked for a recital of the first ten lines.
Common mistake:
Learners may think "recital" only means a music show. In this sense, it can also mean saying a poem or text from memory. Many learners also confuse "recital" with "reading"; a recital is from memory, while a reading can be done from the page.
Meaning
act of reciting from memory
Collocations
poetry recital
|recital of a poem
|Bible recital
|verse recital
|children’s recital
Synonyms
recitation (Very close in meaning; slightly more common for the classroom activity of saying something learned by heart.)
Antonyms
improvisation (Improvisation means speaking or performing without prepared or memorized words, the opposite of a set recital.)
Themes
education
|communication
|arts_entertainment
Definition
When a person says a poem or other text aloud from memory, often in front of other people.
The act of speaking or performing a poem, piece of literature, or similar text aloud from memory, often in front of a class or audience.
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
3
felsorolás
B1
ismertetés
B2
Usage pattern:
[a] recital of [facts/events/names]; [a] long recital of [something]
The report begins with a dry recital of the company’s financial results.
A jelentés a vállalat pénzügyi eredményeinek száraz felsorolásával kezdődik.
He launched into a long recital of everything that had gone wrong that day.
Hosszas sorolásba kezdett arról, mi minden ment rosszul aznap.
The article offers a detailed recital of the events leading up to the crisis.
Her email was basically a recital of complaints about the new system.
The judge was not interested in a recital of past arguments between the parties.
Learner examples
The letter included a long recital of past problems.
A levél a korábbi problémák hosszú felsorolását tartalmazta.
He gave the police a careful recital of the events.
Részletes beszámolót adott a rendőrségnek az eseményekről.
The article starts with a recital of key facts.
Her speech was a boring recital of numbers.
The manager did not want a recital of excuses.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "recital" when they mean a simple "story" or "comment". In this sense, a recital usually sounds long or detailed, often too detailed, like a list of facts or events.
Meaning
long detailed list-like account
Collocations
a long recital
|a tedious recital
|a recital of facts
|a recital of events
|a recital of complaints
Synonyms
account (A general word for a description of what happened; "recital" suggests a more detailed, item-by-item listing.)
|
enumeration (A formal word for a step-by-step list; similar idea but focuses more on the listing than the narrative feel of "recital".)
Antonyms
summary (A summary gives only the main points briefly, while a recital goes through many details at length.)
Themes
communication
|work
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A long, careful story or list that gives many facts or details, often so many that it feels boring.
A spoken or written account that sets out many facts, details, or events one after another, often in a lengthy or tedious way.
NOUN
C2
TECHNICAL
4
előzmények
C1
preambulum
C2
Usage pattern:
the recitals to [an agreement]; as stated in the recitals; [the] recitals section
The recitals to this agreement set out the parties’ intentions and the background to the transaction.
A jelen szerződés előzményei rögzítik a felek szándékait és az ügylet hátterét.
As stated in the recitals, the company wishes to expand its operations into Europe.
Amint az előzményekben szerepel, a vállalat Európába kívánja bővíteni a tevékenységét.
Lawyers often use the recitals to clarify the purpose and context of the contract.
Any conflict between the recitals and the operative clauses shall be resolved in favor of the operative clauses.
The judge referred to the recitals to understand the original purpose of the agreement.
Learner examples
The contract begins with recitals explaining why it was made.
A szerződés az előzményekkel kezdődik, amelyek elmagyarázzák, miért jött létre.
In the recitals, the company describes its business and goals.
Az előzményekben a vállalat ismerteti a tevékenységét és céljait.
The lawyer told us that the recitals are not the main rules of the contract.
The recitals section gives background information about the deal.
Some people skip the recitals, but they can be important.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this legal meaning with the everyday meaning of a performance. In contracts, "recitals" are not about music or shows; they are background statements at the start of the document.
Meaning
introductory clauses in a contract
Collocations
contract recitals
|the recitals to this agreement
|recitals section
|whereas recitals
|recitals clause
Synonyms
preamble (Also means an introduction, especially in formal or legal texts; a preamble can be broader, while "recitals" are a specific part of contracts listing background facts.)
Antonyms
operative provisions (The operative provisions are the main rules and obligations of a contract, while the recitals only explain background facts and purposes.)
Themes
law
|business
|communication
Definition
In a contract or legal paper, the part at the beginning that explains the background and reasons before the main rules and terms.
In legal documents, the introductory section that states background facts, circumstances, and reasons for the agreement, usually placed before the main operative clauses.
Grammar
Dictionary form
recital
IPA
GB/ɹɪsˈaɪtəl/
US/ɹɪsˈaɪtəl/
Syllables & stress
re - cit - al (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (cit)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: recital
- Plural: recital, recitals
Word family
Forms
recitals
noun
Core family
recite
verb B1
recitation
noun B2
Related words
reciter
noun
Advanced or less common
recitalist
noun
recitative
noun
Expressions
dance recital
1/dˈæns ɹɪsˈaɪtəl/
fixed phrase
public dance performance
A show where people, often children or students, dance on a stage for others to watch.
Examples
- Their daughter’s dance recital will be held at the end of the school year.
- Parents filled the auditorium for the children’s dance recital.
give a recital
1/ɡˈɪv ə ɹɪsˈaɪtəl/
fixed phrase
perform a recital for an audience
To do a recital, such as playing music or dancing, for people who come to watch or listen.
Examples
- She’ll give a recital of Chopin pieces at the end of the term.
- The young guitarist is giving a recital at the local arts center tonight.
piano recital
1/piˈænoʊ ɹɪsˈaɪtəl/
fixed phrase
public piano performance
A show where someone plays the piano for people to listen to.
Examples
- She’s preparing for her final piano recital at the music school.
- We went to a piano recital in the small concert hall downtown.
poetry recital
1/pˈoʊətɹi ɹɪsˈaɪtəl/
fixed phrase
event for reciting poems aloud
An event where people say poems aloud to a group of listeners.
Examples
- The university is hosting a poetry recital next Thursday evening.
- He first shared his work in a small poetry recital at a local café.
school recital
1/skˈul ɹɪsˈaɪtəl/
fixed phrase
student performance event at school
A show at a school where students play music, dance, or say poems for parents and friends.
Examples
- Parents were invited to the school recital to see what the children had learned.
- The school recital takes place in the gym every spring.