song
gb/sˈɔŋ/ us/sˈɔŋ/
A1
English
~ 1500
dal, madárének, madárcsicsergés, dalszöveg, ének, fillérekért, bagóért
NOUN
A1
1
dal
A1
Usage pattern:
to sing [a song]
She wrote a song about her hometown.
Dalt írt a szülővárosáról.
That song always makes me feel happy.
Az a dal mindig jókedvre derít.
They performed a song from their new album.
The children sang a song together at the school concert.
Learner examples
I like this song.
Szeretem ezt a dalt.
They sing a happy song.
Egy vidám dalt énekelnek.
My friend wrote a song.
We hear a song on the radio.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'song' with 'music'; 'music' is the general term, while a 'song' is one specific piece, usually with singing.
Meaning
A musical composition with singing
Collocations
sing a song
|write a song
|popular song
|love song
|theme song
Synonyms
tune (Less formal; can also refer to the melody without lyrics.)
|
track (Common in recorded music contexts, especially albums or playlists.)
Antonyms
silence (Represents the absence of sound or music.)
Themes
music
|entertainment
|arts
|arts_entertainment
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A short piece of music that you sing, usually with words and music together.
A short piece of music that is sung, usually with words and accompanied by instruments.
NOUN
B1
2
madárének
B1
The song of the robin filled the garden.
A vörösbegy éneke betöltötte a kertet.
We woke up to the sweet song of birds.
Kellemes madárcsicsergésre ébredtünk.
Bird song is often used to identify species.
Learner examples
I hear the song of a bird.
Hallom egy madár énekét.
The bird's song is nice.
Szép a madár éneke.
We hear bird songs in the morning.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'birdsong' (one word) with 'bird song' (two words); both are correct but 'birdsong' is more common in writing.
Meaning
Musical sound made by a bird
Collocations
bird song
|morning song
|song of the nightingale
Synonyms
call (More general; refers to any vocal sound made by an animal, not necessarily musical.)
Antonyms
silence (Absence of any sound, including birdsong.)
Themes
nature
|animals
Definition
The pretty sounds that birds make.
The musical notes or sounds produced by birds, especially for communication or mating.
NOUN
B2
3
This medieval song has been passed down for centuries.
Ez a középkori ének évszázadokon át nemzedékről nemzedékre szállt.
Many folk songs tell stories about love and loss.
Sok népdal szövege szerelemről és veszteségről mesél.
The singer adapted the poem into a song.
Learner examples
This old song is about love.
Ennek a régi dalnak a szövege a szerelemről szól.
People sing songs in the festival.
A fesztiválon az emberek dalokat énekelnek.
A poet wrote this song long ago.
Meaning
Poem meant for singing
Collocations
folk song
|traditional song
Synonyms
ballad (A narrative poem or song, often traditional.)
Themes
literature
|music
|arts_entertainment
|education
|communication
Definition
A poem that is made to be sung with music.
A poem or set of verses written to be set to music and sung.
NOUN
B2
4
fillérekért
B2
bagóért
C1
Usage pattern:
for a song
I got this antique table for a song at the flea market.
Ezt az antik asztalt fillérekért vettem a bolhapiacon.
They bought their house for a song before property prices rose.
Még az ingatlanárak emelkedése előtt fillérekért vették a házukat.
That vintage jacket was going for a song.
Learner examples
He bought the bike for a song.
Fillérekért vette a biciklit.
We got the tickets for a song.
Bagóért jutottunk hozzá a jegyekhez.
She sold the bag for a song.
Common mistake:
Learners may interpret 'for a song' literally instead of understanding it as an idiom meaning 'very cheaply'.
Meaning
Very low price for something valuable
Collocations
buy for a song
Synonyms
bargain (General term for something bought at a good price; not always as low as 'for a song'.)
Antonyms
rip-off (Something sold at an unfairly high price.)
Themes
money
|shopping
|finance
|business
|daily_life
Definition
A very cheap price for something good.
An amount of money that is much lower than expected for something of high value.
Grammar
Dictionary form
song
IPA
GB/sˈɔŋ/
US/sˈɔŋ/
Syllables & stress
song (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (song)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: song
- Plural: song, songs
Word family
Expressions
burst into song
1/bˈɚst ˈɪntu sˈɔŋ/
fixed phrase
Start singing suddenly and energetically
To suddenly start singing loudly and clearly.
Examples
- She burst into song when she heard her favorite tune.
- The crowd burst into song after the victory.
for a song
1/fɚ ə sˈɔŋ/
idiom
informal
Very cheaply priced item or deal
To buy or get something at a very cheap price compared to its value.
Examples
- I got these shoes for a song at the sale.
- They bought their car for a song because it needed repairs.
sing a different tune/song
1/sˈɪŋ ə dˈɪfɹənt tˈunsˈɑŋ/
idiom
informal
Change opinion or attitude completely
To change your opinion or behavior to be very different from before.
Examples
- He was against the plan, but after seeing the benefits, he sang a different tune.
- She'll sing a different tune when she sees the results.
swan song
1/swˈɑn sˈɔŋ/
idiom
final work before retirement or end
The last performance, piece of work, or action someone does before they stop doing that kind of work, often because they retire or die.
Examples
- The novel was considered the author's swan song.
- The director’s latest film is being called his swan song.
- That concert was the band's swan song before they broke up.
- Many fans came to hear the singer’s swan song concert.