song
gb/sˈɔŋ/ us/sˈɔŋ/
A1
Kiingereza
~ 1500
Maana
maana 0
Nomino
A1
entity
1
A musical composition with singing
A short piece of music that you sing, usually with words and music together.
Muundo wa matumizi:
to sing [a song]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes confuse 'song' with 'music'; 'music' is the general term, while a 'song' is one specific piece, usually with singing.
Visawe
tune (Less formal; can also refer to the melody without lyrics.)
|
track (Common in recorded music contexts, especially albums or playlists.)
Vinyume
silence (Represents the absence of sound or music.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
sing a song
|write a song
|popular song
|love song
|theme song
Mada
music
|entertainment
|arts
|arts_entertainment
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- She wrote a song about her hometown.
- That song always makes me feel happy.
- They performed a song from their new album.
- The children sang a song together at the school concert.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- I like this song.
- They sing a happy song.
- My friend wrote a song.
- We hear a song on the radio.
Nomino
B1
event
2
Musical sound made by a bird
The pretty sounds that birds make.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may confuse 'birdsong' (one word) with 'bird song' (two words); both are correct but 'birdsong' is more common in writing.
Visawe
call (More general; refers to any vocal sound made by an animal, not necessarily musical.)
Vinyume
silence (Absence of any sound, including birdsong.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
bird song
|morning song
|song of the nightingale
Mada
nature
|animals
Mifano
- The song of the robin filled the garden.
- We woke up to the sweet song of birds.
- Bird song is often used to identify species.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- I hear the song of a bird.
- The bird's song is nice.
- We hear bird songs in the morning.
Nomino
B2
entity
3
Poem meant for singing
A poem that is made to be sung with music.
Visawe
ballad (A narrative poem or song, often traditional.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
folk song
|traditional song
Mada
literature
|music
|arts_entertainment
|education
|communication
Mifano
- This medieval song has been passed down for centuries.
- Many folk songs tell stories about love and loss.
- The singer adapted the poem into a song.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- This old song is about love.
- People sing songs in the festival.
- A poet wrote this song long ago.
Nomino
B2
quantity
4
Very low price for something valuable
A very cheap price for something good.
Muundo wa matumizi:
for a song
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may interpret 'for a song' literally instead of understanding it as an idiom meaning 'very cheaply'.
Visawe
bargain (General term for something bought at a good price; not always as low as 'for a song'.)
Vinyume
rip-off (Something sold at an unfairly high price.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
buy for a song
Mada
money
|shopping
|finance
|business
|daily_life
Mifano
- I got this antique table for a song at the flea market.
- They bought their house for a song before property prices rose.
- That vintage jacket was going for a song.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- He bought the bike for a song.
- We got the tickets for a song.
- She sold the bag for a song.
Sarufi
Semi
burst into song
1/bˈɚst ˈɪntu sˈɔŋ/
fixed phrase
Start singing suddenly and energetically
To suddenly start singing loudly and clearly.
Mifano
- 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.
Mifano
- 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.
Mifano
- 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.
Mifano
- 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.