Signification
To perform a musical tune on an instrument.
Contexte culturel
The 'Blockflöte' (recorder) is often the first instrument German children learn to play a melody on in primary school. Vienna is the world capital of music. Playing a melody there often carries the weight of centuries of classical tradition. The Alphorn is a traditional Swiss instrument used to play long, echoing melodies across the mountains. On platforms like TikTok, 'playing a melody' is often part of challenges where users try to replicate famous tunes.
Gender Tip
Remember that almost all musical terms ending in -ie are feminine in German (Melodie, Harmonie, Sinfonie).
Verb Choice
Never use 'machen' for playing an instrument. It's a classic 'Anglicism' that sounds wrong to native ears.
Signification
To perform a musical tune on an instrument.
Gender Tip
Remember that almost all musical terms ending in -ie are feminine in German (Melodie, Harmonie, Sinfonie).
Verb Choice
Never use 'machen' for playing an instrument. It's a classic 'Anglicism' that sounds wrong to native ears.
Instrument Preposition
Always use 'auf' for instruments. Think of yourself playing 'on' the surface of the keys or strings.
Politeness
If you want to ask someone to play, 'Würdest du uns etwas vorspielen?' is a very warm and common way to phrase it.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct article and verb form.
Ich ______ ______ Melodie auf der Geige.
The subject 'Ich' requires the verb form 'spiele', and 'Melodie' is feminine (eine).
Which sentence is correct?
How do you say 'Can you play a melody?'
'Spielen' is the correct verb for instruments; 'machen' is incorrect, and 'singen' is for the voice.
Match the German phrase with its English translation.
Match the following:
These are standard musical collocations.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Was machst du in deiner Freizeit? B: Ich ______ gerne ______ Melodien auf meiner Gitarre.
'Spiele' fits the context of playing an instrument, and 'kleine' is a valid adjective for melodies.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Instruments (auf + dative)
Keyboard
- • dem Klavier
- • dem Keyboard
Strings
- • der Geige
- • der Gitarre
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesIch ______ ______ Melodie auf der Geige.
The subject 'Ich' requires the verb form 'spiele', and 'Melodie' is feminine (eine).
How do you say 'Can you play a melody?'
'Spielen' is the correct verb for instruments; 'machen' is incorrect, and 'singen' is for the voice.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are standard musical collocations.
A: Was machst du in deiner Freizeit? B: Ich ______ gerne ______ Melodien auf meiner Gitarre.
'Spiele' fits the context of playing an instrument, and 'kleine' is a valid adjective for melodies.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, for the radio you use 'laufen' (Die Musik läuft) or 'anmachen' (Ich mache das Radio an).
Yes, '{die|f} Melodie' is always feminine, so it's always 'eine Melodie' or 'die Melodie'.
A 'Lied' (song) usually has words. A 'Melodie' is just the sequence of musical notes.
Yes, that is correct and very common for general playing.
You say 'Ich habe eine Melodie gespielt'.
Usually, you say 'eine Melodie pfeifen' for whistling.
It is 'auf dem Klavier'.
It's possible, but 'auf der Gitarre' is much more common.
It's a melody that you can't stop playing in your head!
DJs usually 'legen auf' (records) or 'spielen ein Set'.
Expressions liées
ein Instrument spielen
builds onTo play an instrument
ein Lied singen
contrastTo sing a song
Noten lesen
similarTo read music
im Takt bleiben
similarTo stay in time
begleiten
specialized formTo accompany
