Translation guide
The English word 'tempo' refers to the speed or pace of something, most commonly in music, but also in sports, work, or life. In Japanese, the concept is expressed through several words and phrases depending on the context.
The speed at which a piece of music is played.
The most direct equivalent, a loanword from English. Used in musical contexts and also metaphorically for pace.
The speed or rhythm at which something progresses, such as work, a game, or daily life.
A loanword meaning 'pace'. Commonly used for the speed of activities, work, or life. Often used with verbs like 上げる (speed up) or 落とす (slow down).
The speed or rhythm of movement in physical activities.
The standard term for pace in running, swimming, cycling, etc.
Both are loanwords, but テンポ emphasizes rhythm and timing, while ペース emphasizes speed and rate of progress. In music, always use テンポ. For work or life pace, ペース is more common.
仕事のペースが遅い。
The pace of work is slow.
会話のテンポが速い。
The tempo of the conversation is fast.
音楽のテンポが徐々に速くなった。
The tempo of the music gradually increased.
彼女は自分のペースで仕事をするのが好きだ。
She likes to work at her own tempo.
この曲のテンポは速い。
The tempo of this song is fast.
テンポを落として練習しよう。
Let's practice at a slower tempo.
Means 'speed' or 'velocity'. More technical and can be used for tempo in music, but also for general speed.
演奏の速度を一定に保つ。
Keep the tempo of the performance steady.
Refers to 'beat' or 'time' in music. Not exactly 'tempo', but related to rhythmic structure.
この曲は4拍子だ。
This piece is in 4/4 time.
自分のペースで仕事を進めてください。
Please work at your own pace.
ペースを上げないと締め切りに間に合わない。
We need to pick up the pace to meet the deadline.
Also used metaphorically for the rhythm or pace of non-musical activities, like conversation or work flow.
会議のテンポが良かった。
The meeting had a good tempo.
Means 'condition', 'tone', or 'rhythm'. Can imply the pace or flow of something, but is more about the state or mood.
今日はどうも調子が出ない。
I can't seem to get into the rhythm today.
マラソンでは一定のペースを保つことが大切だ。
In a marathon, it's important to maintain a steady pace.
Used in sports like tennis or boxing to describe the rhythm of play.
相手のテンポに合わせないようにしよう。
Let's try not to match the opponent's tempo.