What is tempo?

I am not new to chess, but I have just begun to take it a little more seriously.

I noticed while watching a couple of YouTube videos showcasing analysis of GM games that something called "tempo" is supposedly a very important part of chess.

Can someone explain to me what tempo is?

It's time really. Basically a move which forces a certain response. For example, you attack your opponents queen and force it to move away - you have played a move with tempo because you get to now make another move of your choice whilst your opponents reply was forced. You have gained a free move effectively (unless you are chasing it to somewhere it actually wants to go). Similarly if you move a piece twice in the opening you can be said to have lost a tempo eg. Bb5 c6 Be2. May as well have just gone Be2 in the first place and saved a tempo. 

It's generally a move that comes with the threat of capturing material or setting up a threat, meaning you effectively get to develop that piece for free (in terms of time).

Example, developing your knight and simultaneously attacking an opponents queen. The opponent has to move their queen, meaning you got a free move. 

Tempo Is Latin For Time. When you use moves which make your opponent have to respond. (e.g If you don't answer quickly you could lose a major piece or even the game). When you force your opponent with many tempos, they lose time to carry out their own plans, which can give you more time to carry out your plans. Its basically a move to delay your opponent.

It means you get a free move (your opponent's response was forced)

oh yes you're right...

Btw both tempi and tempo are sayable

I say Tempo, but after hearing this I see you do have a point

I think tempo is a move I searched from wikipedia

I really don't like questioning, but is wikipedia a reliable source?

yes

I think the best example of tempo is the Scandinavian defense and how bringing the queen out early allows white to get its minor pieces out while black plays defense.

Example

1. e4 d5

2. exd5 Qxd5

3. Nc3 (now black must move the queen and white can get out the kingside knight and bishop) say black does Qg5

4. Nf3 (another piece with another attack) Say Qh6

5. d4 (another attack on the queen with the dark square bishop)

and after this goofy opening, white gained essentially three free moves (Nf3, d4, and whatever white plays after black moves the queen from h6). These three moves allowed white to get its pieces out faster (both knights), open up attack lines for its bishops, and centralize a pawn. Meanwhile, black has little to show for its three moves.

then Qc6 to finish it off lol

sorry, I just typed it out on my phone and those imbeds don’t work right, so I didn’t look. But yeah.

Isn't it the thing in music?

It is that, and it is a fancy word for time in chess

BRO CREATE A NEW TOPIC.

Cuz OP asked a question, you don;t have to change it.