Learning Spanish From Song Lyrics

A dios le pido (I ask God) By Juanes
[From the Album "Un día normal". Composed by Juan Aristizábal Vásquez © Peermusic III Ltd 2002]

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This song was suggested to me as another good example of the subjunctive. It is an example of the "R" (request) in the W.E.I.R.D.O. acronym that we use to remember when to use the present subjunctive. [See an explanation of the acronym here.] The singer is listing the things that he requests from God. Each of those things begins with the word "que".

I have made the subjunctive forms of verbs in the lyrics bold to help highlight them.

I tried something new with this song. I included a slowed down version and the normal speed version of each of the three cuts that I selected. [Please let me know if you find this useful.]

First cut, slow speed:

Que mis ojos se despierten
con la luz de tu mirada, yo
a Dios le pido
Que mi madre no se muera
y que mi padre me recuerde
a Dios le pido

First cut, normal speed:

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Second cut, slow speed:

Que te quedes a mi lado
y que más nunca te me vayas, mi vida
a Dios le pido
Que mi alma no descanse
cuando de amarte se trate, mi cielo
a Dios le pido

Second cut, normal speed:

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Third cut, slow speed:

Que mi pueblo no derrame tanta sangre
y se levante mi gente
a Dios le pido
Que mi alma no descanse
cuando de amarte se trate, mi cielo
a Dios le pido

Third cut, normal speed:

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Here's a longer cut from the song (at normal speed). If you like what you hear I'd definitely recommend checking out the whole album "Un día normal" - it's one of my favorites.

Que mis ojos se despierten
con la luz de tu mirada, yo
a Dios le pido
Que mi madre no se muera
y que mi padre me recuerde
a Dios le pido

Que te quedes a mi lado
y que más nunca te me vayas, mi vida
a Dios le pido
Que mi alma no descanse
cuando de amarte se trate, mi cielo
a Dios le pido

Por los días que me quedan
y las noches que aún no llegan, yo
a Dios le pido
Por los hijos de mis hijos
y los hijos de tus hijos
a Dios le pido

Que mi pueblo no derrame tanta sangre
y se levante mi gente
a Dios le pido
Que mi alma no descanse
cuando de amarte se trate, mi cielo
a Dios le pido

Un segundo más de vida para darte
y mi corazón entero entregarte
un segundo más de vida para darte
y a tu lado para siempre yo quedarme
un segundo más de vida, yo
a Dios le pido

Que si me muero sea de amor
y si me enamoro sea de vos
y que de tu voz sea este corazón
todos los días
a Dios le pido

Que si me muero sea de amor
y si me enamoro sea de vos
y que de tu voz sea este corazón
todos los días
a Dios le pido
a Dios le pido

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Here's the video:

This song is by the Norteño band "Grupo Pesado" from Monterrey, Nuevo León in México.
[From the Album "Sólo Contigo". Composed by Felipe De Jesús Jr. © Disa Records 2009]

The title "Ojalá" translates as something like "Hopefully" or "I hope" and it's a classic "you did me wrong - so I hope you get what's coming to you" type of song.

I actually really like the song, but I also think that it works as a good example of the "O" in the W.E.I.R.D.O. acronym that we use to remember when to use the present subjunctive. [See an explanation of the acronym here.]

Remember, none of these bad things have happened to her (yet). He just hopes that they do - and that's why he uses the subjunctive!.

The song starts with a fairly long instrumental intro and then we hear what's happened to make our singer so upset:

[Click the green arrow below to play the audio.]

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"¿Por qué?,
Si lo único que hice fue amarte con toda mi alma,
Te adoraba con todas mis fuerzas,
creí en tus promesas de amarme por siempre y ya ves.
¿Qué pasó?

Hoy me dices que vas a marcharte y que todo acabó,
Que tal solo era un juego,
Todo era mentira,
Que nunca me amaste,
Que solo fingías amor.

Y te ries al verme sufriendo
Y me dices que todo esto ha sido un error."

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[translation] Why? If the only thing that I did was to love you with all of my soul? I loved you with all of my strength, believed your promises to love me forever and now look. What happened?

Now you tell me you're going to leave and everything is over. That it was only a game, it was all a lie, that you never loved me, that you only faked being in love.
You laugh at me when you see me suffering and tell me that all of this has been a mistake.

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Now we get to the juicy part where he starts to tell her what he hopes will happen to her. It's also the part where we start to hear him use the subjunctive mood . [I have marked verbs in the subjunctive in bold italics to help make them stand out.]

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"Ojalá,
Que la vida te cobre con creces el daño que me haces,
Que no encuentres amor,
Y si un día lo encuentras, fracases.

Que a quien llames amor, se convierta en tu peor enemigo,
Y se burle de ti,
Como lo haces conmigo.

Que las noches se vuelvan eternas llorando en tu cama,
Que te abrace una pena, Y que sientas un frio en el alma.

Ojalá que algun día tu camino se llene de espinas,
Y sientas lo mucho que duele una herida.

Y al perder de ese amor mi recuerdo se clave en tu mente,
Y que sientas el mismo rencor que yo siento al perderte.

Ojalá que alguien te haga sufrir y de tanto dolor,
Ya no quieras vivir,.

Que desees la muerte."

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[translation] I hope..
that life pays you back with interest the hurt that you're doing to me, that you don't find love and that if, one day , you do - that you fail.

That the one you call "darling" turns into your worst enemy and makes fun of you, as you're doing to me.

That the nights turn themselves into an eternity as you cry in your bed. That a pain embraces you and you feel a chill in your soul.

That, one day, your route fills with thorns and you feel how much it hurts to be wounded....

and that in losing that love, the memory of me sticks in your mind - and that you feel the same bitterness that I do in losing you.

I hope that someone makes you suffer, and with so much pain that you no longer want to live..

that you wish you were dead....

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The last part of the song is a reprise of all of those wishes in the subjunctive.

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Ojalá que te guste esta canción y si tienes comentarios, sugerencias, preguntas o quejas - ¡escríbame, por favor!

I hope that you enjoyed this song and if you have comments, suggestions, questions or complaints - please write to me!

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Here's the video:

The Mexican singer Amandititita (teeny tiny Amanda) has a very funny take on the "metrosexual" phenomenon. (A media-generated craze which, thankfully, seems to have run its course.).

She starts the song by pointing out that she has a lot in common with her "metrosexual" boyfriend:

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"Cuando nos conocimos, no podíamos creer que fueramos tan similares. ¿No es una casualidad enorme que, habiendo tantos colores de tinte,los dos trajeramos rubio cenizo caoba?"

When we first met, we couldn't believe that we were so alike. Isn't it a huge coincidence that, given that there are so many colors of dye, we were both "ash blonde mahogany"?

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She goes on to detail more of his "assets" :

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Se sabe vestir y como caminar,
pestañas enchinadas,
mentón maquillado,
tiene todo el cuerpo operado,
tiene todo el cuerpo depilado,
pectorales, la barbilla y los labios injectados
...

He knows how to dress and to walk, has curled eyelashes, make-up on his chin.
His whole body has been (operated) worked on. His whole body has been waxed. His pecs, chin and lips have all been injected

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Apparently, the poor guy is misunderstood :

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Nadie entiende su lado femenino,
es un hombre que se quiere ver divino.

No one understands his feminine side, he's a man who wants to look divine!

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There's a dark side to this pretty boy - he has a criminal record :

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Una vez estuvo en prisión,
lo arrestaron por robar productos de Avon..

One time he was in prison. They arrested him for stealing Avon products.

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Here's the very funny video:

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I'll post my first set of lyrics soon.

In the meantime, any one got any suggestions or requests?