3 ou 4 – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Piruka

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the rhythmic world of Piruka with '3 ou 4'! This song is a perfect gateway to learning Cape Verdean Creole through its melodic flow and emotive lyrics, helping you understand how language can express profound romantic nuances.

[English]

Everyone is asking

"My Piruka, where have you been?"

Sitting in the armchair

Smoking one on the balcony

I walked into the Jet 7

Tony Montana style

I was devouring the rap

And my crew was doing time

Get out of the way

It was never about the fame

But the money came in handy

I filled my plate so much

That I haven't even enjoyed it yet

They want my life

But I made the bed I lie in

I want what is rightfully mine

And you're out on the street without a vest

They're going to pierce your helmet

The best thing is to shut your mouth

If you're in the middle of a crowd

Man, I was just a kid

And I saw this happening in front of me

Even my old lady was a psychic

So I'm on the run

I'm just another one from the bottom

Who always wanted to see the top

So I'm on the run

Don't give too many kisses

Spit in the mouths of the lovers

And watch out for your chest

Or they'll slash you with a pocketknife

Moving all around

When you reach the zone, reset

I left my neighborhood

To chase the paycheck

The other guy was never from the hood

And he talks like he lives there

Everyone is asking

"My Piruka, where have you been?"

In 3 or 4 places

With 3 or 4 girls

3 or 4 lovers

3 or 4 beds

For 3 or 4 thousand

You can't even pronounce my name anymore

And everyone is asking

"My Piruka, where have you been?"

In 3 or 4 places

With 3 or 4 girls

3 or 4 lovers

3 or 4 beds

For 3 or 4 thousand

You can't even pronounce my name anymore

And when I was back in the zone

Chasing the dream

With a mouth full of weed

Watching the men on patrol

The junkies hitting the rock

And the girls doing...

The older guys playing around

In the exchange of who's watching

Boys making deals

To keep their accounts up to date

I'm not about showing off

But today I want to flex

You feed your ego

I feed my family

The men keep the girls close

Rubbing up against the .38

Each one in their spot

And them shaking their asses

Doing my thing

So I don't even hear the rest

Because everyone is asking

"Where have you been, Piruka?"

Me, over in Copacabana

Burning through in half an hour

What is earned in a whole week

The bad life doesn't fool me anymore

Far from that bad reputation

They want to play me

I just want them to pass me the cash

Everyone is asking

"My Piruka, where have you been?"

In 3 or 4 places

With 3 or 4 girls

3 or 4 lovers

3 or 4 beds

For 3 or 4 thousand

You can't even pronounce my name anymore

And everyone is asking

"My Piruka, where have you been?"

In 3 or 4 places

With 3 or 4 girls

3 or 4 lovers

3 or 4 beds

For 3 or 4 thousand

You can't even pronounce my name anymore

...

[Portuguese]

Anda tudo a perguntar

"Meu Piruka, onde é que andas?"

Sentado na poltrona

A fumar uma na varanda

Entrei pó Jet 7

Ao estilo Tony Montana

Eu comia o rap

E o meu tropa comia cana

Tu sai da frente

Nunca foi pela fama

Mas a guita deu-me jeito

Enchi tanto o prato

Que ainda nem tirei proveito

Querem a minha vida

Eu fiz a cama em que me deito

Quero o que é meu por direito

E tu na rua sem colete

Vão-te furar o capacete

O melhor é calares a boca

Se 'tás no meio de muita gente

Maluco, eu era puto

E via isto à minha frente

Já a minha velha era vidente

Portanto eu 'tou na corrida

Eu sou mais um que vem de baixo

Que sempre quis ver de cima

Portanto eu 'tou na corrida

Não dês muitos beijinhos

Cospe na boca das queridas

E cuidado com o peito

Que te malaba com canivete

Anda por todo lado

Chegando à zona faz reset

Eu saí do meu bairro

P'ra correr atrás do cheque

O outro nunca foi do bairro

E fala como se lá vivesse

Anda tudo a perguntar

"Meu Piruka, onde é que andas?"

Em 3 ou 4 sítios

Com 3 ou 4 manas

3 ou 4 queridas

3 ou 4 camas

Por 3 ou 4 mil

Já nem o meu nome acampanas

E anda tudo a perguntar

"Meu Piruka, onde é que andas?"

Em 3 ou 4 sítios

Com 3 ou 4 manas

3 ou 4 queridas

3 ou 4 camas

Por 3 ou 4 mil

Já nem o meu nome acampanas

E quando eu 'tava lá na zona

A correr atrás do sonho

Com a boca na maconha

A ver os homens dar a ronda

Os carochos a dar na pedra

E as quengas a dar a

Cotas a dar a volta

Na troca de quem vigia

Rapazes a fazer trocas

P'ra ter as contas em dia

Nem sou de ostentação

Mas hoje quero bazofaria

Alimentas o ego

Eu alimento a família

Os homens metem as queridas

A roçar no .38

Cada um no seu pouso

E elas a abanar a bunda

A fazer o meu

Por isso o resto já nem ouço

Que é tudo a perguntar

"Onde é que andas meu Piruka?"

Eu lá em Copacabana

A queimar em meia hora

O que se ganha numa semana

A má vida já não me engana

Longe dessa má fama

Querem-me passar a perna

Eu quero é que me passem a grana

Anda tudo a perguntar

"Meu Piruka, onde é que andas?"

Em 3 ou 4 sítios

Com 3 ou 4 manas

3 ou 4 queridas

3 ou 4 camas

Por 3 ou 4 mil

Já nem o meu nome acampanas

E anda tudo a perguntar

"Meu Piruka, onde é que andas?"

Em 3 ou 4 sítios

Com 3 ou 4 manas

3 ou 4 queridas

3 ou 4 camas

Por 3 ou 4 mil

Já nem o meu nome acampanas

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
poltrona pol-tro-na B1	noun - armchair
varanda va-ran-da A2	noun - balcony/veranda
fama fa-ma A2	noun - fame/reputation
guita gui-ta C1	noun - money (slang)
proveito pro-vei-to B2	noun - benefit/advantage
colete co-le-te B1	noun - vest
capacete ca-pa-ce-te A2	noun - helmet
vidente vi-den-te B2	noun - clairvoyant/seer
canivete ca-ni-ve-te B2	noun - pocket knife
bairro bai-rro A2	noun - neighborhood
cheque che-que A2	noun - check/cheque
sonho so-nho A2	noun - dream
ostentação os-ten-ta-ção C1	noun - ostentation/showing off
alimentar a-li-men-tar B1	verb - to feed/nourish
bazofaria ba-zo-fa-ria C2	noun - boasting/arrogance

Key Grammar Structures

• Onde é que andas?

  ➔ Present Indicative of 'Andar' (Slang for 'To be')

  ➔ In PT-PT slang, "andar" is used to ask about one's current location or state.

• Se 'tás no meio de muita gente

  ➔ Conditional 'Se' clause with the verb 'Estar' (informal)

  ➔ Usage of the colloquial contraction "'tás" instead of the standard "estás".

• Eu era puto

  ➔ Imperfect Indicative (Pretérito Imperfeito)

  ➔ "Era" is used for describing a continuous state or past situation.

• A guita deu-me jeito

  ➔ Pretérito Perfeito (Simple Past) + Dative pronoun

  ➔ The phrase "dar jeito" means to be useful or come in handy. Here it is in the past tense.

• Já a minha velha era vidente

  ➔ Adverb 'Já' + Past tense

  ➔ "Já" emphasizes that this was already true in the past.

• Querem a minha vida

  ➔ Present Indicative of 'Querer' (to want/desire)

  ➔ Describing the envy or the threats from others towards the artist.

• Eu fiz a cama em que me deito

  ➔ Idiomatic expression with 'Pretérito Perfeito'

  ➔ Meaning 'I deal with the consequences of my own actions'.

• Não dês muitos beijinhos

  ➔ Imperative (Negative command) with 'dar'

  ➔ Used to give a warning about being too friendly or trusting.