Acabo de llegar – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Fito & Fitipaldis
• Album: Antes de que cuente Diez

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the Spanish language through the introspective rock anthem, “Acabo de llegar” by Fito & Fitipaldis. This song provides an opportunity to learn about themes of self-discovery, resilience, and embracing life's uncertainties. Its poetic lyrics and relatable message make it a captivating and meaningful experience for language learners.

[English]

What am I supposed to say

If I’ve just arrived

If this is like the sea

Who knows any corner

Let me be born, I need to invent myself

To become a fish

I started with the spikes

...

I never wrote it down on paper

And my voice has never sung it

And now you ask me what to do

And I, always chasing the error

Sing to what I’ll never have

To the kiss she never gave me

...

Tell me, what can someone know

Who’s spent their life

Searching for the melody

Oh, what am I supposed to say

If I’ve just arrived

If this is like the sea

Who knows any corner

Let me be born, I need to invent myself

To become a fish

I started with the spikes

Life is something you have to bite

And each mouth has its flavor

Your bones are not covered by my skin

That’s why I always say no (no)

Sorry, I have things to do

That I still have half a life left

To find the melody, oh

...

What am I supposed to say

If I’ve just arrived

If this is like the sea

Who knows any corner

Let me be born, I need to invent myself

...

What am I supposed to say

If I’ve just arrived

If this is like the sea

Who knows any corner

Let me be born, I need to invent myself

To become a fish

I started with the spikes

Oh, what am I supposed to say

If I’ve just arrived

If this is like the sea

Who knows any corner

Let me be born, I need to invent myself

To become a fish

I started with the spikes

Oh, what am I supposed to say

What am I supposed to say

...

[Spanish]

Qué te voy a decir

Si yo acabo de llegar

Si esto es como el mar

Quién conoce alguna esquina

Dejadme nacer, que me tengo que inventar

Para hacerme pez

Empecé por las espinas

Nunca lo escribí en un papel

Y nunca lo ha cantado mi voz

Y tú, ahora me preguntas qué hacer

Y yo que siempre voy detrás del error

Le canto a lo que nunca tendré

Al beso que ella nunca me dio

Dime tú qué puede saber

Alguien que ha pasao la vida

Buscando la melodía

Oh, qué te voy a decir

Si yo acabo de llegar

Si esto es como el mar

Quién conoce alguna esquina

Dejadme nacer, que me tengo que inventar

Para hacerme pez

Empecé por las espinas

La vida es algo que hay que morder

Y en cada boca tiene un sabor

Tus huesos no los tapa mi piel

Por eso, siempre digo que no (que no)

Perdona, tengo cosas que hacer

Que aún me queda media vida

Pa' encontrar la melodía, oh

Qué te voy a decir

Si yo acabo de llegar

Si esto es como el mar

Quién conoce alguna esquina

Dejadme nacer, que me tengo que inventar

Qué te voy a decir

Si yo acabo de llegar

Si esto es como el mar

Quién conoce alguna esquina

Dejadme nacer, que me tengo que inventar

Para hacerme pez

Empecé por las espinas

Oh, qué te voy a decir

Si yo acabo de llegar

Si esto es como el mar

Quién conoce alguna esquina

Dejadme nacer, que me tengo que inventar

Para hacerme pez

Empecé por las espinas

Oh, qué te voy a decir

Qué te voy a decir

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
llegar /ʝeˈɣaɾ/ A2	verb - to arrive
mar /maɾ/ A2	noun - sea
esquina /esˈki.na/ B1	noun - corner
nacer /naˈθeɾ/ B2	verb - to be born
pezz /pɛθ/ A2	noun - fish verb - to cut or break into pieces
espinas /ˈespinas/ B2	noun - thorns, spines
vida /ˈbi.ðað/ A1	noun - life
sabor /saˈβoɾ/ A2	noun - flavor
piel /pjeɾ/ A2	noun - skin
hacer /aˈθeɾ/ A2	verb - to do, to make
dentro /ˈdɛn.tɾo/ A2	adverb/preposition - inside
cantar /kanˈtaɾ/ A2	verb - to sing

Key Grammar Structures

• Qué te voy a decir

  ➔ Future Simple (ir + a + infinitive)

  ➔ Expressing a future action that is planned or likely to happen. Here, it's used rhetorically, implying the speaker doesn't know what to say.

• Si yo acabo de llegar

  ➔ Present Perfect (acabar de + infinitive)

  ➔ Expressing an action that has just happened. "Acabar de" + infinitive indicates something has just been completed.

• Si esto es como el mar

  ➔ Simile (ser como)

  ➔ Using "es como" to create a simile, comparing the situation to the sea. This implies vastness, complexity, and unfamiliarity.

• Quién conoce alguna esquina

  ➔ Interrogative Pronoun (Quién)

  ➔ "Quién" introduces a question. Here it is a rhetorical question, implying that nobody knows all the corners of something vast like the sea.

• Dejadme nacer, que me tengo que inventar

  ➔ Imperative (Dejadme) + Obligation (tener que + infinitive)

  ➔ "Dejadme" is an imperative verb asking to be allowed to be born (figuratively). "Tener que" expresses obligation, meaning he has to invent himself.

• Para hacerme pez

  ➔ Purpose Clause (para + infinitive)

  ➔ "Para" + infinitive indicates the purpose or reason for the preceding action. He needs to invent himself in order to become a fish.

• Empecé por las espinas

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase (Empezar por)

  ➔ "Empezar por" means to start with something. In this case, he started with the thorns, suggesting difficulties and challenges.

• Y yo que siempre voy detrás del error

  ➔ Relative Clause with 'que' + Idiomatic expression (ir detrás de)

  ➔ The 'que' introduces a relative clause describing 'yo'. 'Ir detrás de' means to go after or pursue something. In this context, the speaker always pursues mistakes.