Amar Para Sofrer – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Marco Rodrigues

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a journey into its soul, and "Amar Para Sofrer" by Marco Rodrigues offers a beautiful gateway to the heart of Portuguese expression. This song, blending traditional Fado with modern pop, allows you to explore the poetic and deeply emotional concept of 'saudade' (a feeling of longing and melancholy). The simple yet profound lyrics, penned by Diogo Piçarra, make it accessible for learners to grasp the nuances of love and loss that are so central to Portuguese culture and its music.

[English]

If I knew everything

I wouldn't be here anymore

And I would jump into the dark

Without fear of falling

If I knew nothing

I’d be feeling even better

And I’d run down this road

Without counting the worst

That's just how I am, I need to love to suffer

A little more, it's good to know

To suffer a little to love

And then look into your eyes to say

The way I don't want to lose

Someone I don’t want to let go of

I won’t let you go

...

If I changed the world

You would always be here

And I would turn back the clocks

Without the will to bring them back together

If I entered your world

Today I’d feel much better

And I’d be whole again

When it was just us

That's just how I am, I need to love to suffer

A little more, it's good to know

To suffer a little to love

And then look into your eyes to say

The way I don't want to lose

Someone I don’t want to let go of

I won’t let you go

I won’t let you go

...

That's just how I am, I need to love to suffer

A little more, it's good to know

To suffer a little to love

And then look into your eyes to say

The way I don't want to lose

Someone I don’t want to let go of

I won’t let you go

I won’t let you go

And then look into your eyes to say

The way I don't want to lose

Someone I don’t want to let go of

I won’t let you go

...

[Portuguese]

Se eu soubesse tudo

Eu já não estaria aqui

E saltava no escuro

Sem ter medo de cair

Se eu não soubesse nada

Eu estaria ainda melhor

E corria nessa estrada

Sem contar com o pior

Sou assim, eu preciso amar para sofrer

Mais um pouco é bom saber

Sofrer um pouco para amar

E depois olhar nos olhos pra dizer

Do jeito que não se quer perder

De vista quem não se quer largar

Eu não te vou largar

Se eu mudasse o mundo

Tu estarias sempre aqui

E partia os ponteiros

Sem vontade de os unir

Se eu entrasse no teu mundo

Hoje estaria bem melhor

E voltava a estar inteiro

Quando éramos só nós

Sou assim, eu preciso amar para sofrer

Mais um pouco é bom saber

Sofrer um pouco para amar

E depois olhar nos olhos pra dizer

Do jeito que não se quer perder

De vista quem não se quer largar

Eu não te vou largar

Eu não te vou largar

Sou assim, eu preciso amar para sofrer

Mais um pouco é bom saber

Sofrer um pouco para amar

E depois olhar nos olhos pra dizer

Do jeito que não se quer perder

De vista quem não se quer largar

Eu não te vou largar

Eu não te vou largar

E depois olhar nos olhos pra dizer

Do jeito que não se quer perder

De vista quem não se quer largar

Eu não te vou largar

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
saber /ˈsabeɾ/ A2	verb - to know
amar /aˈmaɾ/ A2	verb - to love
sofrer /soˈfɾeɾ/ B1	verb - to suffer
cair /kajɾ/ A2	verb - to fall
mundo /ˈmũdu/ A1	noun - world
olhos /ˈɔʎuʃ/ A1	noun - eyes
estrada /eʃˈtɾadɐ/ B1	noun - road
medo /ˈmedu/ A2	noun - fear
voltar /volˈtaɾ/ A2	verb - to return
largar /laʁˈgaʁ/ B1	verb - to let go
melhor /meˈʎoʁ/ A2	adjective - better
pior /piˈɔʁ/ B1	adjective - worse
vontade /võˈtadʒi/ B2	noun - will, desire
jeito /ˈʒeɪtu/ B2	noun - way, manner

Key Grammar Structures

• Eu já não estaria aqui

  ➔ Conditional tense with 'já' implying a hypothetical situation in the present or past.

  ➔ 'Já' indicates that the action is hypothetical or contrary to reality, often used with conditional verb forms.

• Sofrer um pouco para amar

  ➔ Infinitive phrase expressing purpose or result — 'para' plus infinitive.

  ➔ 'Para' introduces the purpose of the action in Portuguese, followed by an infinitive.

• De vista quem não se quer largar

  ➔ Relative clause with double negation to emphasize 'who does not want to let go of sight.'

  ➔ The double negation ('não se quer largar') emphasizes the desire not to lose sight of someone or something.

• Eu não te vou largar

  ➔ Futuro próximo tense with 'vou' plus infinitive, expressing a strong intention or promise.

  ➔ 'Vou' + infinitive indicates an upcoming action or firm intention to do something.

• Quando éramos só nós

  ➔ Imperfect tense with 'éramos' (from 'ser') indicating a past state or condition.

  ➔ The imperfect tense describes ongoing or habitual actions and states in the past.

• Mais um pouco é bom saber

  ➔ Expressing an idea with 'é' (is/means) linking a subjective opinion about 'saber' (to know).

  ➔ The verb 'é' functions as a linking verb that connects the noun or subject to a subjective statement.

• Eu não te vou largar

  ➔ Futuro próximo tense with 'vou' plus infinitive, indicating a strong intention or promise.

  ➔ 'Vou' + infinitive indicates an upcoming action or firm intention to do something.