Ay mamá – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Rigoberta Bandini

Lyrics & Translation

"Ay Mamá" by Rigoberta Bandini is more than just a song; it's a vibrant exploration of femininity, motherhood, and societal expectations. Delve into the Spanish language and culture through its powerful lyrics and discover why this feminist anthem resonated with so many, sparking important conversations about the female body and its representation.

[English]

You who have bled for so many months of your life

Forgive me before I begin

I'm proud, and you know it well

To you who always has broth in the fridge

You who could end so many wars

Listen to me

Mom, mom, mom

Let's stop the city

With a bare breast, just like Delacroix

Mom, mom, mom

For so many ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma, mom

All the ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma, mom

You who tied your body so tight to my head

With a desire to cry, but full of strength

Listen to me

Mom, mom, mom

Let's stop the city

With a bare breast, just like Delacroix

Mom, mom, mom

For so many ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma, mom

All the ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma (mom)

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma, mom

Long live the ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

I don't know why our breasts scare so much

Without them, there'd be no humanity or beauty

And you know it well

Lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo

(You know it well) lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo

Listen to me

Mom, mom, mom

...

[Spanish]

Tú que has sangrado tantos meses de tu vida

Perdóname antes de empezar

Soy engreída y lo sabes bien

A ti que tienes siempre caldo en la nevera

Tú que podrías acabar con tantas guerras

Escúchame

Mamá, mamá, mamá

Paremos la ciudad

Sacando un pecho fuera al puro estilo Delacroix

Mamá, mamá, mamá

Por tantas ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma, mamá

Todas las ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma, mamá

Tú que amarraste bien tu cuerpo a mi cabeza

Con ganas de llorar, pero con fortaleza

Escúchame

Mamá, mamá, mamá

Paremos la ciudad

Sacando un pecho fuera al puro estilo Delacroix

Mamá, mamá, mamá

Por tantas ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma, mamá

Todas las ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma (mami)

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma, mamá

Vivan las ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

No sé por qué dan tanto miedo nuestras tetas

Sin ellas no habría humanidad ni habría belleza

Y lo sabes bien

Lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo

(Lo sabes bien) lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo

Escúchame

Mamá, mamá, mamá

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sangrado /saŋˈɡɾaðo/ B2	verb - bled
vida /ˈbiða/ A1	noun - life
engreída /eŋɡɾeˈiða/ C1	adjective - conceited
caldo /ˈkaldo/ B1	noun - broth
nevera /neˈβeɾa/ A2	noun - refrigerator
guerras /ˈɡeras/ B1	noun - wars
ciudad /θjuˈðað/ A1	noun - city
pecho /ˈpetʃo/ A2	noun - breast
estilo /esˈtilo/ A2	noun - style
amarraste /amaˈraste/ B2	verb - tied
cuerpo /ˈkwerpo/ A1	noun - body
cabeza /kaˈβeθa/ A1	noun - head
ganas /ˈɡanas/ B1	noun - desire
llorar /ʎoˈɾaɾ/ A2	verb - to cry
fortaleza /foɾtaˈleθa/ B2	noun - strength
miedo /ˈmjeðo/ A2	noun - fear
tetas /ˈtetas/ B1	noun - breasts
humanidad /umaniˈðað/ B2	noun - humanity
belleza /beˈʎeθa/ B1	noun - beauty

Key Grammar Structures

• Tú que has sangrado tantos meses de tu vida

  ➔ Present perfect tense

  ➔ The phrase uses the present perfect tense to indicate an action that has relevance to the present, as in "you have bled for many months of your life."

• Perdóname antes de empezar

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The phrase uses the imperative mood to give a command or request, as in "forgive me before starting."

• Tú que podrías acabar con tantas guerras

  ➔ Conditional mood

  ➔ The phrase uses the conditional mood to express a hypothetical situation, as in "you could end so many wars."

• Vivan las ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma

  ➔ Subjunctive mood

  ➔ The phrase uses the subjunctive mood to express a wish or desire, as in "long live the..."

• No sé por qué dan tanto miedo nuestras tetas

  ➔ Interrogative structure

  ➔ The phrase uses an interrogative structure to express confusion or inquiry, as in "I don't know why our breasts are so frightening."

• Con ganas de llorar, pero con fortaleza

  ➔ Contrastive conjunction

  ➔ The phrase uses a contrastive conjunction to show opposing ideas, as in "with a desire to cry, but with strength."