Capitão Romance – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Ornatos Violeta
• Album: Aventuras No Mundo, Cap. I - Rumo À Verdade

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a journey of self-discovery with "Capitão Romance" by Ornatos Violeta. This Portuguese rock anthem uses rich maritime metaphors to explore themes of introspection, courage, and personal growth, offering a unique lyrical landscape to deepen your understanding of the Portuguese language and its poetic expressions.

[English]

One, two, three

I won't look for who I wait for (oh-oh-oh)

If what I want is to sail (oh-oh-oh)

By the size of the waves (oh-oh-oh)

I count not to return

I set off towards spring

That hid in my depths

I forget everything I'm capable of

Today the sea is me

Waves that persist are waiting for me

They never stop crashing

Men who give up are waiting for me

Before they die

For wanting more than life

I am the shadow of what I am

And in the end, I touched nothing

Of what touched me

I saw

But I didn't grasp

I saw

But I didn't grasp

I set off towards wonder

Towards the pain that is yet to come

If I find an island

I stop to feel

And give meaning to the journey

To feel that I am capable

If my heart says courage

I set off again in peace

I saw

But I didn't grasp

I saw

But I didn't grasp

...

I saw

But I didn't grasp

I saw

But I didn't grasp

...

[Portuguese]

Um, dois, três

Não vou procurar quem espero (oh-oh-oh)

Se o que eu quero é navegar (oh-oh-oh)

Pelo tamanho das ondas (oh-oh-oh)

Conto não voltar

Parto rumo à primavera

Que em meu fundo se escondeu

Esqueço tudo do que eu sou capaz

Hoje o mar sou eu

Esperam-me ondas que persistem

Nunca param de bater

Esperam-me homens que desistem

Antes de morrer

Por querer mais do que a vida

Sou a sombra do que eu sou

E ao fim não toquei em nada

Do que em mim tocou

Eu vi

Mas não agarrei

Eu vi

Mas não agarrei

Parto rumo à maravilha

Rumo à dor que houver pra vir

Se eu encontrar uma ilha

Paro pra sentir

E dar sentido à viagem

Pra sentir que eu sou capaz

Se o meu peito diz coragem

Volto a partir em paz

Eu vi

Mas não agarrei

Eu vi

Mas não agarrei

Eu vi

Mas não agarrei

Eu vi

Mas não agarrei

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
navegar /nɐvɨˈɣaɾ/ B1	verb - to sail or navigate
ondas /ˈõdɐʃ/ B2	noun - waves
primavera /pɾimuˈvɨɾɐ/ B2	noun - spring (season)
mar /maɾ/ A2	noun - sea
ilhа /ila/ B2	noun - island
resiste /ʁɛʃˈtiʁ/ B2	verb - to resist or persist
morrer /muˈʁeʁ/ B2	verb - to die
coração /kɨɾɐˈsɐ̃w̃/ B2	noun - heart
capaz /kaˈpaɪs/ B1	adjective - able or capable
paz /paʃ/ A2	noun - peace
pessoa /pɨˈsɔwɐ/ A2	noun - person
sentido /sẽˈtʃidu/ B2	noun - meaning, sense
paz /paʃ/ A2	noun - peace
paz /paʃ/ A2	noun - peace

Key Grammar Structures

• Não vou procurar quem espero (oh-oh-oh)

  ➔ Subjunctive mood in relative clauses.

  ➔ The phrase "quem espero" uses the subjunctive because the speaker is not searching for someone specific that they know exists, but rather someone unknown or hypothetical. It translates to "I'm not going to look for whomever I'm waiting for" or "I'm not going to look for the person I'm waiting for" emphasizing the uncertainty.

• Que em meu fundo se escondeu

  ➔ Relative clause with reflexive pronoun.

  ➔ The phrase "que em meu fundo se escondeu" utilizes a relative pronoun "que" and a reflexive pronoun "se". The verb "esconder" is used reflexively, indicating that something hid itself. This implies that the spring hid itself within the speaker's depths.

• Esqueço tudo do que eu sou capaz

  ➔ Prepositional phrase with relative pronoun and adjective clause.

  ➔ The phrase "do que eu sou capaz" is a prepositional phrase modifying "tudo" (everything). It acts as an adjective clause. 'Do' is a contraction of 'de' + 'o'. 'Que' is a relative pronoun. Together they construct a complex description of what the speaker is forgetting.

• Sou a sombra do que eu sou

  ➔ Use of *ser* to define identity with a relative clause.

  ➔ This line uses the verb *ser* (to be) to define a permanent characteristic: the speaker *is* the shadow of what they currently are. The relative clause "do que eu sou" (of what I am) specifies the nature of the shadow. This emphasizes the speaker's diminished or altered state.

• E ao fim não toquei em nada Do que em mim tocou

  ➔ Prepositional phrases with relative pronoun and verb agreement.

  ➔ The phrase "do que em mim tocou" means "of what touched me." It uses the preposition "em" (in) twice, first to indicate the location (in me) and then as part of the relative construction. Verb agreement: "tocou" agrees with "o que", which is singular.

• Rumo à dor que houver pra vir

  ➔ Subjunctive in adverbial clauses of uncertain future.

  ➔ The use of "houver" (subjunctive form of haver - to have/exist) indicates an uncertain future. It translates to "toward whatever pain there might be to come." The subjunctive is used because the speaker doesn't know if there will be pain; it's a hypothetical future.