Carta de Amor – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Paulo Sousa, Angie Costa
• Album: TEU

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic journey, and “Carta de Amor” by Paulo Sousa is a perfect starting point for diving into Portuguese. The song's clear, heartfelt lyrics about love and distance make it easy to connect with emotionally while picking up new vocabulary. Its beautiful pop melody and the genuine friendship between Paulo Sousa and Angie Costa, who appears in the video, add a special layer of warmth and sincerity, making the learning process both enjoyable and memorable.

[English]

You know there's so much I could say

To tell you about who we are and what we can be

But today I'll show you

Make you realize

What I can give you

Let me write you a love letter

Show you how a kiss is a rightful claim

Leave you speechless because you feel the worth

Of what I can give you...

I can't deny it, how can I deny?

You're the recipient

Of this love I send

Fill the emptiness

Of not being able to be there

Just what is needed

I send to the address I know by heart

In this love letter

In this love letter

...

I'll stick the stamp on your heart

I want so badly to see it and feel again

Wait for me in a dream because for some reason

That's where I have to be

And I can't deny it, how can I deny?

You're the recipient

Of this love I send

Fill the emptiness

Of not being able to be there

Just what is needed

I send to the address I know by heart

In this love letter

In this love letter

Whether in the letter or in destiny

I know you'll come to me

With love I say goodbye to you

Let me write you a love letter

Show you how a kiss is a rightful claim

You're the recipient

Of this love I send

Fill the emptiness

Of not being able to be there

Just what is needed

I send to the address I know by heart

In this love letter

You're the recipient

Of this love I send

Fill the emptiness

Of not being able to be there

Just what is needed

I send to the address I know by heart

In this love letter

In this love letter

...

[Portuguese]

Sabes que há tanto que podia dizer

Falar-te do que somos e do que podemos ser

Mas hoje vou mostrar-te

Fazer-te perceber

O que te posso dar

Deixa-me escrever-te uma carta de amor

Mostrar-te como um beijo é um direito de autor

Deixar-te sem palavras porque sentes o valor

Do que te posso dar...

Eu não posso negar, como negar?

És o destinatário

Deste amor que envio

Preenche o vazio

De não poder estar aí

Só o necessário

Mando à morada que sei de cor

Nesta carta de amor

Nesta carta de amor

Vou colar o selo no teu coração

Quero tanto vê-lo e ter de novo a sensação

Espera-me num sonho porque por qualquer razão

É lá que eu hei-de estar

E eu não posso negar, como negar?

És o destinatário

Deste amor que envio

Preenche o vazio

De não poder estar aí

Só o necessário

Mando à morada que sei de cor

Nesta carta de amor

Nesta carta de amor

Quer na carta ou no destino

Sei que vais chegar a mim

Com amor eu me despeço de ti

Deixa-me escrever-te uma carta de amor

Mostrar-te como um beijo é um direito de autor

És o destinatário

Deste amor que envio

Preenche o vazio

De não poder estar aí

Só o necessário

Mando à morada que sei de cor

Nesta carta de amor

És o destinatário

Deste amor que envio

Preenche o vazio

De não poder estar aí

Só o necessário

Mando à morada que sei de cor

Nesta carta de amor

Nesta carta de amor

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
amor /aˈmoʁ/ A1	noun - love
carta /ˈkaʁ.tɐ/ A1	noun - letter
destinatário /dɛʃ.ti.naˈta.ɾju/ B1	noun - recipient
mostrar /moʊsˈtaʁ/ A2	verb - to show
perceber /pɛʁ.səˈbɛʁ/ B1	verb - to perceive
valor /vaˈloʁ/ B1	noun - value
selo /ˈse.lu/ A2	noun - stamp
coração /ko.ɾaˈsɐ̃w/ A1	noun - heart
sensação /sẽ.sɐˈsɐ̃w/ B1	noun - sensation
vazio /vaˈzi.u/ B2	noun - emptiness
sonho /ˈso.ɲu/ A2	noun - dream
chegar /ʃeˈɡaʁ/ A2	verb - to arrive
negar /nɛˈɡaʁ/ B1	verb - to deny
falar /faˈlaʁ/ A1	verb - to speak
poder /poˈdeʁ/ A1	verb - to be able to
escrever /es.kɾeˈveʁ/ A2	verb - to write

Key Grammar Structures

• Sabes que há tanto que podia dizer

  ➔ Use of the subjunctive mood with 'que' to express possibility or uncertainty.

  ➔ The sentence implies uncertainty about the amount that could be said, using the subjunctive for doubt or possibility.

• Deixa-me escrever-te uma carta de amor

  ➔ Use of the infinitive with pronouns attached, expressing a polite or intimate request.

  ➔ The structure 'Deixa-me' (Let me) demonstrates a polite or intimate way to ask for permission to do something.

• Mostrar-te como um beijo é um direito de autor

  ➔ Use of the infinitive 'mostrar' with direct object pronoun 'te' to express action directed at 'you'.

  ➔ This structure demonstrates the action 'to show' directed at the person represented by 'te' (you).

• Vou colar o selo no teu coração

  ➔ Use of the simple future tense 'Vou' with verb in infinitive 'colar' to indicate planned action.

  ➔ The phrase expresses an intention to stick or place the 'seal' onto the 'heart', symbolizing love or emotional connection.

• Sei que vais chegar a mim

  ➔ Use of 'sei' (I know) with the subordinate clause in the future 'vais chegar' (you will arrive), indicating certainty about future action.

  ➔ The phrase conveys certainty that the person will arrive or come to the speaker in the future.

• Deixa-me escrever-te uma carta de amor

  ➔ Use of the infinitive 'escrever' with pronoun 'te' attached to form a polite or intimate request.

  ➔ The structure 'Deixa-me' (Let me) plus the infinitive indicates an attempt to politely or intimately ask for permission to perform an action.