Corrido De Juanito – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Calibre 50
• Album: Best of Calibre 50

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language is about understanding its culture, and 'Corrido De Juanito' by Calibre 50 offers a powerful lesson in both. This song, a modern corrido, uses storytelling to explore the emotional journey of a Mexican immigrant. By listening, you'll not only encounter authentic Spanish vocabulary related to family, work, and identity, but you'll also gain insight into the profound experiences that shape the lives of many Spanish speakers. It’s a special song because it turns a personal story into a universal anthem of resilience and cultural pride.

[English]

Almost 14 years without going to my homeland where I was born

Everything has changed, I pray to my God

Don't forget about me

My mother has passed away

And my father says he is very old now

And he doesn't want to come

And I can't go

And I can't go

...

I worked and worked, I have many days

That I haven't seen the sun

My children are grown and I don't understand them

They don't speak Spanish

They haven't felt fear

Those who haven't seen a truck

From immigration

...

Or a deportation

Or a deportation

...

In boots and a hat

They often see me on the freeway

...

Gardener or cook

I still take my chances, they'll say "anyways"

...

And even if they look down on me

I lift my face while leaning on a can

...

Either way, I am a friend and also Mexican

...

Mexican to the core

...

And with much love

From Calibre 50

Corrido, for all the people

...

Life is not easy, especially here

What they say is not true

Just remembering the thousands of crosses

That I saw in the desert

...

The nights are sad

Thinking and thinking about those who stayed behind

Time passes me by

And in seeing my old man

And in seeing my old man

...

I am more than grateful to my God

For what He has given me

I send a greeting to all my cousins

My uncles and brothers

With sad eyes

And tired steps, Juanito promises

That he will visit them

And be able to hug them

And be able to hug them

...

In boots and a hat

They often see me on the freeway

...

Gardener or cook

I still take my chances, they'll say "anyways"

...

And even if they look down on me

I lift my face while leaning on a can

...

Either way, I am a friend and also Mexican

Mexican to the core

...

[Spanish]

Casi 14 años sin ir a mi tierra a donde nací

Ya todo ha cambiado, le ruego a mi Dios

No se olviden de mí

Se murió mi madre

Y dice mi padre que ya está muy viejo

Y no quiere venir

Y yo sin poder ir

Y yo sin poder ir

Trabajé y trabajé, tengo muchos días

Que no miro el sol

Mis hijos son grandes y no les entiendo

No hablan español

No han sentido miedo

Aquel que no ha visto una camioneta

De migración

O una deportación

O una deportación

De botitas y sombrero

Me miran seguido por el freeway

Jardinero o cocinero

Igual me la rifo, dirán "anyways"

Y aunque me miren pa' abajo

La cara levanto empinándome un bote

Como quiera soy amigo y también mexicano

Mexicano hasta el tope

Y con mucho cariño

De parte de Calibre 50

Corrido, pa' toda la raza

La vida no es fácil y menos acá

Lo que dicen no es cierto

Nomás de acordarme las miles de cruces

Que vi en el desierto

Las noches son tristes

Pensando y pensando en los que se quedaron

Se me pasa el tiempo

Y en ver a mi viejo

Y en ver a mi viejo

Más que agradecido estoy con mi Dios

Por lo que me ha dado

Les mando un saludo a todos mis primos

Mis tíos y hermanos

Con los ojos tristes

Y paso cansado, promete Juanito

Que va a visitarlos

Y poder abrazarlos

Y poder abrazarlos

De botitas y sombrero

Me miran seguido por el freeway

Jardinero o cocinero

Igual me la rifo, dirán "anyways"

Y aunque me miren pa' abajo

La cara levanto empinándome un bote

Como quiera soy amigo y también mexicano

Mexicano hasta el tope

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
tierra /ˈtjera/ A2	noun - land, ground
nací /naˈsi/ A2	verb - I was born
cambiar /kambio/ B1	verb - to change, to alter
olviden /olβiˈðen/ B2	verb - to forget
murió /muˈɾio/ A2	verb - died
viejo /ˈbje.xo/ A2	adjective - old
trabajé /tɾabaˈxe/ A1	verb - worked
amigos /aˈmi.ɣos/ A1	noun - friends
movil /moˈβil/ A2	noun - cell phone, mobile adjective - mobile, movable
carro /ˈka.ɾo/ A2	noun - car
cocina /koˈtʃi.na/ A2	noun - kitchen
viajar /bjaˈxaɾ/ B1	verb - to travel
vida /ˈβi.ðað/ A1	noun - life

Key Grammar Structures

• Casi 14 años sin ir a mi tierra a donde nací

  ➔ Use of 'sin' to express absence or lack of action.

  ➔ The phrase "Casi 14 años" indicates a duration of time, while "sin ir" shows the lack of action.

• Mis hijos son grandes y no les entiendo

  ➔ Use of 'no' for negation.

  ➔ The word "no" negates the verb "entiendo", indicating that the speaker does not understand.

• La vida no es fácil y menos acá

  ➔ Use of 'menos' to indicate a comparative degree.

  ➔ The phrase "y menos acá" emphasizes that life is even less easy in this specific place.

• Las noches son tristes pensando y pensando en los que se quedaron

  ➔ Use of gerund 'pensando' to indicate ongoing action.

  ➔ The repetition of "pensando" emphasizes the continuous nature of the speaker's thoughts.

• Y poder abrazarlos

  ➔ Use of infinitive 'poder' to express intention.

  ➔ The infinitive form indicates the speaker's desire to perform the action of hugging.

• Como quiera soy amigo y también mexicano

  ➔ Use of 'como quiera' to express a condition or concession.

  ➔ The phrase indicates that regardless of circumstances, the speaker identifies as a friend and a Mexican.