La Rosa y el Clavel – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Conjunto Tierra Chilena

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the rich world of Chilean folklore with 'La Rosa y el Clavel' by Conjunto Tierra Chilena. This captivating cueca, rich in poetic imagery, offers a wonderful opportunity to learn Spanish through its evocative metaphors of love and longing. Discover how flowers can tell a story of commitment and the delicate balance of joy and sorrow in relationships, making it a special piece for language and cultural exploration.

[English]

The garden of my Chilean land

I’d like to give you a gift, my dear

Oh, what are you going to give me?

A rose and a carnation

Oh

that’s my love

The rose, the rose with the carnation

my love, they made, made a vow

my love, they made, made a vow

my love, and your hundred, they stood as witnesses

my love, a thought, a little thought

my love, the roses, the rose with the carnation

don’t throw roses at me, they’re too common

throw violets at me, they’re much finer

don’t throw roses at me, they’re too common

Go show, go tell

they’ll go where I won’t

Go show, go tell, they’ll go where I won’t

right here, this young girl dancing

But look, look how she does it, her skirt falls off

But look, look how she does it, her skirt falls off

The huaso, the huaso who’s with her

but look, look how he does it, he steps in and holds it up

but look, look how she does it, this young girl dancing

[Spanish]

El jardín de mi tierra chilena

quisiera hacerle un presente mi negra

Ay ¿y qué me va a regalar usted?

Una rosa y un clavel

Ay

ese es mi negro

La rosa, la rosa con el clavel

mi vida hicieron, hicieron juramento

mi vida hicieron, hicieron juramento

mi vida y tu cien y pusieron de testigos

mi vida un canfin, un canfillo pensamientos

mi vida las rosas, la rosa con el crabel

no me tires con rosas, allá van que tienen finas

tírame con violeta allá van que son más finas

no me tires con rosas, allá van que tienen finas

Anda a mostrar a contar

allá van a que yo no valla

Anda a mostrar a contar allá van a que yo no vaya

es aquí, de esta chiquilla que baila

Pero miren, miren como le hace, se le cae la polleras

Pero miren, miren como le hace, se le cae la polleras

El huaso, el huaso que le acompaña

pero miren miren como le hace, se acerca y se la sujeta

pero miren miren como le hace, esa chiquilla que baila

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
rosa /ˈrosa/ A1	noun - rose
clavel /klaˈβel/ A2	noun - carnation
juramento /xuɾaˈmento/ B1	noun - oath
testigos /tesˈtigos/ B1	noun - witnesses
canfín /kanˈfin/ C1	noun - a type of small bag or pouch (regionalism)
huaso /ˈwaso/ B2	noun - Chilean cowboy
polleras /poˈʎeɾas/ B1	noun - skirt (especially in Latin America)
sujeta /suˈxeta/ A2	verb - to hold up
baila /ˈbai̯la/ A1	verb - dances
regalar /reɣaˈlaɾ/ A2	verb - to give as a gift
mostrar /mosˈtɾaɾ/ A2	verb - to show
contar /konˈtaɾ/ A2	verb - to tell
negra /ˈneɣɾa/ A1	noun - black woman
negro /ˈneɣɾo/ A1	noun - black man
chiquilla /tʃiˈkiʎa/ B1	noun - young girl

Key Grammar Structures

• quisiera hacerle un presente mi negra

  ➔ Imperfect Subjunctive (for politeness/desire); Indirect Object Pronoun with Infinitive

  ➔ "quisiera" (from "querer") is the imperfect subjunctive, used here to express a polite wish or desire ("I would like"). "hacerle" combines the infinitive "hacer" (to make/do) with the indirect object pronoun "le" (to him/her/you formal), meaning "to make for you."

• Ay ¿y qué me va a regalar usted?

  ➔ Periphrastic Future (ir a + infinitive); Indirect Object Pronoun

  ➔ "me va a regalar" uses the periphrastic future "ir a + infinitive" ("ir" conjugated as "va" for "usted") to express a future action ("is going to give/regale"). "me" is the indirect object pronoun, meaning "to me."

• mi vida y tu cien y pusieron de testigos

  ➔ Preterite Tense; "Poner de" construction (to appoint/set as)

  ➔ "pusieron" is the preterite tense of "poner" (to put/place). The phrase "poner de testigos" means "to set/appoint as witnesses," where "de" indicates the role or capacity.

• no me tires con rosas, allá van que tienen finas

  ➔ Negative Imperative; Indirect Object Pronoun; Relative Clause

  ➔ "no me tires" is a negative imperative ("Don't throw at me"). "me" is the indirect object pronoun. "que tienen finas" is a relative clause, where "que" refers back to "rosas" and introduces a descriptive phrase ("which are fine/delicate").

• tírame con violeta allá van que son más finas

  ➔ Affirmative Imperative with attached Pronoun; Comparative Adjective

  ➔ "tírame" is an affirmative imperative ("Throw at me") with the indirect object pronoun "me" attached to the verb. "más finas" is a comparative adjective ("finer/more delicate"), formed with "más" + adjective.

• Anda a mostrar a contar allá van a que yo no valla

  ➔ Imperative + "a" + Infinitive (purpose/command); Subjunctive Clause of Purpose/Prevention

  ➔ "Anda a mostrar a contar" uses the imperative "anda" (Go) followed by "a" + infinitive to express a command or purpose ("Go to show, to tell"). "a que yo no valla" (assuming "vaya") is a subjunctive clause introduced by "a que", expressing purpose or prevention ("so that I don't go").

• Pero miren, miren como le hace, se le cae la polleras

  ➔ Impersonal/Accidental "Se" construction + Indirect Object Pronoun

  ➔ "se le cae" is an impersonal or accidental "se" construction. It indicates that the action ("caer" - to fall) happened to someone (indicated by "le" - to her/him/you formal) without implying direct agency, often translated as "her skirt falls" or "her skirt falls off (on its own)".

• se acerca y se la sujeta

  ➔ Reflexive Verb; Double Object Pronouns (Indirect "se" + Direct "la")

  ➔ "se acerca" uses the reflexive verb "acercarse" (to approach oneself/to get closer). "se la sujeta" is a construction with double object pronouns: "se" replaces "le" (indirect object, "to her") when followed by a direct object pronoun "la" (referring to "la pollera" - the skirt). It means "he fastens it for her."