Culpable o No – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Luis Miguel

Lyrics & Translation

"Culpable o No" is an essential song for anyone wanting to learn Spanish through Latin music, as it is a masterclass in expressing raw, desperate emotion. The simple yet powerful chorus, which centers on the conflict between truth and a necessary lie, uses common, high-frequency Spanish verbs like *mentir* (to lie), *creer* (to believe), and *querer* (to want/love) in emotionally charged contexts. Mastering this dramatic ballad will significantly boost your comprehension of Spanish expressions of love and betrayal.

[English]

Now, just when you've already gone away

They’ve told me you've been cheating on me

Why do you suddenly have so many enemies?

Why do I have to keep apologizing for you?

If they’re lying, please defend yourself

I know you won't, since they’re telling the truth

It’s a pity; you’ll always keep hurting me

And guilty or not, what can I do about it now?

Lie to me, like you always do

Please, lie to me

I need to believe you

Convince me

Lie to me with a kiss

Make it feel like love

I need to love you

Guilty or not

...

I no longer have any right to blame you

For nothing’s left of you, of me, of yesterday

What a pity! Our story could’ve been fantastic

And now tell me, my love, who’s going to defend you?

Lie to me, like you always do

Please, lie to me

I need to believe you

Convince me

Lie to me with a kiss

Make it feel like love

I need to love you

Guilty or not

Ooh-oh-oh, ooh-oh

...

Lie to me, like you always do

Please, lie to me

I need to believe you

Convince me

Lie to me with a kiss

Make it feel like love

I need to love you

Guilty or not

Ooh-oh, oh

...

[Spanish]

Precisamente ahora que tú ya te has ido

Me han dicho que has estado engañándome

¿Por qué de pronto tienes tantos enemigos?

¿Por qué tengo que andar disculpándote?

Si ellos están mintiendo, por favor, defiéndete

Yo sé que no lo harás, pues dicen la verdad

Es una pena, siempre seguirás doliéndome

Y, culpable o no, ¿qué le puedo hacer ya?

Miénteme, como siempre

Por favor, miénteme

Necesito creerte

Convénceme

Miénteme con un beso

Que parezca de amor

Necesito quererte

Culpable o no

No tengo ya derecho a reprocharte nada

Pues nada queda ya de ti, de mí, de ayer

¡Qué pena!, nuestra historia pudo ser fantástica

Y ahora dime, mi amor, ¿quién te va a defender?

Miénteme, como siempre

Por favor, miénteme

Necesito creerte

Convénceme

Miénteme con un beso

Que parezca de amor

Necesito quererte

Culpable o no

Uoh-oh-oh, uoh-oh

Miénteme, como siempre

Por favor, miénteme

Necesito creerte

Convénceme

Miénteme con un beso

Que parezca de amor

Necesito quererte

Culpable o no

Uoh-oh, oh

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
engañar /enɡaˈɲaɾ/ B1	verb - to deceive, trick
enemigo /e.neˈmi.ɣo/ B1	noun - enemy
disculpar /dis.kulˈpar/ B2	verb - to excuse, forgive
mentir /menˈtiɾ/ A2	verb - to lie
defender /defenˈdeɾ/ B2	verb - to defend, protect
verdad /beɾˈðað/ A1	noun - truth
pena /ˈpena/ B1	noun - sorrow, pity
culpable /kulˈpaβle/ B2	adjective - guilty, blameworthy
dolor /doˈlor/ A2	noun - pain, sorrow
querer /keˈɾeɾ/ A1	verb - to want, to love
amor /aˈmoɾ/ A1	noun - love
fantástico /fanˈtastiko/ B2	adjective - fantastic, wonderful
reprochar /reproˈtʃaɾ/ B2	verb - to reproach, to criticize
derecho /deˈɾetʃo/ B1	noun - right, law
seguir /seˈɣiɾ/ A2	verb - to continue, to follow
decir /deˈsiɾ/ A1	verb - to say, to tell
necesitar /ne.seˈsi.tar/ A2	verb - to need
parecer /paɾeˈseɾ/ B1	verb - to seem, to appear

Key Grammar Structures

• Precisamente ahora que tú ya te has ido

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense

  ➔ The phrase 'te has ido' uses the present perfect tense to indicate an action that started in the past and has relevance to the present.

• ¿Por qué de pronto tienes tantos enemigos?

  ➔ Interrogative Sentence with Present Tense

  ➔ The question uses the present tense to inquire about a current situation.

• Si ellos están mintiendo, por favor, defiéndete

  ➔ Conditional Clause with Present Tense

  ➔ The conditional clause 'Si ellos están mintiendo' is followed by a request in the present tense, indicating a condition and its consequence.

• Miénteme, como siempre

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The verb 'Miénteme' is in the imperative mood, used to give a direct command or request.

• Que parezca de amor

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood

  ➔ The phrase 'Que parezca de amor' uses the subjunctive mood to express a wish or desire.

• No tengo ya derecho a reprocharte nada

  ➔ Double Negative

  ➔ The phrase 'No tengo ya derecho a reprocharte nada' uses double negative construction, common in Spanish.

• Y ahora dime, mi amor, ¿quién te va a defender?

  ➔ Future Tense

  ➔ The phrase '¿quién te va a defender?' uses the future tense to ask about a future action.

• Culpable o no, ¿qué le puedo hacer ya?

  ➔ Disjunctive Pronoun

  ➔ The phrase 'Culpable o no' uses a disjunctive pronoun to present alternatives.