DE CAROLINA – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Rauw Alejandro

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant world of 'DE CAROLINA' to improve your Spanish through the rhythmic storytelling of salsa. This song is perfect for learning Caribbean-style phrasing, regional Puerto Rican cultural references, and romantic vocabulary, all set to an infectious dance beat.

[English]

People know we’re from the streets

People know we’re from the streets

People know we’re from the streets

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina, Carolina, Carolina

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina, Carolina, Carolina (bring it, Raulito)

If you see me at night wearing shades, it’s 'cause I was smoking (Raulito), hey

The bass is pumping, the rearview mirror is shaking (Caro, Caro), hey

The kids in the park aren't playing (Carolina), hey

Since I was fourteen on the corner hustling

Now we’re rich, we used to be poor

Now in Spain they shout "Olé!" at us

For the parties at the projects in Torres

If you hear a "tun-tu-tu-tun," run!

Or maybe they’ll just erase your name

If you’re scared, go get a double

Playero, change up the chords for me

'Cause she’s feeling wild and I’m stiff as an oak

Grinding from the back-back-back-back-back

Mami, you look so good-good-good-good-good

What’s up, what’s the what, what, what, what?

Don’t be surprised if you hear the pa-pa-pa-pa-pa (we’re coming in hot)

Grinding from the back-back-back-back-back

Mami, you look so good-good-good-good-good (hey)

What’s up, what’s the what, what, what, what?

Don’t be surprised if you hear the pa-pa-pa-pa-pa (we’re coming in hot)

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina, Carolina, Carolina

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina, Carolina, Carolina (Ra-Rauw)

High off the vibe, taking advantage of me

You’re playing around (hey)

The wall is supporting me, grinding

And that ass is making me dizzy (hey)

More Cadillacs than the president

Your boyfriend looks like a cop

A home run from Roberto Clemente

Watch out, or you’ll get caught all of a sudden (tun, tun!)

The weekend arrived and she puts on her heels

She went out to hunt for a street guy, a street guy (tun)

And I’m loose, in the club acting real wild

Baby, I’m your skinny guy, your skinny guy, and

Grinding from the back-back-back-back-back

Mami, you look so good-good-good-good-good

What’s up, what’s the what, what, what, what?

Don’t be surprised if you hear the pa-pa-pa-pa-pa (we’re coming in hot)

Grinding from the back-back-back-back-back

Mami, you look so good-good-good-good-good

What’s up, what’s the what, what, what, what?

Don’t be surprised if you hear the pa-pa-pa-pa-pa (we’re coming in hot)

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming, what?

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming, what?

Caro, Caro, Caro

Thanks to my people from Puerto Rico

The whole world, it’s your boy Rauw Alejandro

I love you guys so much, from the heart

Thanks for the support since day one

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

Carolina, Carolina, Carolina, Carolina

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

Hot, hot, hot, hot

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

Carolina, Carolina, Carolina, Carolina

We’re from Carolina and we’re coming in hot

Hot, hot, hot, hot

...

[Spanish]

La gente sabe que somos de la calle

La gente sabe que somos de la calle

La gente sabe que somos de la calle

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Somo' de Carolina, Carolina, Carolina

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Somo' de Carolina y venimos vira'o

Somo' de Carolina, Carolina, Carolina (zumba, Raulito)

Si me ven de noche en gafa' e' que estaba fumando (Raulito), ey

El bajo suena, el retrovisor temblando (Caro, Caro), ey

Lo' niño' en el parque no 'tán jugando (Carolina), ey

Desde lo' catorce en una esquina joseando

Ya somo' rico', ante' éramo' pobre'

Ahora en España no' gritan: "¡Olé!"

Pa' lo' pari' del case en Torre'

Si escucha' un "tun-tu-tu-tun", ¡corre!

O puede que tu nombre lo borren

Si tiene' miedo búscate un doble

Playero, cámbiame la' acorde'

Que ella 'tá bellaca y yo duro como un roble

Guayando por detrá-trá-trá-trá-trás

Mami, qué rica está-tá-tá-tá-tás

¿Qué lo que, qué lo wha', wha', wha', wha'?

Pue' no te asustes si escuchas el pa-pa-pa-pa-pa (venimo' vira'o)

Guayando por detrá-trá-trá-trá-trás

Mami, qué rica está-tá-tá-tá-tás (ey)

¿Qué lo que, qué lo wha', wha', wha', wha'?

Pue' no te asustes si escuchas el pa-pa-pa-pa-pa (venimo' vira'o)

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Somo' de Carolina, Carolina, Carolina

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Somo' de Carolina, Carolina, Carolina (Ra-Rauw)

Con la nota volando, de mí 'tá abusando

Tú 'tá' vacilando (ey)

La pared me 'tá apoyando, perreando

Y ese culo me 'tá mareando (ey)

Má' Cadillacs que el presidente

Tu novio tiene pinta de agente

Jonrón del Roberto Clemente

Cuida'o que te pillan de repente (¡tun, tun!)

Llegó el finde y ella se pone su' tacos

Salió a cazar un caco, un caco (tun)

Y yo bien suelto, en la disco bien bellaco

Baby, yo soy tu flaco, tu flaco, y

Guayando por detrá-trá-trá-trá-trás

Mami, qué rica está-tá-tá-tá-tás

¿Qué lo que, qué lo wha', wha', wha', wha'?

Pue' no te asustes si escuchas el pa-pa-pa-pa-pa (venimo' vira'o)

Guayando por detrá-trá-trá-trá-trás

Mami, qué rica está-tá-tá-tá-tás

¿Qué lo que, qué lo wha', wha', wha', wha'?

Pue' no te asustes si escuchas el pa-pa-pa-pa-pa (venimo' vira'o)

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Somo' de Carolina y venimo', ¿qué?

Somo' de Carolina y venimo', what?

Caro, Caro, Caro

Gracia' a mi gente de Puerto Rico

El mundo entero, it's your boy Rauw Alejandro

Lo' quiero con cojone', de corazón

Gracia' por el apoyo desde el día uno

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Carolina, Carolina, Carolina, Carolina

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Vira'o, vira'o, vira'o, vira'o

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Carolina, Carolina, Carolina, Carolina

Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

Vira'o, vira'o, vira'o, vira'o

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
calle ka-ye A1	noun - street
vira'o bi-rao C2	adjective - turned around / crazy / aggressive / deviant (slang)
gafa ga-fa A2	noun - glasses / sunglasses
temblando tem-blan-do B1	verb - trembling / shaking
joseando ho-se-an-do C2	verb - hustling / working hard to make money
pobre po-bre A1	adjective - poor
rico ri-ko A1	adjective - rich
miedo mye-do A1	noun - fear
bellaca be-ya-ka C2	adjective - horny / sexually aggressive
roble ro-ble B2	noun - oak (symbolizing strength)
vacilando ba-si-lan-do B2	verb - teasing / flirting / messing around
perreando pe-re-an-do C2	verb - dancing reggaeton (intimately)
mareando ma-re-an-do B1	verb - making dizzy
cazar ka-sar A2	verb - to hunt
caco ka-ko C2	noun - thief / criminal / thug

Key Grammar Structures

• Somo' de Carolina y venimo' vira'o

  ➔ Apocope (shortening of words)

  ➔ The final 's' in "somos" and "venimos" is omitted in informal Caribbean Spanish, a common phonetic feature in urban music.

• Si me ven de noche en gafa' e' que estaba fumando

  ➔ Conditional sentence (Type 1) and 'Es que' construction

  ➔ The "Si" clause sets a condition, and "e' que" (es que) is used to provide an explanation or excuse for a situation.

• Antes éramo' pobre'

  ➔ Imperfect tense (Pretérito Imperfecto)

  ➔ "Éramo'" is the imperfect form of "ser", used here to describe a past state or habitual situation that has now changed.

• Si escuchas un "tun-tu-tu-tun", ¡corre!

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The verb "corre" is the informal (tú) imperative form, used to give a direct command or warning.

• Ella 'tá bellaca y yo duro como un roble

  ➔ Simile (Comparison with 'como')

  ➔ "Como" is used here as a comparative particle to link "duro" (hard/tough) with "roble" (oak tree), creating a metaphorical image.

• Pue' no te asustes si escuchas el pa-pa-pa

  ➔ Negative imperative and Conditional clause

  ➔ "No te asustes" uses the negative imperative (subjunctive form) to advise against a feeling, followed by a "si" conditional clause.

• Llegó el finde y ella se pone su' tacos

  ➔ Reflexive verb usage

  ➔ "Se pone" (from "ponerse") is a reflexive verb meaning "to put on (clothing)", emphasizing the personal action of dressing up.

• Tu novio tiene pinta de agente

  ➔ Idiomatic expression ('Tener pinta de')

  ➔ "Tener pinta de" is a colloquial way of saying "to look like" or "to have the appearance of".