Desconstruindo Amélia – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Pitty
• Album: Chiaroscope

Lyrics & Translation

Explore Pitty's powerful rock anthem "Desconstruindo Amélia." This song deconstructs the stereotype of the subservient woman, offering a potent message of empowerment and self-discovery that resonates with modern women navigating societal expectations.

[English]

It's already late, everything's in place

Every item put where it should be

The son's asleep, she’s tidying up his uniform

Everything ready for when he wakes up

Chance made her so capable

She was raised to care and serve

Usually, she forgot about herself

Always the last to leave

Masks her feelings and keeps going every day until she’s exhausted

Then suddenly, she decides to change

She flips the script, takes control, makes a point of taking care of herself

Not a servant, not an object, she no longer wants to be the other

Today, she’s one too

...

Despite her many degrees

She earns less than her boyfriend

And doesn’t understand why

She’s got the balance of an acrobat

She’s many, if you wanna know

At 30, she’s better than at 18

Not even Balzac could have predicted

After home, work, and kids

She still goes out at night to have fun

Masks her feelings and keeps going every day until she’s exhausted

Then suddenly, she decides to change

She flips the script, takes control, makes a point of taking care of herself

Not a servant, not an object, she no longer wants to be the other

Today, she’s one too

...

Masks her feelings and keeps going every day until she’s exhausted

Then suddenly, she decides to change

She flips the script, takes control, makes a point of taking care of herself

Not a servant, not an object, she no longer wants to be the other

Today, she’s one too

...

[Portuguese]

Já é tarde, tudo está certo

Cada coisa posta em seu lugar

Filho dorme, ela arruma o uniforme

Tudo pronto pra quando despertar

O ensejo a fez tão prendada

Ela foi educada pra cuidar e servir

De costume, esquecia-se dela

Sempre a última a sair

Disfarça e segue em frente todo dia até cansar

E eis que de repente ela resolve então mudar

Vira a mesa, assume o jogo, faz questão de se cuidar

Nem serva, nem objeto, já não quer ser o outro

Hoje ela é um também

A despeito de tanto mestrado

Ganha menos que o namorado

E não entende o porquê

Tem talento de equilibrista

Ela é muitas, se você quer saber

Hoje aos 30 é melhor que aos 18

Nem Balzac poderia prever

Depois do lar, do trabalho e dos filhos

Ainda vai pra night ferver

Disfarça e segue em frente todo dia até cansar

E eis que de repente ela resolve então mudar

Vira a mesa, assume o jogo, faz questão de se cuidar

Nem serva, nem objeto, já não quer ser o outro

Hoje ela é um também

Disfarça e segue em frente todo dia até cansar

E eis que de repente ela resolve então mudar

Vira a mesa, assume o jogo, faz questão de se cuidar

Nem serva, nem objeto, já não quer ser o outro

Hoje ela é um também

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
despertar /despeʁˈtaʁ/ B2	verb - to wake up, to awaken
prontamente /pʁɔ̃tamente/ C1	adverb - immediately, promptly
objetos /obuˈʒtuʃ/ B2	noun - objects, things
cuidar /kuˈdaʁ/ B1	verb - to take care of
serva /ˈseɾvɐ/ B2	noun - maid, servant
jogo /ˈʒoɡu/ A2	noun - game
escritório /es.kʁi.toˈɾi.u/ B2	noun - office
talento /taˈlẽtu/ B2	noun - talent, ability
equilibrista /i.ki.ljβɾisˈta/ C1	noun - tightrope walker, acrobat
prever /pɾeˈveʁ/ C1	verb - to foresee, to predict
cuidado /kuˈðaðu/ A2	noun - care
jogo /ˈʒoɡu/ A2	noun - game
mudar /muˈdaʁ/ B1	verb - to change, to alter

Key Grammar Structures

• Já é tarde, tudo está certo

  ➔ Adverb of time + verb "ser" + adjective

  ➔ The sentence uses the adverb "já" (already) to indicate that something is already the case. "É" is the third-person singular present tense of the verb "ser" (to be). "Certo" is an adjective (correct, right).

• O ensejo a fez tão prendada

  ➔ Object pronoun + verb "fazer" + adverb "tão" + adjective

  ➔ "A" is the object pronoun referring to Amelia. "Fez" is the third-person singular past tense of the verb "fazer" (to make, to do). "Tão" (so) intensifies the adjective "prendada" (gifted, skilled).

• Ela foi educada pra cuidar e servir

  ➔ Past passive voice + preposition "para" + infinitive verbs

  ➔ "Foi educada" is the past passive form of the verb "educar" (to educate). "Para cuidar e servir" indicates purpose (in order to take care and serve).

• Sempre a última a sair

  ➔ Adverb of frequency + definite article + adjective + infinitive

  ➔ "Sempre" (always) is an adverb of frequency. "A última" (the last one) is composed of a definite article and adjective. "A sair" (to leave) is an infinitive being used after a noun/pronoun.

• E eis que de repente ela resolve então mudar

  ➔ Exclamatory particle + relative pronoun + adverb + pronoun + verb + adverb + infinitive

  ➔ "E eis que" (and behold) is an exclamatory phrase. "De repente" (suddenly) is an adverb. "Resolve então mudar" (decides then to change) showcases verb conjugation and an infinitive.

• Vira a mesa, assume o jogo, faz questão de se cuidar

  ➔ Imperative verbs + direct object + reflexive pronoun + preposition + infinitive verb

  ➔ "Vira," "assume," and "faz" are imperative verbs (turn, assume, make/do). "Se cuidar" uses a reflexive pronoun "se", indicating she takes care of herself.

• Ganha menos que o namorado

  ➔ Verb "ganhar" (to earn) + adverb "menos" (less) + conjunction "que" (than) + noun (boyfriend)

  ➔ This sentence compares her earnings to her boyfriend's, using the comparative structure "menos que".