Dona Ana – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Tony Fika

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

I used to like you

Bundi bum baba

There is a way to go

I see it in your face

I have the courage

To ask you to come back

To come and drink

From the cup you soiled

Oh Dona Ana

Why did you leave?

Leaving me with three little children

Who don't understand a thing

They are so small

And they don't understand a thing

You ran through the world

You lived the world

You learned the hard way

And now you want to come back

You ran through the world

You lived the world

You learned the hard way

And now you want to come back

As for me, you're not coming back anymore

In my bed

You will never sleep again

In my heart

In my heart

In my heart

You will never sleep again

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

You can go now, woman

[Portuguese]

Bundi gustaba

Bundi bum baba

Ki ten pu passa

N'un sinal bu cara

N'un ten coraj

Di pidi volta

Pa bu bem bebi

Na kel forte ki bu suja

Oh dona Ana

Pa modi ki bu larga

Mi só ku três mininu pikinoti

Ki nadis ka ta intindi

Êzi pikinoti

Nen nadis ka ta intindi

Djo kori mundu

Djo vivi mundu

Djo desingana

Gossi go bu kre volta

Djo kori mundu

Djo vivi mundu

Djo desingana

Gossi go bu kre volta

Pa mi pa mi bu ka ta volta más

Bu na nha cama

Bu ka ta durmi nunca más

Bu na nha petu

Bu na nha petu

Bu na nha petu

Ka ta durmi nunca más

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Bodi bai mina

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
coragem ko-ra-gem A2	noun - courage
pedir pe-dir A1	verb - to ask
voltar vol-tar A1	verb - to return
beber be-ber A1	verb - to drink
largar lar-gar B1	verb - to leave, to let go
menino me-ni-no A1	noun - boy
entender en-ten-der A2	verb - to understand
correr ko-rer A1	verb - to run
mundo mun-do A1	noun - world
viver vi-ver A1	verb - to live
desenganar de-zen-ga-nar B2	verb - to disillusion
querer ke-rer A1	verb - to want
cama ca-ma A1	noun - bed
dormir dor-mir A1	verb - to sleep
peito pei-to A2	noun - chest

Key Grammar Structures

• Ki ten pu passa

  ➔ Infinitive structure with 'pu' (para)

  ➔ In Cape Verdean Creole, 'pu' serves as the preposition 'para' (to/in order to) before a verb.

• N'un sinal bu cara

  ➔ Contraction 'N' (Mi/I) + 'un' (um/a)

  ➔ The 'N' is a common contraction for the first person pronoun, often fused with articles like 'un'.

• Pa modi ki bu larga

  ➔ Interrogative phrase 'Pa modi' (Why/How)

  ➔ In this context, 'Pa modi' combines 'pa' and 'modi' (mode) to ask for the reason behind an action.

• Ki nadis ka ta intindi

  ➔ Negative marker 'ka' + habitual tense 'ta'

  ➔ The particle 'ta' indicates a continuous or habitual action, while 'ka' negates it.

• Djo kori mundu

  ➔ Perfective aspect 'Djo' (Ja/Already)

  ➔ 'Djo' is a variant of 'Ja' (Portuguese), indicating that the action (running/experiencing the world) is completed.

• Gossi go bu kre volta

  ➔ Adverb 'Gossi' (Agora/Now) + emphatic 'go'

  ➔ The particle 'go' adds emphasis to the 'now' (Gossi), showing frustration or urgency.

• Bu ka ta durmi nunca más

  ➔ Negative construction with 'nunca más' (never again)

  ➔ Double negative is standard; 'ka' (negation) and 'nunca más' combine for emphasis.

• Bodi bai mina

  ➔ Imperative form 'Bodi' (Vai/Go) + local marker

  ➔ 'Bodi' acts as an imperative command (Go), emphasizing the rejection of the person.