El Ultimo En La Fila – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Vicente Fernández
• Album: Para Siempre

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the emotive power of the Spanish language through this iconic mariachi track. By studying 'El Ultimo En La Fila,' learners can grasp nuanced vocabulary related to longing and patience, while experiencing the rich cultural storytelling traditions of Mexico.

[English]

♪

Sing it to her yourself, my Chente

Tell her that my soul does not lie

♪

What if you gave a chance to the last one in line?

To the worst of them all, the one who doesn't know how to love

What about this man that destiny sent to you?

This man who scares you and you don't want to face

Because sometimes beneath the mud, there are diamonds

Open your eyes, I invite you to see for yourself

That here in my soul, you were shining long before

Your stars even began to shine

♪

What if you gave a chance to the last one in line?

Christ said it, and you can see it's true

That this man you ignore could be the very first

To worship you always and build you an altar

Since sometimes beneath the mud, there are diamonds

Open your eyes, I invite you to see for yourself

That here in my soul, you were shining long before

Your stars even began to shine

And sometimes beneath the mud, there are diamonds

Open your eyes, I invite you to see for yourself

That here in my soul, you were shining long before

Your stars even began to shine

What if you gave a chance to the last one, the last one in line?

♪

[Spanish]

♪

Cántaselo tú, mi Chente

Dile que mi alma no miente

♪

¿Qué tal si tratas al último en la fila?

Al peor de todos, al que no sabe amar

¿Qué tal este hombre que te mandó el destino?

Este que a ti te asusta y no quieres mirar

Que bajo el lodo a veces hay diamantes

Abre los ojos, te invito a comprobar

Que aquí en mi alma tú brillas mucho antes

Que tus estrellas empezaran a brillar

♪

¿Qué tal si tratas al último en la fila?

Lo dijo Cristo y lo puedes constatar

Que este que ignoras podría ser el primero

En adorarte siempre y ponerte un altar

Si bajo el lodo a veces hay diamantes

Abre los ojos, te invito a comprobar

Que aquí en mi alma tú brillas mucho antes

Que tus estrellas empezaran a brillar

Y bajo el lodo a veces hay diamantes

Abre los ojos te invito a comprobar

Que aquí en mi alma tú brillas mucho antes

Que tus estrellas empezaran a brillar

¿Qué tal si tratas al último, al último en la fila?

♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
cántaselo kántaselo B2	verb - Sing it to him/her
miente mjente A2	verb - lies
fila fila A1	noun - line/queue
destino destino B1	noun - destiny/fate
asusta asusta A2	verb - scares
lodo lodo B2	noun - mud
diamantes diamantes A2	noun - diamonds
comprobar komprobar B1	verb - to verify/check
brillas brillas B1	verb - you shine
estrellas estreyas A1	noun - stars
constatar konstatar C1	verb - to confirm/verify
ignoras inyoras B2	verb - you ignore
adorarte adorarte B1	verb - to adore you
altar altar B2	noun - altar

Key Grammar Structures

• Cántaselo tú, mi Chente

  ➔ Imperative mood with attached object pronouns (enclitics).

  ➔ The suffix "-lo" is attached to the verb "Cántase" to represent the direct object.

• ¿Qué tal si tratas al último en la fila?

  ➔ Conditional hypothesis using "Qué tal si" + present indicative.

  ➔ This structure is used to make a suggestion or a proposal.

• Al que no sabe amar

  ➔ Relative clause with a substantive pronoun (el que).

  ➔ "El que" functions here as "the one who".

• Este que a ti te asusta

  ➔ Demonstrative pronoun + relative clause.

  ➔ "Este" specifies the person being discussed, followed by the relative clause.

• Que bajo el lodo a veces hay diamantes

  ➔ Existential construction with "haber".

  ➔ "Hay" is the impersonal form of the verb "haber" meaning "there are".

• Que tus estrellas empezaran a brillar

  ➔ Subjunctive imperfect (empezaran) in a temporal clause.

  ➔ Used here to express a point in time prior to a relative reference.

• Que este que ignoras podría ser el primero

  ➔ Conditional tense (podría) for hypothetical statement.

  ➔ "Podría" suggests possibility rather than certainty.

• Abre los ojos, te invito a comprobar

  ➔ Imperative (Abre) and periphrastic structure.

  ➔ "Abre" is the informal 'tú' command form of "abrir".