Hasta siempre – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Carlos Puebla

Lyrics & Translation

Learning Spanish through 'Hasta Siempre, Comandante' offers a unique window into the history and passion of the Cuban Revolution. The song's poetic lyrics and clear narrative structure can help you grasp vocabulary related to history, love, and struggle. Its special character lies in its transformation from a personal farewell into a global anthem of revolutionary ideals, making it a powerful and memorable piece of music.

[English]

We learned to love you

From the historic height

Where the sun of your bravery

Put a fence around death

Here remains the clear

The endearing transparency

Of your beloved presence

Commandant Che Guevara

...

Your glorious and strong hand

Shoots over history

When all of Santa Clara

Awakens to see you

Here remains the clear

The endearing transparency

Of your beloved presence

Commandant Che Guevara

...

You come burning the breeze

With suns of spring

To plant the flag

With the light of your smile

Here remains the clear

The endearing transparency

Of your beloved presence

Commandant Che Guevara

...

Your revolutionary love

Leads you to a new endeavor

Where they await the firmness

Of your liberating arm

Here remains the clear

The endearing transparency

Of your beloved presence

Commandant Che Guevara

...

We will continue forward

As we continued alongside you

And with Fidel, we say to you

Until forever, commandant

Here remains the clear

The endearing transparency

Of your beloved presence

Commandant Che Guevara

...

[Spanish]

Aprendimos a quererte

Desde la histórica altura

Donde el sol de tu bravura

Le puso cerco a la muerte

Aquí se queda la clara

La entrañable transparencia

De tu querida presencia

Comandante Che Guevara

Tu mano gloriosa y fuerte

Sobre la historia dispara

Cuando todo Santa Clara

Se despierta para verte

Aquí se queda la clara

La entrañable transparencia

De tu querida presencia

Comandante Che Guevara

Vienes quemando la brisa

Con soles de primavera

Para plantar la bandera

Con la luz de tu sonrisa

Aquí se queda la clara

La entrañable transparencia

De tu querida presencia

Comandante Che Guevara

Tu amor revolucionario

Te conduce a nueva empresa

Donde esperan la firmeza

De tu brazo libertario

Aquí se queda la clara

La entrañable transparencia

De tu querida presencia

Comandante Che Guevara

Seguiremos adelante

Como junto a ti seguimos

Y con Fidel te decimos

Hasta siempre, comandante

Aquí se queda la clara

La entrañable transparencia

De tu querida presencia

Comandante Che Guevara

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
querer /keˈɾeɾ/ A2	verb - to want, to love
altura /alˈtu.ɾa/ B1	noun - height, altitude
sol /sol/ A1	noun - sun
bravura /bɾaˈβu.ɾa/ B2	noun - bravery, boldness
muerte /ˈmweɾ.te/ A2	noun - death
clara /ˈkla.ɾa/ B1	adjective - clear, bright
entrañable /en.tɾaˈɲa.βle/ C1	adjective - beloved, dear
transparencia /tɾans.paˈɾen.θja/ B2	noun - transparency
querida /keˈɾi.ða/ A2	adjective - dear, beloved
presencia /pɾeˈsen.θja/ B1	noun - presence
mano /ˈma.no/ A1	noun - hand
gloriosa /ɡloˈɾjo.sa/ B2	adjective - glorious
fuerte /ˈfweɾ.te/ A2	adjective - strong
historia /isˈto.ɾja/ A2	noun - history
quemando /keˈman.do/ B1	verb - burning
brisa /ˈbɾi.sa/ B1	noun - breeze
primavera /pɾi.maˈβe.ɾa/ A2	noun - spring
bandera /banˈde.ɾa/ A2	noun - flag
luz /lus/ A1	noun - light
sonrisa /sonˈri.sa/ A2	noun - smile
amor /aˈmoɾ/ A1	noun - love
revolucionario /re.βo.lu.θjoˈna.ɾjo/ B2	adjective - revolutionary
empresa /emˈpɾe.sa/ B1	noun - enterprise, undertaking
firmeza /fiɾˈme.θa/ B2	noun - firmness
brazo /ˈbɾa.θo/ A1	noun - arm
libertario /li.βeɾˈta.ɾjo/ C1	adjective - libertarian

Key Grammar Structures

• Aprendimos a quererte

  ➔ Preterite tense of 'aprender' (learned) + infinitive 'a quererte' (to love you)

  ➔ 'Aprendimos' is the past tense (we learned).

• Desde la histórica altura

  ➔ Preposition 'desde' (from) + definite article + noun phrase

  ➔ 'Desde' indicates the point in time or place from which something starts.

• Le puso cerco a la muerte

  ➔ Preterite tense of 'poner' (put) + direct object pronoun + preposition 'a' + noun

  ➔ 'Puso' is the past tense (he/she/it put).

• Aquí se queda la clara

  ➔ Reflexive pronoun 'se' + verb 'quedar' (stay) in present tense

  ➔ 'Se queda' means 'stays' or 'remains' in the present tense.

• Y con Fidel te decimos

  ➔ Conjunction 'y' (and) + preposition 'con' (with) + noun 'Fidel' + indirect object pronoun 'te' + verb 'decimos' (we say)

  ➔ 'Y' means 'and'. 'Con' indicates 'with'.

• Hasta siempre, comandante

  ➔ Phrase 'Hasta siempre' (Until forever) + noun 'comandante' (commander)

  ➔ 'Hasta siempre' is an idiomatic expression meaning 'until forever' or 'farewell forever'.

• De tu querida presencia

  ➔ Preposition 'de' (of/from) + possessive pronoun 'tu' (your) + adjective 'querida' (beloved) + noun 'presencia' (presence)

  ➔ 'De' expresses possession or origin.