Incomprendido – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Ismael Rivera
• Album: Esto Fue Lo Que Trajo El Barco

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the emotional depth of Ismael Rivera's iconic salsa track, "Incomprendido." This song offers a powerful glimpse into themes of isolation and unwavering love, showcasing Rivera's masterful vocal artistry and ability to connect with universal human experiences.

[English]

I, I, I, I believe I'm going

To be alone when I die

I have been the misunderstood

Neither you nor anyone has loved me as I am

Bituqui, but, I, I, I, I will be alone

And I will swear that when I die

Even so, with my forebodings

I will have your name on my lips and I will die

I look at a star and it stops shining

I touch a flower and it will wither

Bad luck is what I got

That everything I want

That's why I know I'm going alone

I was nothing, nothing, nothing I am now without you

Bituqui, baquilinbin, I, I, I, but I will be alone

And I will swear that when I die

Belén, that even so, with my forebodings

I will have your name on my lips and I will die

Alalaea, why don't they understand me

If I am a cool little black guy?

I look at a star and it stops shining

I touch a flower and it will wither

Bad luck is what I got

That everything I want

That's why I know I'm going alone

I was nothing, nothing, nothing I am

Bituqui, baquilinbin for you, but I, I, I, I, I will be alone

And I will swear that when I die

Belén, that even so, with my forebodings

I will put your name on my lips and I will die

Misunderstood

I am Maelo, the misunderstood

...

[Spanish]

Yo, yo, yo, yo creo que voy

Solito estar cuando me muera

He sido el incomprendido

Ni tú ni nadie me ha querido tal como soy

Bituqui, pero, yo, yo, yo, yo solo estaré

Y juraré que cuando muera

Aun así con mis presagios

Tendré tu nombre a flor de labios y moriré

Miro una estrella y deja de brillar

Toco una flor y se ha de marchitar

Negra suerte la que me tocó

Que todo lo que quiero yo

Por eso sé que solo voy

Yo no fui nada, nada, nada soy ya sin ti

Bituqui, baquilinbin, yo, yo, yo, pero que yo solo estaré

Y juraré que cuando muera

Belén, que aun así con mis presagios

Tendré tu nombre a flor de labios y moriré

Alalaea, ¿por qué no me comprenden a mí

Si yo soy un negrito chévere?

Miro una estrella y deja de brillar

Toco una flor y se ha de marchitar

Negra suerte la que me tocó

Que todo lo que quiero yo

Por eso sé que solo voy

Yo no fui nada, nada, nada soy

Bituqui, baquilinbin para ti, pero que yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo solo estaré

Y juraré que cuando muera

Belén, que aun así con mis presagios

Pondré tu nombre a flor de labios y moriré

Incomprendido

Yo soy maelo, el incomprendido

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
creo /ˈkɾeo/ A2	verb - to believe or think
estar /esˈtaɾ/ A2	verb - to be (temporary or location/state)
muera /muˈɾa/ B1	verb - to die
detrás /deˈtɾas/ A2	adverb - behind
estrella /esˈtɾe.ʎa/ A2	noun - star (celestial object)
brillar /bɾiˈʝaɾ/ B2	verb - to shine or glow
flor /fɾol/ A2	noun - flower
marchitar /maɾtʃiˈtaɾ/ C1	verb - to wither or fade
suerte /ˈswɛɾte/ A2	noun - luck or fortune
quiero /kijeɾo/ A2	verb - to want or desire
nada /ˈnada/ A1	noun - nothing
soy /soj/ A1	verb - to be
solo /ˈsolo/ A2	adjective - alone, only
juraré /xuɾaˈɾa/ C1	verb - to swear or vow

Key Grammar Structures

• Yo, yo, yo, yo creo que voy

  ➔ Present tense of 'creer' (to believe) in the first person singular

  ➔ 'yo' indicates the first person singular (I), and 'creo' is the present tense form of 'to believe'.

• Ni tú ni nadie me ha querido tal como soy

  ➔ Negative pronouns and 'tal como' (just as/as) to compare or clarify

  ➔ 'Ni... ni...' is used to connect two negative ideas, meaning 'neither... nor...'.

• He sido el incomprendido

  ➔ Present perfect tense of 'ser' (to have been)

  ➔ 'He sido' uses the present perfect of 'ser,' indicating a completed action or state up to now.

• Miro una estrella y deja de brillar

  ➔ Present tense of 'mirar' (to look at) and 'dejar' (to stop) in the third person singular

  ➔ 'Miro' is the first person singular present of 'mirar', meaning 'I look at'. 'Deja' is the third person singular form of 'dejar', meaning 'he/she/it stops'.

• Que todo lo que quiero yo

  ➔ Subjunctive mood to express wishes or desires

  ➔ The phrase implies a wish or desire, often expressed in the subjunctive mood in Spanish.

• Pondré tu nombre a flor de labios y moriré

  ➔ Future tense of 'poner' (to put) and 'morir' (to die)

  ➔ 'Pondré' is the future tense of 'poner', meaning 'I will put', and 'moriré' is the future of 'morir', meaning 'I will die'.

• Yo soy maelo, el incomprendido

  ➔ Simple present tense of 'ser' (to be)

  ➔ 'Soy' is the first person singular present tense of 'ser', meaning 'I am'.