Jaque Mate – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: José José
• Album: Volcan

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the profound emotional depth of Spanish through José José's iconic ballad, "Jaque Mate." This song offers a beautiful and melancholic journey into the nuances of love and loss, allowing listeners to grasp complex feelings expressed in Spanish. Its poetic lyrics and José José's masterful delivery make it a perfect piece for understanding the artistry and emotive power of the language, revealing how Spanish can convey both tender romance and heartbreaking resignation.

[English]

Why keep pretending and downplaying it

When we’ve known for a while that this isn’t working anymore

Even though we share the same roof and the same bed

Our good friend love warned us

More than once, before making a move

But we lacked the courage, and now it’s checkmate

It’s better to admit it than to live like ghosts

Prisoners of boredom, always stalling

There’s no excuse for an ending, not even in the bedroom

Our good friend love warned us

More than once, before making a move

But we lacked the courage, and now it’s checkmate

Our good friend love warned us

More than once, before making a move

But we lacked the courage, and now it’s checkmate

[Spanish]

Para que seguir fingiendo, y quitándole importancia

Si sabemos, hace tiempo, que esto ya no marcha

Aunque bajo el mismo techo, tengamos la cama

Nuestro buen amigo el amor, nos avisó

Más de una vez, antes de dar jaque

Pero nos faltó valor, y esto es jaque mate

Es mejor reconocerlo, que vivir como fantasmas

Presos del aburrimiento, siempre dando largas

A un final ni en el lecho, tiene coartada

Nuestro buen amigo el amor, nos avisó

Más de una vez, antes de dar jaque

Pero nos faltó valor, y esto es jaque mate

Nuestro buen amigo el amor, nos avisó

Más de una vez, antes de dar jaque

Pero nos faltó valor, y esto es jaque mate

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
fingiendo finˈxjen̪do B1	gerund - pretending
importancia im.poɾˈθjan.θja A2	noun - importance
marcha ˈmaɾ.t͡ʃa A2	noun - pace, progress
techo ˈte.t͡ʃo A2	noun - roof, ceiling
fantasmas fanˈtas.mas B1	noun - ghosts
aburrimiento a.bu.riˈmjen.to B1	noun - boredom
largas ˈlaɾ.ɣas A2	noun - delays, extensions
lecho ˈle.t͡ʃo A2	noun - bed
coartada ko.arˈta.ða B1	noun - alibi
avisó a.βiˈso A2	verb - warned
valor baˈloɾ A2	noun - courage, value
jaque ˈxa.ke B1	noun - check (in chess)
mate ˈma.te B1	noun - checkmate (in chess)
presos pɾeˈsos A2	adjective - prisoners
reconocerlo re.ko.noˈθeɾ.lo B1	verb - to recognize it

Key Grammar Structures

• Para que seguir fingiendo, y quitándole importancia

  ➔ Subjunctive mood (para que + subjunctive), gerund (quitándole)

  ➔ The phrase 'Para que' introduces a purpose clause, requiring the verb 'seguir' to be in the subjunctive mood. 'Quitándole' is a gerund functioning as part of the verb phrase.

• Si sabemos, hace tiempo, que esto ya no marcha

  ➔ Conditional clause (Si + present indicative), past time adverbial phrase (hace tiempo)

  ➔ The 'Si' clause introduces a condition. The verb 'sabemos' is in the present indicative because the consequence is a general truth. 'Hace tiempo' indicates that this has been known for a while.

• Aunque bajo el mismo techo, tengamos la cama

  ➔ Concessive clause (Aunque + subjunctive), possessive adjective (mismo)

  ➔ The 'Aunque' clause introduces a concession, meaning 'even though'. The verb 'tengamos' is in the subjunctive mood because it's dependent on 'Aunque'. 'Mismo' emphasizes that it's *the same* bed.