La Bicicleta – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Carlos Vives, Shakira

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a vibrant journey through Colombian culture and language with Carlos Vives and Shakira's 'La Bicicleta'. This infectious Latin pop anthem, blending vallenato and reggaeton, offers a perfect opportunity to learn Spanish through its catchy melodies and heartfelt lyrics about love, nostalgia, and the beauty of home. Discover regional expressions and dive into the rich narrative of two iconic artists celebrating their roots.

[English]

I'm not gonna do anything

Searching through wounds from the past

I'm not gonna lose

I don't wanna be someone from somewhere else

Your way, uncomplicated

On a bike that takes you everywhere

A vallenato, desperate

A little letter I keep where I wrote to you

That I dream of you and love you so much

That my heart has long been

Beating for you, beating for you

The one I keep where I wrote to you

That I dream of you and love you so much

That my heart has long been

Beating for you, beating for you

...

I can be happy

Walking relaxed among people

I love you just like that

And I like you because you’re different

In my way, messy-haired

On a bike that takes me everywhere

A vallenato, desperate

A little letter I keep where I wrote to you

That I dream of you and love you so much

That my heart has long been

Beating for you, beating for you

The one I keep where I wrote to you

That I dream of you and love you so much

That my heart has long been

Beating for you, beating for you

She’s the favorite one, the one who sings in the zone

Moves her hips like a boat in the waves

She has bare feet like a child who adores

And her hair is long, like a sun that tempts you

She likes to be told she's the girl, Lola

She likes to be watched when she dances alone

She prefers the house, as hours go by

She likes Barranquilla, she likes Barcelona

Take me, take me on your bicycle

Hey Carlos, take me on your bicycle

I want us to explore that area together

From Santa Marta to La Arenosa

Take me, take me on your bicycle

So we can play 'strawball' over in Chancleta

If someday you show Piqué Tayrona

He won't want to go back to Barcelona

In my way, uncomplicated

On a bike that takes me everywhere

A vallenato, desperate

A little letter I keep where I wrote to you

That I dream of you and love you so much

That my heart has long been

Beating for you, beating for you

The one I keep where I wrote to you

That I dream of you and love you so much

That my heart has long been

Beating for you, beating for you

Take me, take me on your bicycle

Hey Carlos, take me on your bicycle

If someday you show Piqué Tayrona

He won't want to go back to Barcelona

Take me, take me on your bicycle

Hey Carlos, take me on your bicycle

If you show my Piqué Tayrona

He won't want to leave for Barcelona

...

[Spanish]

Nada voy a hacer

Rebuscando en las heridas del pasado

No voy a perder

Yo no quiero ser un tipo de otro lado

A tu manera, descomplicado

En una bici que te lleve a todos lados

Un vallenato, desesperado

Una cartica que yo guardo donde te escribí

Que te sueño y que te quiero tanto

Que hace rato está mi corazón

Latiendo por ti, latiendo por ti

La que yo guardo donde te escribí

Que te sueño y que te quiero tanto

Que hace rato está mi corazón

Latiendo por ti, latiendo por ti

Puedo ser feliz

Caminando relajada entre la gente

Yo te quiero así

Y me gustas porque eres diferente

A mi manera, despelucado

En una bici que me lleva a todos lados

Un vallenato, desesperado

Una cartica que yo guardo donde te escribí

Que te sueño y que te quiero tanto

Que hace rato está mi corazón

Latiendo por ti, latiendo por ti

La que yo guardo donde te escribí

Que te sueño y que te quiero tanto

Que hace rato está mi corazón

Latiendo por ti, latiendo por ti

Ella es la favorita, la que canta en la zona

Se mueve en su cadera como un barco en las olas

Tiene los pies descalzos como un niño que adora

Y su cabello es largo, son un sol que te antoja

Le gusta que le digan que es la niña, la lola

Le gusta que la miren cuando ella baila sola

Le gusta más la casa, que no pasen las horas

Le gusta Barranquilla, le gusta Barcelona

Lléva-llévame en tu bicicleta

Óyeme, Carlos, llévame en tu bicicleta

Quiero que recorramos juntos esa zona

Desde Santa Marta hasta La Arenosa

Lléva-llévame en tu bicicleta

Pa' que juguemos bola 'e trapo allá en Chancleta

Que si a Piqué algún día le muestras el Tayrona

Después no querrá irse pa' Barcelona

A mi manera, descomplicado

En una bici que me lleva a todos lados

Un vallenato, desesperado

Una cartica que yo guardo donde te escribí

Que te sueño y que te quiero tanto

Que hace rato está mi corazón

Latiendo por ti, latiendo por ti

La que yo guardo donde te escribí

Que te sueño y que te quiero tanto

Que hace rato está mi corazón

Latiendo por ti, latiendo por ti

Lléva-llévame en tu bicicleta

Óyeme, Carlos, llévame en tu bicicleta

Que si a Piqué algún día le muestras el Tayrona

Después no querrá irse pa' Barcelona

Lléva-llévame en tu bicicleta

Óyeme, Carlos, llévame en tu bicicleta

Que si a mi Piqué tú le muestras el Tayrona

Después no querrá irse pa' Barcelona

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
bici /ˈbi.si/ A1	noun - bicycle
corazón /koɾaˈθon/ A2	noun - heart
sueño /ˈswe.ɲo/ A2	noun - dream verb - to dream
quiero /ˈkje.ɾo/ A1	verb - I want
casa /ˈka.sa/ A1	noun - house
gente /ˈxen.te/ A2	noun - people
diferente /di.feˈɾen.te/ B1	adjective - different
desesperado /des.es.peˈɾa.ðo/ B2	adjective - desperate
cartica /kaɾˈti.ka/ B1	noun - small letter
mover /moˈβeɾ/ B1	verb - to move
cantar /kanˈtaɾ/ A1	verb - to sing
largo /ˈlaɾ.ɡo/ A2	adjective - long
sol /sol/ A1	noun - sun
zona /ˈθo.na/ A2	noun - zone
jugar /xuˈɣaɾ/ A1	verb - to play
pasar /paˈsaɾ/ A1	verb - to pass

Key Grammar Structures

• Nada voy a hacer

  ➔ Future tense with 'ir a' (going to) for intentions.

  ➔ The phrase "Nada voy a hacer" translates to "I am not going to do anything," indicating a future intention.

• Que te sueño y que te quiero tanto

  ➔ Subjunctive mood for expressing wishes or desires.

  ➔ The phrase "Que te sueño y que te quiero tanto" means "That I dream of you and love you so much," using the subjunctive to express a wish.

• Puedo ser feliz

  ➔ Present tense for expressing ability.

  ➔ The phrase "Puedo ser feliz" translates to "I can be happy," indicating the speaker's ability to achieve happiness.

• Le gusta que la miren

  ➔ Use of indirect object pronouns and subjunctive mood.

  ➔ The phrase "Le gusta que la miren" means "She likes to be looked at," using the subjunctive to express her preference.

• Lléva-llévame en tu bicicleta

  ➔ Imperative form for giving commands or requests.

  ➔ The phrase "Lléva-llévame en tu bicicleta" translates to "Take me on your bicycle," using the imperative to make a request.

• Que si a Piqué algún día le muestras el Tayrona

  ➔ Conditional clause for hypothetical situations.

  ➔ The phrase "Que si a Piqué algún día le muestras el Tayrona" means "That if you show Piqué the Tayrona one day," introducing a hypothetical situation.