La Culpa – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: C. Tangana, Omar Montes, Daviles de Novelda, Canelita

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the soul of modern Spanish music with "La Culpa." This powerful collaboration is a masterclass in emotional storytelling, providing an excellent way to learn authentic, passionate Spanish vocabulary related to regret, confession, and heartache. The song’s blend of contemporary pop with traditional Spanish folklore, particularly its Flamenco influences, offers unique exposure to the rich cultural and linguistic styles of Spain.

[English]

Asha

Madrilenian!

I can lie to any judge

I can charm any cop

But when you look at me like that, I want to die (olé)

I had to choose this path

No matter the cost, I have to survive

But at night I can't sleep seeing you suffer

Because it's my fault

Because the fault is mine

Because I was the owner of your happiness

Because it's my fault

Because the fault is mine

Because the tiredness you've gone through wasn't deserved

If one day I am lucky

To see a star in the sky

I would ask that the wind takes away all the bad I've done

If I had a superpower

I would ask to be good

To take away all the little sorrows that you are suffering

How hard it is

To get back on my feet

To want to ask for forgiveness

And know you don't believe me, oh

Because it's my fault

Because the fault is mine

Because I was the owner of your happiness

Because it's my fault

Because the fault is mine

Because the tiredness you've gone through wasn't deserved

How hard it is to bow my head

To admit my fault

To keep promises

How hard it is to accept my clumsiness

And put the cards, auh

On the table

It's my fault, darling

It's my fault, darling

It's my fault, darling

The fault is mine

It's my fault, darling

It's my fault, darling

It's my fault, darling

The fault is mine

Because it's my fault

Because the fault is mine

Because I was the owner of your happiness

Because it's my fault

Because the fault is mine

Because the tiredness you've gone through wasn't deserved

[Spanish]

Asha

¡Madrileño!

A cualquier juez yo le puedo mentir

A cualquier guardia puedo camelar

Pero cuando tú me miras así, yo me quiero matar (olé)

Este camino tuve que elegir

A cualquier precio hay que sobrevivir

Pero en las noches no puedo dormir viéndote sufrir

Porque tengo la culpa

Porque la culpa es mía

Porque yo era el dueño de tus alegría'

Porque tengo la culpa

Porque la culpa es mía

Porque la' fatiguita' que tú has pasao no la' merecía'

Si un día tengo la suerte

De ver una estrella en el cielo

Pediría lo que he hecho malo se lo lleve el viento

Si tuviera un superpoder

Pediría poder ser bueno

Pa' quitarle toda la' penita' que está sufriendo

Qué difícil e'

Volver sobre mis pies

Querer pedir perdón

Y saber que no me cree', ay

Porque tengo la culpa

Porque la culpa es mía

Porque yo era el dueño de tus alegría'

Porque tengo la culpa

Porque la culpa e' mía

Porque la' fatiguita' que tú has pasao no la' merecía'

Qué difícil es agachar la cabeza

Reconocer la falta

Cumplir las promesa'

Qué difícil es aceptar mi torpeza

Y poner las carta', auh

Sobre la mesa

Yo tengo la culpa, morena

Yo tengo la culpa, morena

Yo tengo la culpa, morena

La culpa tengo yo

Yo tengo la culpa, morena

Yo tengo la culpa, morena

Yo tengo la culpa, morena

La culpa tengo yo

Porque tengo la culpa

Porque la culpa es mía

Porque yo era el dueño de tus alegría'

Porque tengo la culpa

Porque la culpa es mía

Porque la' fatiguita' que tú has pasao no la' merecía'

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
culpa /'kul.pa/ A2	noun - guilt, blame
dueño /du'ɲo/ B1	noun - owner, master
alegría /a.le'ɣɾi.a/ A2	noun - joy, happiness
superpoder /su.peɾ.po'ðeɾ/ B2	noun - super‑power, special ability
estrella /es'tɾeʎa/ A1	noun - star (celestial body)
cielo /'sje.lo/ A1	noun - sky, heavens
penita /pe'ni.ta/ B2	noun - little pain, trouble (diminutive)
difícil /di'fiθil/ A2	adjective - hard, difficult
perdón /peɾ'don/ B1	noun - forgiveness, pardon
reconocer /reko.no'θeɾ/ B1	verb - to recognize, to acknowledge
cumplir /kum'pliɾ/ B1	verb - to fulfill, to carry out
torpeza /tor'peθa/ C1	noun - clumsiness, awkwardness
cabeza /ka'βeθa/ A1	noun - head
promesa /pɾo'me.sa/ B1	noun - promise
carta /'kaɾ.ta/ A1	noun - letter, card
morena /mo'rena/ B1	noun - brunette, dark‑skinned woman
mentir /men'tiɾ/ A2	verb - to lie, to tell an untruth
matar /ma'taɾ/ A2	verb - to kill
sufrir /su'fɾiɾ/ B1	verb - to suffer, to endure pain
fatiguita /fa.ti'ɣi.ti.ta/ B2	noun - a little fatigue, slight tiredness

Key Grammar Structures

• A cualquier juez yo le puedo mentir

  ➔ Indirect Object Pronoun (le)

  ➔ The pronoun "le" is used to indicate the indirect object, referring to "juez" (judge). It shows to whom the action is directed.

• Pero cuando tú me miras así, yo me quiero matar

  ➔ Reflexive Verb (me quiero matar)

  ➔ The reflexive verb "me quiero matar" indicates that the subject performs the action on themselves. Here, "me" is the reflexive pronoun.

• Porque yo era el dueño de tus alegría'

  ➔ Possessive Adjective (tus)

  ➔ The possessive adjective "tus" indicates ownership, referring to the joys belonging to "tú" (you).

• Si un día tengo la suerte

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood (tenga)

  ➔ The subjunctive mood "tenga" is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain situation, indicating a wish or possibility.

• Pa' quitarle toda la' penita' que está sufriendo

  ➔ Contraction (Pa') and Indirect Object Pronoun (le)

  ➔ The contraction "Pa'" is a shortened form of "para". The pronoun "le" is used as an indirect object, referring to the person suffering.

• Qué difícil e' volver sobre mis pies

  ➔ Apostrophe (e')

  ➔ The apostrophe "e'" is used to indicate the elision of the final syllable in "es" for phonetic reasons.

• Yo tengo la culpa, morena

  ➔ Vocative (morena)

  ➔ The vocative "morena" is used to directly address the person being spoken to, often as a term of endearment.