La Vida Es Un Carnaval – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Celia Cruz

Lyrics & Translation

[Spanish]

[English]

Todo aquel que piense que la vida es desigual

Anyone who thinks that life is unfair

Tiene que saber que no es así

Has to know that it is not like that

Que la vida es una hermosura, hay que vivirla

That life is beautiful, you have to live it

Todo aquel que piense que está solo y que está mal

Anyone who thinks that he is alone and that he is bad

Tiene que saber que no es así

Has to know that it is not like that

Que en la vida no hay nadie solo, siempre hay alguien

That in life no one is alone, there is always someone

Ay, no hay que llorar (No hay que llorar)

Oh, you don't have to cry (You don't have to cry)

Que la vida es un carnaval

That life is a carnival

Y es más bello vivir cantando

And it is more beautiful to live singing

Oh-oh-oh, ay, no hay que llorar (No hay que llorar)

Oh-oh-oh, oh, you don't have to cry (You don't have to cry)

Que la vida es un carnaval

That life is a carnival

Y las penas se van cantando

And the sorrows go away singing

Oh-oh-oh, ay, no hay que llorar (No hay que llorar)

Oh-oh-oh, oh, you don't have to cry (You don't have to cry)

Que la vida es un carnaval

That life is a carnival

Y es más bello vivir cantando

And it is more beautiful to live singing

Oh-oh-oh, ay, no hay que llorar (No hay que llorar)

Oh-oh-oh, oh, you don't have to cry (You don't have to cry)

Que la vida es un carnaval

That life is a carnival

Y las penas se van cantando

And the sorrows go away singing

...

...

Todo aquel que piense que la vida siempre es cruel

Anyone who thinks that life is always cruel

Tiene que saber que no es así

Has to know that it is not like that

Que tan solo hay momentos malos y todo pasa

That there are only bad moments and everything passes

Todo aquel que piense que esto nunca va a cambiar

Anyone who thinks that this will never change

Tiene que saber que no es así

Has to know that it is not like that

Que al mal tiempo, buena cara, y todo cambia

That in bad times, put on a good face, and everything changes

Ay, no hay que llorar (No hay que llorar)

Oh, you don't have to cry (You don't have to cry)

Que la vida es un carnaval

That life is a carnival

Y es más bello vivir cantando

And it is more beautiful to live singing

Oh-oh-oh, ay, no hay que llorar (No hay que llorar)

Oh-oh-oh, oh, you don't have to cry (You don't have to cry)

Que la vida es un carnaval

That life is a carnival

Y las penas se van cantando

And the sorrows go away singing

Oh-oh-oh, ay, no hay que llorar (No hay que llorar)

Oh-oh-oh, oh, you don't have to cry (You don't have to cry)

Que la vida es un carnaval

That life is a carnival

Y es más bello vivir cantando

And it is more beautiful to live singing

Oh-oh-oh, ay, no hay que llorar (No hay que llorar)

Oh-oh-oh, oh, you don't have to cry (You don't have to cry)

Que la vida es un carnaval

That life is a carnival

Y las penas se van cantando

And the sorrows go away singing

...

...

(Carnaval) Es para reír

(Carnival) It is to laugh

(No hay que llorar) Para gozar

(You don't have to cry) To enjoy

(Carnaval) Para disfrutar

(Carnival) To enjoy

(Hay que vivir cantando)

(You have to live singing)

(Carnaval) La vida es un carnaval

(Carnival) Life is a carnival

(No hay que llorar) Todos podemos cantar

(You don't have to cry) We can all sing

(Carnaval) Ay, señores

(Carnival) Oh, gentlemen

(Hay que vivir cantando)

(You have to live singing)

(Carnaval) Todo aquel que piense

(Carnival) Anyone who thinks

(No hay que llorar) Que la vida es cruel

(You don't have to cry) That life is cruel

(Carnaval) Nunca estará solo

(Carnival) Will never be alone

(Hay que vivir cantando)

(You have to live singing)

Dios está con él

God is with him

...

...

Para aquellos que se quejan tanto (Wua)

For those who complain so much (Wua)

Para aquellos que solo critican (Wua)

For those who only criticize (Wua)

Para aquellos que usan las armas (Wua)

For those who use weapons (Wua)

Para aquellos que nos contaminan (Wua)

For those who pollute us (Wua)

Para aquellos que hacen la guerra (Wua)

For those who make war (Wua)

Para aquellos que viven pecando (Wua)

For those who live sinning (Wua)

Para aquellos que nos maltratan (Wua)

For those who mistreat us (Wua)

Para aquellos que nos contagian (Wua)

For those who infect us (Wua)

...

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
vida /ˈbiða/ A1	noun - life
carnaval /kaɾ.naˈβal/ A2	noun - carnival
llorar /ʎoˈɾaɾ/ A2	verb - to cry
vivir /biˈβiɾ/ A1	verb - to live
cantar /kanˈtaɾ/ A1	verb - to sing
penas /ˈpe.nas/ B1	noun - sorrows, pains
bello /ˈbeʎo/ B1	adjective - beautiful
cruel /ˈkɾwel/ B2	adjective - cruel
cambiar /kamˈbjaɾ/ A2	verb - to change
dios /ˈdjos/ A1	noun - God
gozar /ɡoˈθaɾ/ B2	verb - to enjoy
disfrutar /dis.fɾuˈtaɾ/ B1	verb - to enjoy
quejar /keˈxaɾ/ B2	verb - to complain
criticar /kɾi.tiˈkaɾ/ B2	verb - to criticize
guerra /ˈɡe.ra/ B1	noun - war

Key Grammar Structures

• Todo aquel que piense que la vida es desigual

  ➔ Subjunctive mood used after expressions of doubt or uncertainty.

  ➔ The phrase "Todo aquel que piense" uses the subjunctive because it expresses doubt about the person's thoughts.

• Que en la vida no hay nadie solo, siempre hay alguien

  ➔ Negative constructions with 'no' to express absence.

  ➔ The phrase "no hay nadie solo" uses 'no' to indicate that there is no one alone.

• Que al mal tiempo, buena cara

  ➔ Idiomatic expression conveying a positive attitude in difficult situations.

  ➔ The phrase "al mal tiempo, buena cara" suggests that one should maintain a good attitude despite bad circumstances.

• Que la vida es un carnaval

  ➔ Use of 'que' to introduce a clause that explains or defines.

  ➔ The phrase "Que la vida es un carnaval" uses 'que' to define life as a carnival.

• Y las penas se van cantando

  ➔ Use of the gerund to indicate an ongoing action.

  ➔ The phrase "se van cantando" uses the gerund to express that the sorrows are leaving through the act of singing.

• Para aquellos que se quejan tanto

  ➔ Use of 'para' to indicate purpose or intention.

  ➔ The phrase "Para aquellos que se quejan tanto" uses 'para' to indicate that the message is intended for those who complain.

• Para aquellos que solo critican

  ➔ Use of 'solo' as an adverb meaning 'only'.

  ➔ The phrase "solo critican" uses 'solo' to emphasize that the focus is only on criticism.