Lambada – English Lyrics

• By: Kaoma

Lyrics & Translation

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
chorar /koˈɾaʁ/ A2	verb - to cry
amor /aˈmoʁ/ A1	noun - love
lembrar /lẽˈbɾaʁ/ A2	verb - to remember
recordação /ʁe.koʁ.daˈsɐ̃w/ B1	noun - memory
dançar /dɐ̃ˈsaʁ/ A2	verb - to dance
sol /sɔl/ A1	noun - sun
mar /maʁ/ A1	noun - sea
rei /ʁej/ B1	noun - king
momento /moˈmẽ.tu/ B1	noun - moment
dor /doʁ/ A2	noun - pain
canção /kɐ̃ˈsɐ̃w/ B1	noun - song
olhar /oˈʎaʁ/ B1	verb - to look
perder /peʁˈdeʁ/ B1	verb - to lose
encontrar /ẽ.kõˈtɾaʁ/ B1	verb - to find

Key Grammar Structures

• Chorando se foi quem um dia só me fez chorar

  ➔ Gerund (Chorando) + Reflexive Pronoun (se) + Past Tense (foi)

  ➔ "Chorando" is a gerund, indicating an action in progress. "se" is a reflexive pronoun, indicating that the action reflects back on the subject. "foi" is the past tense of "ir" (to go/be), indicating a completed action. The line means 'Crying, he/she left, the one who only made me cry one day.'

• Que um dia não soube cuidar

  ➔ Relative Pronoun (Que) + Past Simple (não soube) + Infinitive (cuidar)

  ➔ "Que" introduces a relative clause. "não soube cuidar" uses the past simple of "saber" (to know how) followed by the infinitive of "cuidar" (to take care of), meaning 'didn't know how to take care of'. The phrase means 'that one day didn't know how to care (for the love)'.

• A recordação vai estar com ele aonde for

  ➔ Future Periphrastic (vai estar) + Preposition (com) + Adverb of Place (aonde) + Future Subjunctive (for)

  ➔ "vai estar" is the future periphrastic, using "ir" (to go) + "a" + infinitive to express the near future. "com ele" means 'with him'. "aonde" is an adverb of place (where), and "for" is the future subjunctive of "ir", used after "aonde" to express a possible future event. The line means 'The memory will be with him wherever he goes'.

• Lambando estarei ao lembrar que este amor

  ➔ Gerund (Lambando) + Future Simple (estarei) + Preposition (ao) + Infinitive (lembrar) + Subordinating Conjunction (que)

  ➔ "Lambando" is a gerund. "estarei" is the future simple of "estar" (to be). "ao lembrar" means 'upon remembering'. "que" introduces a subordinate clause. The line means 'I will be lambada-ing when I remember that this love...'

• Por um dia um instante foi rei

  ➔ Preposition (Por) + Noun (dia, instante) + Past Tense (foi) + Noun (rei)

  ➔ "Por" is a preposition indicating duration. "foi" is the past tense of "ser" (to be). "rei" is the noun 'king'. The line means 'For a day, a moment, it was king'.