Linda Rosa – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Maria Gadú

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the rich emotional landscape of Maria Gadú's "Linda Rosa." Through its beautiful melody and evocative Portuguese lyrics, this song offers a glimpse into themes of love, loss, and resilience, allowing listeners to connect with Brazilian musical traditions and explore the nuances of the Portuguese language.

[English]

Better than the best of two

Better than suffering afterward

If that’s what’s really keeping me

The girl with the open smile

Naive in her dress, she’s startling

Keeps me away from the ego pushed on me

Clear listener, shining face

Abandoned for lack of taste

Now I know, no more complaining

Because pain is powerless

And poor are these young men

Who try to make you happy

Choice made, unconsciously

Heart no longer stolen

Happy man, lonely woman

The beautiful rose lost to the clove

...

Better than the best of two

Better than suffering afterward

If that’s what’s really keeping me

The girl with the open smile

Naive in her dress, she’s startling

Keeps me away from the ego pushed on me

Clear listener, shining face

Abandoned for lack of taste

Now I know, no more complaining

Because pain is powerless

And poor are these young men

Who try to make you happy

Choice made, unconsciously

Heart no longer stolen

Happy man, lonely woman

The beautiful rose lost to the clove

Happy man, lonely woman

The beautiful rose lost to the clove

...

[Portuguese]

Pior que o melhor de dois

Melhor do que sofrer depois

Se é isso que me tem ao certo

A moça de sorriso aberto

Ingênua de vestido assusta

Afasta-me do ego imposto

Ouvinte claro, brilho no rosto

Abandonada por falta de gosto

Agora sei não mais reclama

Pois dores são incapazes

E pobre desses rapazes

Que tentam lhe fazer feliz

Escolha feita, inconsciente

De coração não mais roubado

Homem feliz, mulher carente

A linda rosa perdeu pro cravo

Pior que o melhor de dois

Melhor do que sofrer depois

Se é isso que me tem ao certo

A moça de sorriso aberto

Ingênua de vestido assusta

Afasta-me do ego imposto

Ouvinte claro, brilho no rosto

Abandonada por falta de gosto

Agora sei não mais reclama

Pois dores são incapazes

E pobre desses rapazes

Que tentam lhe fazer feliz

Escolha feita, inconsciente

De coração não mais roubado

Homem feliz, mulher carente

A linda rosa perdeu pro cravo

Homem feliz, mulher carente

A linda rosa perdeu pro cravo

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
melhor /meˈlɔʁ/ A2	adjective - better
sofrer /soˈfɾeʁ/ B1	verb - to suffer
sorriso /soˈʁizu/ A1	noun - smile
brilho /ˈbɾiʎu/ B1	noun - brightness
ego /ˈeɡu/ B2	noun - self-esteem or self-importance
abandonada /abɐ̃dʒoˈnada/ B2	adjective - abandoned
dores /ˈdoɾes/ B1	noun - pains
feliz /feˈliz/ A1	adjective - happy
escolha /esˈkoʎɐ/ B1	noun - choice
coração /koɾaˈsɐ̃w/ A2	noun - heart
linda /ˈlĩdɐ/ A1	adjective - beautiful
rosa /ˈʁoza/ A1	noun - rose
cravo /ˈkɾavu/ B2	noun - clove (also refers to a type of flower)

Key Grammar Structures

• Pior que o melhor de dois

  ➔ Comparative of inequality (pior que)

  ➔ Uses "pior que" to express something is worse than something else. It demonstrates a comparison of inequality, indicating that the first element is inferior to the second.

• Melhor do que sofrer depois

  ➔ Comparative of inequality (melhor do que)

  ➔ Employs "melhor do que" signifying 'better than'. It makes a comparative statement, suggesting a preferred choice or outcome over another. The implied subject is something assumed from context.

• Se é isso que me tem ao certo

  ➔ Conditional clause with 'se' and indirect object pronoun ('me')

  ➔ This sentence uses the conditional conjunction "se" (if) to introduce a hypothetical situation. The pronoun "me" acts as an indirect object, indicating that the subject ('isso' - this) has something affecting the speaker ('me'). The phrase "ao certo" adds emphasis to the certainty or sureness of the statement.

• Ingênua de vestido assusta

  ➔ Adjective + prepositional phrase acting as an adverbial modifier.

  ➔ "Ingênua" (naive) is an adjective describing the subject (implied 'she'). "De vestido" (in a dress) functions as an adverbial modifier, describing *how* she startles. The whole phrase suggests that the naivety combined with the appearance of wearing a dress is what is startling.

• Afasta-me do ego imposto

  ➔ Imperative mood with a reflexive pronoun (Afasta-me) and prepositional phrase.

  ➔ "Afasta-me" is an imperative verb form with the reflexive pronoun "me" attached, indicating a request or command for someone to distance the speaker. "Do ego imposto" is a prepositional phrase indicating what the speaker wants to be distanced *from* - the imposed ego. The imperative mood gives it a strong, direct tone.

• Pois dores são incapazes

  ➔ Causal conjunction ('Pois') followed by a simple declarative sentence.

  ➔ "Pois" functions as a causal conjunction, similar to 'because' or 'since', providing a reason for a previous statement. The sentence states a general truth or observation about pain. It indicates a reason for something previously mentioned.

• E pobre desses rapazes

  ➔ Exclamatory sentence with adjective 'pobre' and demonstrative pronoun ('desses').

  ➔ This is an exclamatory sentence expressing pity or concern for the "rapazes" (boys/guys). "Pobre" (poor) is used as an adjective to describe them. "Desses" (of these) is a demonstrative pronoun referring to a specific group of guys, likely those trying to make the girl happy. It suggests a feeling of sadness or sympathy for their situation.

• A linda rosa perdeu pro cravo

  ➔ Simple past tense (perdeu) with 'pro' (short for 'para o'), personification of abstract concepts.

  ➔ This sentence uses the simple past tense "perdeu" (lost) to describe a past event. "Pro" is a colloquial contraction of "para o" (to the). The key element is the personification. The "linda rosa" (beautiful rose) and "cravo" (carnation) are used as metaphors for people or situations. It implies that the 'beautiful rose' (representing someone delicate or traditionally beautiful) was defeated by the 'carnation' (potentially representing someone more assertive or traditionally less favored).