Lluvia en la Tarde – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: José José

Lyrics & Translation

Unlock the soulful expression of romantic regret with José José's "Lluvia en la Tarde." This song is a perfect gateway for learning the Spanish language of deep, poetic melancholy (balada romántica). You can practice common expressions of longing and metaphor, as well as the past tense (like 'he deseado' - I have wished) as you follow the iconic Prince of Song through his early career masterpiece.

[English]

How many times

Have we been together

And I’ve wished

For the rain to start falling

How many afternoons

Have we been alone

And I’ve wished

For the rain to start falling

It’s just that rain in the afternoon

Fills the air with romance

And it would be crazy

If at the moment I held you in my arms

The rain began to fall

My wish has never come true

The one who makes it rain never listened to me

Like everything that has a beginning

It also has an end

You had to leave

Maybe never to return

What irony

Today, now that you’re far from me

The rain started to fall

You had to leave

Maybe never to return

What irony

Today, now that you’re far from me

The rain started to fall

...

[Spanish]

Cuántas veces

Hemos estado juntos

Y he deseado

Que empieze a llover

Cuántas tardes

Hemos estado solos

Y he deseado

Que empieze a llover

Es que la lluvia en la tarde

Llena el ambiente de romanticismo

Y sería una locura

Que al momento de tenerte en mis brazos

Comenzara la lluevia a caer

Mi deseo jamás se ha cumplido

El que hace llover, jamás me escuchó

Como todo lo que tiene principio

También tiene final

Tú te tenías que ir

Tal vez, para no volver

Qué ironía

Hoy, que te encuentras lejos de mí

Empezó a llover

Tú te tenías que ir

Tal vez, para no volver

Qué ironía

Hoy, que te encuentras lejos de mí

Empezó a llover

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
lluvia ˈʎu.βja A1	noun - rain
tarde ˈtaɾ.ðe A1	noun - afternoon
romanticismo romaŋ.ˈti.sɪ.mo B1	noun - romanticism
locura lo.ˈku.ɾa A2	noun - madness
deseo de.ˈse.o A2	noun - desire
cumplido kum.ˈpli.ðo B1	adjective - fulfilled
principio pɾin.ˈsi.pjo A2	noun - beginning
final fi.ˈnal A1	noun - end
ironía i.ɾo.ˈni.a B1	noun - irony
empezó em.pe.ˈso A2	verb - began
ambiente am.ˈbjente A2	noun - environment
romántico ro.man.ˈti.ko A2	adjective - romantic
escuchó es.ku.ˈtʃo A2	verb - listened
tenías te.ˈni.as A2	verb - had
volver bol.ˈβer A2	verb - to return

Key Grammar Structures

• Cuántas veces hemos estado juntos

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense, use of 'cuántas' as an interrogative adverb

  ➔ The sentence uses the present perfect ('hemos estado') to indicate an action that started in the past and continues to have relevance now. 'Cuántas' means 'how many' and modifies 'veces' (times). The verb 'estar' is used to describe a state of being – being together.

• Mi deseo jamás se ha cumplido

  ➔ Present Perfect Negative, use of 'jamás'

  ➔ This sentence expresses that a wish ('deseo') has *never* come true. 'Jamás' is an emphatic negative adverb meaning 'never'. The present perfect ('se ha cumplido') indicates that the lack of fulfillment continues to be true.

• Hoy, que te encuentras lejos de mí, empezó a llover

  ➔ Subordinate Clause with 'que', Past Simple Tense

  ➔ The sentence contains a subordinate clause introduced by 'que' ('Hoy, que te encuentras lejos de mí'). This clause provides context for the main clause ('empezó a llover'). 'Te encuentras' is in the present tense, describing a current state, while 'empezó a llover' is in the past simple, indicating a completed action.