Madrecita – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: José José
• Album: Tesoros

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic and emotional journey with José José's "Madrecita." This classic Spanish ballad, filled with tender lyrics, offers a beautiful way to learn vocabulary related to family, emotions, and poetry. Its universal message of a child's profound love for their mother makes it special, allowing learners to connect deeply with the language and culture through its heartfelt expressions.

[English]

Dearest mother of my soul

In my heart, I carry a flower

Don’t mind the color it may have

Because in the end, you, mother, are a flower

Your love is my treasure, dear mother

In my life, you have been and will always be

The shelter from all my sorrows

And the cure of love and truth

Though I may find love in my life

That fills me with happiness

Like yours, never, my dear mother

Like yours, I’ll never find again

Though I may find love in my life

That fills me with happiness

Like yours, never, my dear mother

Like yours, I’ll never find again

Dearest mother of my soul

In my heart, I carry a flower

Don’t mind the color it may have

Because in the end, you, mother, are a flower

Your love is my treasure, dear mother

In my life, you have been and will always be

The shelter from all my sorrows

And the cradle of love and truth

Though I may find love in my life

That fills me with happiness

Like yours, never, my dear mother

Like yours, I’ll never find again

Though I may find love in my life

That fills me with happiness

Like yours, never, my dear mother

Like yours, I’ll never find again

Dearest mother of my soul

In my heart, I carry a flower

Don’t mind the color it may have

Because in the end, you, mother, are a flower

Your love is my treasure, dear mother

In my life, you have been and will always be

The shelter from all my sorrows

And the cradle of love and truth

...

[Spanish]

Madrecita del alma querida

En mi pecho yo llevo una flor

No te importe el color que ella tenga

Porque al fin tú eres, madre, una flor

Tu cariño es mi bien, madrecita

En mi vida tú has sido y serás

El refugio de todas mis penas

Y la cura de amor y verdad

Aunque amores yo tenga en la vida

Que me llenen de felicidad

Como el tuyo jamás, madre mía

Como el tuyo no habré de encontrar

Aunque amores yo tenga en la vida

Que me llenen de felicidad

Como el tuyo jamás, madre mía

Como el tuyo no habré de encontrar

Madrecita del alma querida

En mi pecho yo llevo una flor

No te importe el color que ella tenga

Porque al fin tú eres, madre, una flor

Tu cariño es mi bien, madrecita

En mi vida tú has sido y serás

El refugio de todas mis penas

Y la cuna de amor y verdad

Aunque amores yo tenga en la vida

Que me llenen de felicidad

Como el tuyo jamás, madre mía

Como el tuyo no habré de encontrar

Aunque amores yo tenga en la vida

Que me llenen de felicidad

Como el tuyo jamás, madre mía

Como el tuyo no habré de encontrar

Madrecita del alma querida

En mi pecho yo llevo una flor

No te importe el color que ella tenga

Porque al fin tú eres, madre, una flor

Tu cariño es mi bien, madrecita

En mi vida tú has sido y serás

El refugio de todas mis penas

Y la cuna de amor y verdad

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
alma ˈalma B1	noun - soul
querida keˈɾida A2	adjective - beloved, dear
pecho ˈpet͡ʃo A2	noun - chest, breast
llevar ʎeˈβaɾ A2	verb - to carry, to take
color koˈloɾ A2	noun - color
madre ˈmaðɾe A1	noun - mother
cariño kaˈɾiɲo A2	noun - affection, love, care
bien bjen A2	noun - good, well-being
refugio reˈfuɣjo B1	noun - shelter, refuge
penas ˈpenas A2	noun - sorrows, pains
cura ˈkuɾa A2	noun - cure, remedy
verdad beɾˈðað A2	noun - truth
llenar ʎeˈnaɾ A2	verb - to fill
felicidad felisiˈðað B1	noun - happiness
jamás xaˈmas A2	adverb - never
cuna ˈkuna B1	noun - cradle

Key Grammar Structures

• Madrecita del alma querida

  ➔ Vocative case

  ➔ The word 'Madrecita' is used as a vocative, directly addressing the mother with affection.

• En mi pecho yo llevo una flor

  ➔ Present tense with reflexive pronoun

  ➔ The verb 'llevo' is in the present tense, and 'yo' is a reflexive pronoun emphasizing the subject.

• No te importe el color que ella tenga

  ➔ Subjunctive mood

  ➔ The verb 'importe' is in the subjunctive mood, expressing a wish or uncertainty.

• Porque al fin tú eres, madre, una flor

  ➔ Present tense with apposition

  ➔ The phrase 'una flor' is an apposition, renaming 'madre' with a poetic comparison.

• Aunque amores yo tenga en la vida

  ➔ Subjunctive in adverbial clauses

  ➔ The verb 'tenga' is in the subjunctive mood, used in an adverbial clause introducing a hypothetical condition.

• Como el tuyo jamás, madre mía

  ➔ Adverb of negation with comparison

  ➔ The adverb 'jamás' emphasizes the negation in the comparison, meaning 'never'.