Mediocre – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Ximena Sariñana

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the nuances of heartbreak and self-discovery in Ximena Sariñana's 'Mediocre,' a song that blends Spanish lyrics with a powerful message of overcoming limitations. Delve into its rich musicality and learn how Sariñana uses irony to transform personal experiences into a universal anthem of empowerment and authenticity. This song is excellent for understanding complex emotions and reflective language in Spanish .

[English]

They're the pages I wrote yesterday

The language that remained on your skin

It was the ink with every intention

Of leaving you what I am

Little by little

My idleness won

When I look, you're no longer here

And I stayed until the end

And I thought I was so special

How naive my clumsiness

And I felt so essential

How naive my shame

You forgot me

On my end

How mediocre

I love to hear you talk

How elegant to make you feel bad

I only want you to want today

To show you what I am

And little by little

My hatred won

You didn't want something more

And I stayed until the end

And I thought I was so special

How naive my clumsiness

And I felt so essential

How naive my shame

You forgot me

On my end

How mediocre (Oh, uoh)

...

[Spanish]

Son las hojas que escribí ayer

El lenguaje que quedó en tu piel

Fue la tinta a toda intención

De dejarte lo que soy

Poco a poco

Ganó mi ocio

Cuando veo ya no estás

Y me quedé hasta el final

Y me creí tan especial

Qué ingenua mi torpeza

Y me sentí tan esencial

Qué ingenua mi vergüenza

Me olvidaste

Por mi parte

Qué mediocre

Me encanta escucharte hablar

Qué elegancia hacerte sentir mal

Solo quiero que quisieras hoy

Demostrarte lo que soy

Y poco a poco

Ganó mi odio

No quisiste algo más

Y me quedé hasta el final

Y me creí tan especial

Qué ingenua mi torpeza

Y me sentí tan esencial

Qué ingenua mi vergüenza

Me olvidaste

Por mi parte

Qué mediocre (Oh, uoh)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hoja /ˈoxa/ A2	noun - leaf
escribir /eskɾiˈβiɾ/ B1	verb - to write
lenguaje /lenˈɡwaxe/ B2	noun - language
quedar /keˈðaɾ/ B2	verb - to stay
tinta /ˈtinta/ B2	noun - ink
dejar /deˈxaɾ/ B1	verb - to leave
soy /soj/ A2	verb - to be (permanent state)
poco /ˈpoko/ A2	adjective/adverb - little, a little
ganar /ɡaˈnaɾ/ B2	verb - to win, to earn
odio /ˈoðjo/ B2	noun - hate
quiso /ˈki.so/ B1	verb - wanted
final /fiˈnal/ A2	noun/adjective - end, final
especial /espeˈθjal/ B2	adjective - special
torpeza /toɾˈpesja/ B2	noun - clumsiness
esencial /eseθiˈal/ B2	adjective - essential
vergüenza /beɾˈɣwenθa/ B2	noun - shame, embarrassment

Key Grammar Structures

• Son las hojas que escribí ayer

  ➔ Past Definite (Pretérito Indefinido/Pretérito Perfecto Simple) in a Relative Clause

  ➔ The verb "escribí" (I wrote) is in the past definite. The phrase "que escribí ayer" is a relative clause modifying "las hojas" (the leaves/pages).

• Fue la tinta a toda intención

  ➔ Use of "a" to indicate manner/purpose.

  ➔ Here, "a toda intención" means "with full intention/on purpose". The preposition "a" introduces the manner in which the ink was used.

• Cuando veo ya no estás

  ➔ "Cuando" clause indicating time

  ➔ "Cuando" introduces a temporal clause, indicating "when" something happens. Here, it means "When I see, you are no longer there".

• Y me creí tan especial

  ➔ Reflexive verb with "tan" and adjective indicating degree (so special)

  ➔ "Creerse" (to believe oneself) is a reflexive verb. "Tan especial" means "so special". The "tan" amplifies the adjective.

• Qué ingenua mi torpeza

  ➔ Exclamatory sentence using "qué" + adjective + noun

  ➔ This is an exclamatory sentence expressing surprise or disbelief. The structure is "Qué + adjective + noun" (How naive my clumsiness!).

• Me encanta escucharte hablar

  ➔ Use of "encantar" with an infinitive

  ➔ "Encantar" is a verb that works similarly to "gustar". Here, it means "I love listening to you talk". The infinitive "escucharte hablar" acts as the subject of the verb "encanta".

• Qué elegancia hacerte sentir mal

  ➔ Exclamatory sentence with "Qué" + noun + infinitive phrase

  ➔ This is another exclamatory sentence. "Qué elegancia" (What elegance!) is followed by the infinitive phrase "hacerte sentir mal" (to make you feel bad), which clarifies what the elegance consists of.