Melhor de Mim – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Mariza
• Album: Mundo

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a journey of cultural discovery, and Mariza's 'Melhor de Mim' offers a beautiful gateway to the soul of Portuguese Fado. This song is special not only for its moving melody but also for its uplifting message of hope and perseverance, encapsulated in poetic lyrics that are both accessible and profound. By listening to this song, you can learn key vocabulary related to emotions and self-belief while immersing yourself in the expressive and passionate sounds of one of Portugal's most celebrated musical traditions.

[English]

Today the seed that sleeps in the earth

And hides in the darkness that surrounds

Tomorrow a flower will bloom

Even if hope for light is scarce

The rain that wets and passes by

Will bring love in a drop

I am also here

Waiting for the light

I let myself stay here where shadows tempt me

I am also here

Waiting for myself

Something tells me the storm will pass

You have to lose to gain afterwards

And even without seeing, believing

Life keeps going and it doesn’t wait for us

Every step we take forward

Walking without fear of mistakes

I believe that night will always turn into day

And the shine that the sun radiates

Will always light my way

I break the chains in this lament of mine

Reborn every moment, my destiny in life is bigger

I also go in search of the light

Leaving here where shadows tempt me

I am also waiting for myself

Something tells me the storm will pass

You have to lose to gain afterwards

And even without seeing, believing

Life keeps going and it doesn’t wait for us

Every step we take forward

Walking without fear of mistakes

And I believe night will always turn into day

And the shine that the sun radiates will always illuminate us

I know the best of me is yet to come

I know the best of me is on its way

I know the best of me is yet to come

...

[Portuguese]

Hoje a semente que dorme na terra

E que se esconde no escuro que encerra

Amanhã nascerá uma flor

Ainda que a esperança da luz seja escassa

A chuva que molha e que passa

Vai trazer numa gota amor

Também eu estou

à espera da luz

Deixo-me aqui onde a sombra seduz

Também eu estou

à espera de mim

Algo me diz que a tormenta passará

É preciso perder para depois se ganhar

E mesmo sem ver, acreditar

É a vida que segue e não espera pela gente

Cada passo que dermos em frente

Caminhando sem medo de errar

Creio que a noite sempre se tornará dia

E o brilho que o sol irradia

Há-de sempre me iluminar

Quebro as algemas neste meu lamento

Se renasço a cada momento meu destino na vida é maior

Também eu vou em busca da luz

Saio daqui onde a sombra seduz

Também eu estou à espera de mim

Algo me diz que a tormenta passará

É preciso perder para depois se ganhar

E mesmo sem ver, acreditar

A vida que segue e não espera pela gente

Cada passo que dermos em frente

Caminhando sem medo de errar

E creio que noite sempre se tornará dia

E o brilho que o sol irradia há-de sempre nos iluminar

Sei que o melhor de mim está pra chegar

Sei que o melhor de mim está por chegar

Sei que o melhor de mim está pra chegar

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
semente /sɨˈmẽtɨ/ B1	noun - seed
esperança /ɨʃpɨˈɾɐ̃sɐ/ B1	noun - hope
tormenta /toɾˈmẽtɐ/ B2	noun - storm
brilho /ˈbɾiʎu/ B2	noun - shine
irradia /iɾɐˈðiɐ/ C1	verb - to radiate
iluminar /ilumiˈnaɾ/ B2	verb - to illuminate
algema /ɐlˈʒɛmɐ/ C1	noun - shackle
renascer /ʁɨnɐˈsɛɾ/ B2	verb - to be reborn
destino /dɨʃˈtinu/ B1	noun - destiny
errar /eˈʁaɾ/ A2	verb - to err
caminhar /kɐmiˈɲaɾ/ B1	verb - to walk
noite /ˈnojtɨ/ A1	noun - night
dia /ˈdiɐ/ A1	noun - day
sombras /ˈsõbɾɐʃ/ B1	noun - shadows
seduz /seˈduz/ B2	verb - to seduce
luz /luʃ/ A1	noun - light
melhor /mɨˈʎoɾ/ A2	adjective - better

Key Grammar Structures

• Ainda que a esperança da luz seja escassa

  ➔ Subjunctive mood used with 'ainda que' to express concession.

  ➔ 'Ainda que' introduces a concessive clause, requiring the subjunctive mood in Portuguese.

• Caminhando sem medo de errar

  ➔ Present participle ('Caminhando') used for ongoing action or manner.

  ➔ The gerund 'Caminhando' describes the manner of walking without fear of making mistakes.

• Se renasço a cada momento meu destino na vida é maior

  ➔ Conditional clause 'Se renasço' with present indicative, expressing possibility or hope.

  ➔ The structure 'Se' + present indicative indicates a real or possible condition in Portuguese.

• Cada passo que dermos em frente

  ➔ Future subjunctive or present indicative (depending on context) used in dependent clause.

  ➔ Depending on context, 'dermos' is in the present subjunctive used in a dependent clause indicating future action.

• Quebro as algemas neste meu lamento

  ➔ Verb 'Quebro' in present indicative, indicating action happening now.

  ➔ The verb 'Quebro' is in the present indicative tense, describing the act of breaking free now.

• Se sei que o melhor de mim está por chegar

  ➔ Conditional 'Se sei' + present indicative, expressing a belief or certainty.

  ➔ The phrase 'Se sei' (if I know) introduces a belief about the future or present certainty.