Nha Ghetto II – English Lyrics

• By: Apollo G
• Album: Nha Ghetto II

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the world of Apollo G through 'Nha Ghetto II,' a song that dives into personal history and the evolution of life's journey. By engaging with its rhythm and lyrics, you'll gain insights into Apollo G's experiences and the vibrant culture that shaped his music .

[English]

Es ca ta mostra nha fé,

ma Deus é grand', ninguem ta xinti pé.

Sempre ki bo djanu street,

ninguem podi odja txeu.

Nu sta sempri di boa pa mostra nha pé,

tudu ki n'kre ka cre sei ninguem.

En kre subinu fira ma so li cu nha xintindret.

Sta avontadi ora djanu festa nha kretu.

Nu kre vivi sabi, nu sta na luta, nu sta dipé.

Si bu kre kusidju, bu purgunta kes mas bedju.

Ka ten vivi sabi, longi pa mi ka ten jeito.

Ka ten trabadju pa vivi longi di nha guetto.

Tudu ki n'ta pidihu é nha paz i nha respetu.

Konkista di meu djanu gira vountadi di nha pé.

Bo xinti dreto, oj, nu ta festa nha kretu.

Ben ku ziruas ta fazi parti di nha metru.

Es ca ta mostra nha fé,

ma Deus é grand', ninguem ta xinti pé.

Sempre ki bo djanu street,

ninguem podi odja txeu.

Nu sta sempri di boa pa mostra nha pé,

tudu ki n'kre ka cre sei ninguem.

Ma ka cre sei ninguem.

Es ca ta mostra nha fé,

ma Deus é grand', ninguem ta xinti pé.

Sempre ki bo djanu street,

ninguem podi odja txeu.

Nu sta sempri di boa pa mostra nha pé,

tudu ki n'kre ka cre sei ninguem.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
fé /fɛ/ B1	noun - faith, belief, trust
Deus /dɛw/ A2	noun - God
pé /pɛ/ A1	noun - foot, base (often used idiomatically in Cape Verdean Creole for 'fear' or 'standing firm')
xinti /ʃĩˈti/ A2	verb - to feel, to sense
odja /ɔˈdʒa/ A1	verb - to see, to look at
mostra /moʃˈtɾa/ A2	verb - to show, to display
vivi /viˈvi/ A1	verb - to live, to reside
luta /ˈlu.tɐ/ B1	noun - struggle, fight, battle
trabadju /tɾɐˈba.dʒu/ A1	noun - work, job, labor
paz /pas/ A2	noun - peace, calm
respetu /ɾesˈpe.tu/ B1	noun - respect, esteem
guetto /ˈɡɛ.tu/ B2	noun - ghetto, an urban area inhabited predominantly by members of an ethnic or minority group, often as a result of social or economic pressure.
kretu /ˈkɾe.tu/ B1	adjective - black, dark noun - black person (often affectionate), loved one
kusidju /kuˈsi.dʒu/ B1	noun - advice, counsel
konkista /kõˈkis.tɐ/ B2	noun - conquest, achievement, accomplishment
vountadi /vow̃ˈta.di/ B1	noun - will, desire, wish
xintindret /ʃĩtinˈdɾet/ C1	noun - sincerity, integrity, right feeling/conscience, sense of justice
sabi /ˈsa.bi/ A2	adjective - good, pleasant, well-off adverb - well, nicely
jeito /ˈʒej.tu/ B1	noun - way, knack, means, ability, solution
festa /ˈfɛs.tɐ/ A2	noun - party, celebration, feast verb - to celebrate, to party

Key Grammar Structures

• Es ca ta mostra nha fé,

  ➔ Negative Imperfective Aspect with 'ka' and 'ta'

  ➔ "ka" is the general negation particle, placed before the verb. "ta" is an imperfective aspect marker, indicating habitual, continuous, or progressive actions. It's similar to English "to be doing something" or general present tense.

• ma Deus é grand', ninguem ta xinti pé.

  ➔ Copula 'ser' vs. 'sta' and Imperfective Aspect with 'ta'

  ➔ "é" comes from the verb "ser" (to be), used for permanent qualities or definitions. "sta" (from "estar") is used for temporary states or locations. "ta xinti pé" shows the use of the imperfective marker "ta" again, indicating a continuous or habitual action.

• Sempre ki bo djanu street, ninguem podi odja txeu.

  ➔ Conditional/Temporal conjunction 'Sempre ki' and Modal Verb 'podi'

  ➔ "Sempre ki" means "whenever" or "every time that", introducing a temporal clause. "djanu" is likely a contraction of "dja na" (already in), indicating a state already reached. "podi" is a modal verb meaning "can" or "to be able to".

• Nu sta sempri di boa pa mostra nha pé,

  ➔ Copula 'sta' for temporary state and Infinitive marker 'pa'

  ➔ "sta" (from "estar") is used for temporary states or locations. "pa" acts as an infinitive marker, indicating purpose or intention, similar to "to" in English before an infinitive verb.

• tudu ki n'kre ka cre sei ninguem.

  ➔ Relative Pronoun 'ki' and Double Negation

  ➔ "ki" acts as a relative pronoun, similar to "that" or "which" in English, connecting "tudu" (everything) to the clause. "ka cre sei ninguem" demonstrates double negation, where the negative particle "ka" combines with a negative pronoun ("ninguem" - nobody) to reinforce the negation, which is common in Creole languages but differs from standard Portuguese or other Romance languages.

• Ka ten vivi sabi, longi pa mi ka ten jeito.

  ➔ Existential Negation 'Ka ten'

  ➔ "Ka ten" is the negative form of "Ten" (from "Ter" - to have), often used to express "there isn't" or "there doesn't exist", similar to "não há" in Portuguese or "il n'y a pas" in French. It functions as an existential phrase.

• Si bu kre kusidju, bu purgunta kes mas bedju.

  ➔ Conditional Conjunction 'Si' and Plural Definite Article 'kes'

  ➔ "Si" introduces a conditional clause, meaning "if". "kes" is the plural definite article, used before nouns or demonstratives, similar to "the" for plural nouns or "those" in some contexts.

• Tudu ki n'ta pidihu é nha paz i nha respetu.

  ➔ Object Pronoun Clitic 'u' and Copula 'é' for definition

  ➔ "n'ta pidihu" shows the use of the object pronoun "u" (you) suffixed to the verb "pidi" (to ask). This is a common feature in Creole languages where pronouns can attach to verbs. "é nha paz" uses "é" (from "ser") to define what "everything I ask you" is, emphasizing a permanent characteristic or identification.

• Konkista di meu djanu gira vountadi di nha pé.

  ➔ Possessive 'di meu' and Perfective Marker 'dja'

  ➔ "di meu" means "of mine" or "my own", indicating possession. "djanu gira" uses "dja" as a perfective marker, indicating that an action has already occurred or been completed. "nu" here likely functions as a pronoun for "Konkista" or simply a part of a common verb phrase.

• Ben ku ziruas ta fazi parti di nha metru.

  ➔ Imperative Form and Imperfective Aspect for habitual action

  ➔ "Ben ku" is an imperative form ("Come with..."). "ta fazi parti" uses the imperfective marker "ta" to indicate a habitual or general truth: "is part of" or "makes part of" (something that regularly happens or is always true).