Nước Mắt Cá Sấu – Bilingual Lyrics Vietnamese/English

• By: HIEUTHUHAI

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the world of Vietnamese music with HIEUTHUHAI's "Nước Mắt Cá Sấu," a compelling blend of rap and pop ballad that explores the pain of betrayal. Experience the evolution of language through music, as you grasp the nuances of Vietnamese sentiments wrapped in catchy melodies and modern storytelling. This song offers a glimpse into contemporary Vietnamese culture and the universal theme of love and heartbreak.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
nước mắt nɨːək̚ məːt̚ A1	noun - tears
cá sấu kaː saʊ̯ A2	noun - crocodile
đêm /ɗem/ A1	noun - night
máy /maːj/ A1	noun - machine, device
lỗi lầm lɔj˧˩ lʌm˧˩ B1	noun - mistakes, errors
tim /tiːm/ A1	noun - heart
buồn phiền ʔɓuən fiən B2	noun - sorrow, troubles
dối trá joːj˧ˀ t͡ɕaːˀ B2	noun - lies, deceit adjective - false, deceitful
kết cục ket̚˧ ɣuk̚ B1	noun - outcome, ending
gái /ɣaːj/ A1	noun - girl, woman
lòng /lɔŋ/ A2	noun - heart, mind, feelings
hối hận hoj˧ˀ hənˀ B2	verb - to regret noun - regret
máu /maːw/ A1	noun - blood
bạn bè ʔɓaːnˀ ɓɛ A2	noun - friends
yêu /jeːw/ A1	verb - to love

Key Grammar Structures

• Sao đêm hôm qua em không bắt máy?

  ➔ Question Formation with Interrogative Adverb 'Sao'

  ➔ Here, "sao" means 'why'. It's placed at the beginning of the sentence to form a question, equivalent to 'Why didn't you answer the phone last night?' The verb phrase "bắt máy" means 'answer the phone'.

• Nước mắt cá sấu chẳng thể cứu lấy anh quăng va li em ra khỏi đây, cam kết với em

  ➔ Negative Adverb 'chẳng' + Modal Verb 'thể' + Verb 'cứu lấy'

  ➔ "Chẳng thể" expresses impossibility or inability. "Cứu lấy" means 'to save'. The sentence conveys that crocodile tears cannot save the speaker's feelings or the relationship. The expression emphasizes a firm resolution to end the relationship.

• Dù có lúc anh nghĩ nếu có chia tay

  ➔ Conjunctive Adverb 'Dù' + Conditional Clause with 'nếu'

  ➔ "Dù" means 'even though' or 'although'. "Nếu" introduces a conditional clause meaning 'if'. The sentence structure is 'Even though sometimes I think, if we break up...'. It indicates a hypothetical situation being considered.

• Anh sẽ tìm người thay thế được ngay thôi

  ➔ Future Tense with 'sẽ' + Passive Potential with 'được'

  ➔ "'Sẽ'" indicates future tense ('will'). "Thay thế được" means 'can be replaced'. The use of "được" after the verb implies passive potential, meaning something *can* be done or is possible. The sentence means 'I will find someone who can be replaced right away'.

• Người yêu em như anh sẽ không có đâu

  ➔ Comparative 'như' + Negative Existence 'không có đâu'

  ➔ "Như" is used for comparison, meaning 'like' or 'as'. "Không có đâu" indicates that something doesn't exist (and is unlikely to). The sentence claims that no one will love the listener like the speaker does.

• Nhận hết lỗi lầm, là vì em

  ➔ Ellipsis (Omission of Subject) for Emphasis

  ➔ The subject ('I') is omitted for emphasis. The implied subject is 'I'. The sentence means 'I accept all the mistakes, it's all because of you.' The omission creates a stronger emotional impact.

• Phải chi biết kết cục như thế yeah i'll be cheating

  ➔ Counterfactual Conditional Sentence with 'Phải chi' + Future Continuous ('i'll be cheating')

  ➔ "Phải chi" expresses a regret about something that is now impossible to change. It's similar to 'if only'. The sentence implies 'If only I knew the outcome would be like this, I would be cheating'. The future continuous 'i'll be cheating' highlights an ongoing action in the hypothetical future.