Oh Clementina – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Khiaro, Luis Fialho, Marotos da Concertina

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant sounds of Portuguese culture with "Oh Clementina"! This song offers a fantastic opportunity to learn Portuguese through its lively lyrics and traditional yet contemporary melodies. Discover expressions related to celebrations and community, making language learning an enjoyable and festive experience.

[English]

It won't be late if you come with me

I carry in my pocket our old love

I carry in my pocket our old love

Oh Clementina, come to the window

Oh Clementina, come to the window

To see the young lads, oh oh oh how they're going to the party

To see the young lads, oh oh oh how they're going to the party

To see the young lads, oh oh oh how they're going to the party

To see the young lads, oh oh oh how they're going to the party

How they're going to the party, they come at dawn

How they're going to the party, they come at dawn

Singing songs trailarailarai with wobbly legs

I wobble on shaky legs right behind you

I wobble on shaky legs right behind you

Even aunt Clementina talks to you about me

I drink one more glass, let my shyness run away

This time Saint Anthony will remember me

It's a feast day, it smells like June in the streets

Bonfires lit, brides coming down the avenue

The whole city shouts for...

Clementina, Oh Clementina

Oh Clementina, come to the window

Oh Clementina, come to the window

To see the young lads, oh oh oh how they're going to the party

To see the young lads, oh oh oh how they're going to the party

How they're going to the party, they come at dawn

How they're going to the party, they come at dawn

Singing songs trailarailarai with wobbly legs

Singing songs trailarailarai with wobbly legs

[Portuguese]

Não se fará tarde, se vieres comigo

Levo na algibeira, o nosso amor antigo

Levo na algibeira, o nosso amor antigo

Oh Clementina, vem à janela

Oh Clementina, vem à janela

Ver os moços novos, ai ai ai que eles vão pra festa

Ver os moços novos, ai ai ai que eles vão pra festa

Ver os moços novos, ai ai ai que eles vão pra festa

Ver os moços novos, ai ai ai que eles vão pra festa

Que eles vão pra festa, vem de madrugada

Que eles vão pra festa, vem de madrugada

A cantar canções trailarailarai de pernas trocadas

A cantar canções trailarailarai de pernas trocadas

Eu ando de pernas trocadas atrás de ti

Até a tia Clementina te fala de mim

Bebo mais um copo, deixo a timidez fugir

É desta que o Santo António se lembra de mim

É dia de festa, Cheira a mês de junho pela rua

Fogareiros acesos, vem se noivas pela avenida

Uma cidade inteira grita pra...

Clementina, Oh Clementina

Oh Clementina, vem à janela

Oh Clementina, vem à janela

Ver os moços novos, ai ai ai que eles vão pra festa

Ver os moços novos, ai ai ai que eles vão pra festa

Que eles vão pra festa, vem de madrugada

Que eles vão pra festa, vem de madrugada

A cantar canções trailarailarai de pernas trocadas

A cantar canções trailarailarai de pernas trocadas

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
amor /aˈmoɾ/ A1	noun - love
festa /ˈfɛstɐ/ A1	noun - party
janela /ʒəˈnɛlɐ/ A1	noun - window
moços /ˈmɔsus/ A2	noun - young men
noivas /ˈnɔivɐs/ A2	noun - brides
cantar /kɐnˈtaɾ/ A2	verb - to sing
cidade /siˈdadɨ/ A1	noun - city
rua /ˈɾuɐ/ A1	noun - street
avenida /ɐvɨˈniðɐ/ B1	noun - avenue
madugada /mɐduˈgaðɐ/ B1	noun - dawn
canções /kɐ̃ˈsõjʃ/ A2	noun - songs
acesos /ɐˈsezuʃ/ B1	adjective - lit
grita /ˈgɾitɐ/ A2	verb - shouts
tia /ˈtiɐ/ A1	noun - aunt
Santo /ˈsɐ̃tu/ A2	noun - saint
António /ɐ̃ˈtɔniu/ A2	noun - Anthony (proper noun)

Key Grammar Structures

• Não se fará tarde, se **vieres** comigo

  ➔ Subjunctive mood in a conditional clause (if‑clause).

  ➔ The verb **"vieres"** is in the present subjunctive, used after the conjunction “se”.

• **Levo** na algibeira o nosso amor antigo

  ➔ Simple present indicative with a direct object.

  ➔ The verb **"Levo"** is in the present indicative, stating a fact.

• Oh Clementina, **vem** à janela

  ➔ Imperative mood (command) using the second‑person singular form.

  ➔ The verb **"vem"** is an imperative, inviting Clementina to come.

• Que eles **vão** pra festa, vem de madrugada

  ➔ Present indicative for scheduled actions; prepositional phrase of time “de madrugada”.

  ➔ The verb **"vão"** is in the present indicative, indicating a near‑future event.

• **A cantar** canções trailarailarai de pernas trocadas

  ➔ Gerundive construction after the preposition “a”, equivalent to “while singing”.

  ➔ The verb **"cantar"** appears as a gerund (**"a cantar"**) expressing simultaneous action.

• Eu **ando** de pernas trocadas atrás de ti

  ➔ Verb “andar” used in a progressive sense; prepositional phrase “atrás de”.

  ➔ The verb **"ando"** (first‑person singular) conveys a state of moving in an unusual way.

• Até a tia Clementina **te** fala de mim

  ➔ Clitic object pronoun “te” (second‑person singular) preceding the verb.

  ➔ The clitic **"te"** indicates the listener is the one being spoken to.

• É desta que o Santo António **se** lembra de mim

  ➔ Relative clause introduced by “que”; reflexive pronoun “se”.

  ➔ The reflexive pronoun **"se"** is part of the verb “lembrar‑se”, meaning “to remember”.

• É dia de festa, **Cheira** a mês de junho pela rua

  ➔ Verb “cheirar” + preposition “a” used to express “to smell of”.

  ➔ The verb **"Cheira"** (third‑person singular) is followed by “a” + noun, meaning “it smells like June”.

• Fogareiros **acesos**, vem se noivas pela avenida

  ➔ Past participle “acesos” used adjectivally; agreement with noun “fogareiros”.

  ➔ The participle **"acesos"** modifies “fogareiros”, describing them as “lit”.