Olha Maria – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Chico Buarque
• Album: Construção

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the lyrical depth and melodic beauty of Chico Buarque's "Olha Maria" to experience Brazilian Portuguese in its most poetic form. This song, co-written with giants Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, offers a rich tapestry of emotion and subtle social commentary, making it a powerful piece to learn language through its nuanced expressions of love, freedom, and longing during a pivotal era in Brazil.

[English]

Look, Maria

I truly wanted you

To capture

My poetry

But today, Maria

To my surprise

To my sorrow

You must leave

Go, Maria

You’re so beautiful

You’re so distressed

To leave me behind

I feel, Maria

You’re just visiting

Your body stirs

Wanting to dance

Go, Maria

You’re completely bare

The moon calls to you

You’re so much a woman

Burn, Maria

In the moon’s flame

Gypsy Maria

Tidal Maria

...

Leave singing

Maria fleeing

Against the wind

Playing, sleeping

In a mountain lap

In an empty field

In a riverbed

In the sea’s arms

Go, joy

For life, Maria

Is just a day

I won’t hold you back

Run, Maria

Life doesn’t wait

It’s a springtime

You can’t miss it

Come, Maria

For I’d only have

My own agony

To offer you

Come, Maria

For I’d only have

My own agony

To offer you

...

[Portuguese]

Olha Maria

Eu bem te queria

Fazer uma presa

Da minha poesia

Mas hoje, Maria

Pra minha surpresa

Pra minha tristeza

Precisas partir

Parte, Maria

Que estás tão bonita

Que estás tão aflita

Pra me abandonar

Sinto, Maria

Que estás de visita

Teu corpo se agita

Querendo dançar

Parte, Maria

Que estás toda nua

Que a lua te chama

Que estás tão mulher

Arde, Maria

Na chama da lua

Maria cigana

Maria maré

Parte cantando

Maria fugindo

Contra a ventania

Brincando, dormindo

Num colo de serra

Num campo vazio

Num leito de rio

Nos braços do mar

Vai, alegria

Que a vida, Maria

Não passa de um dia

Não vou te prender

Corre, Maria

Que a vida não espera

É uma primavera

Não podes perder

Anda, Maria

Pois eu só teria

A minha agonia

Pra te oferecer

Anda, Maria

Pois eu só teria

A minha agonia

Pra te oferecer

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Olha Olha A1	verb - look (imperative)
queria queria A2	verb - wanted (imperf. past of querer)
presas presas B1	noun - prey; trap
poesia poesia B1	noun - poetry
surpresa surpresa B1	noun - surprise
tristeza tristeza B1	noun - sadness
partir partir A2	verb - to leave; to split
bonita bonita A1	adjective - beautiful
aflita aflita B2	adjective - distressed, anguished
abandonar abandonar B1	verb - to abandon
visita visita A2	noun - visit
agita agita B2	verb - to agitate; to stir
dançar dançar A1	verb - to dance
nua nua B1	adjective - nude, naked
lua lua A1	noun - moon
cigana cigana B2	noun - gypsy woman
maré maré B1	noun - tide
ventania ventania B2	noun - strong wind, gust
serra serra A2	noun - mountain range; saw
rio rio A1	noun - river

Key Grammar Structures

• Olha Maria, eu bem te queria fazer uma presa da minha poesia

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood

  ➔ The verb 'queria' (wanted) is in the subjunctive mood, expressing a wish or desire.

• Mas hoje, Maria, pra minha surpresa, precisas partir

  ➔ Present Tense with Future Meaning

  ➔ 'Precisas partir' uses the present tense 'precisas' to indicate a future action.

• Parte, Maria, que estás tão bonita

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ 'Parte' is in the imperative mood, giving a direct command.

• Sinto, Maria, que estás de visita

  ➔ Present Tense with Continuous Meaning

  ➔ 'Estás de visita' uses the present tense to indicate a continuous state.

• Que a vida, Maria, não passa de um dia

  ➔ Negation with 'não'

  ➔ 'Não passa' uses 'não' to negate the verb 'passa'.

• Corre, Maria, que a vida não espera

  ➔ Imperative Mood with 'que'

  ➔ 'Corre' is in the imperative mood, and 'que' introduces a subordinate clause.

• Anda, Maria, pois eu só teria a minha agonia pra te oferecer

  ➔ Conditional Mood

  ➔ 'Teria' is in the conditional mood, expressing a hypothetical situation.