Palmeras en la nieve – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Pablo Alborán

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the lyrical beauty of "Palmeras en la nieve" by Pablo Alborán, the evocative theme song from the hit Spanish film. This ballad offers a rich opportunity to explore Spanish vocabulary related to emotions, nature, and philosophical themes like destiny and memory. Its poetic lyrics and Alborán's heartfelt delivery make it a captivating piece for language learners, providing insight into Spanish cultural storytelling and musical expression.

[English]

Pieces of paper, lost in the sea

Wind carrying them off, aimlessly

...

How white is yesterday, how sad the future

Full of questions that never end

Who guides the wind?

Who breaks the leaves?

Of those palm trees that cry

Who controls time?

That they lose alone

Who weaves the nets that suffocate them?

...

Sailing in pain

A boat without a rudder

Carrying memories of the life left behind

The sky green and gray

Ivory snow

Falls on the dream

That once could live

But, who guides the wind?

Who breaks the leaves?

Of those palm trees that cry

Who controls the time?

That they lose alone

Who weaves the nets that suffocate them?

...

[Spanish]

Trozos de papel, se pierden en la mar

Viento que les lleva rumbo al azar

Qué blanco es el ayer, qué triste el porvenir

Lleno de preguntas que no llegan a su fin

¿Quién dirige el aire?

¿Quién rompe las hojas?

De aquellas palmeras que lloran

¿Quién maneja el tiempo?

Que pierden a solas

¿Quién teje las redes que les ahogan?

Navega en el dolor

Un barco sin timón

Llevando los recuerdos de la vida que dejó

El cielo verde y gris

La nieve de marfil

Caen sobre el sueño

Que una vez pudo vivir

Pero, ¿quién dirige al aire?

¿Quién rompe las hojas?

De aquellas palmeras que lloran

¿Quién maneja el tiempo?

Que pierden a solas

¿Quién teje las redes que les ahogan?

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
papel /paˈpel/ A2	noun - paper
pierden /ˈpjeðen/ B1	verb - they lose
mar /maɾ/ A2	noun - sea
viento /bjenˈto/ A2	noun - wind
blanco /ˈblaŋko/ A2	adjective - white
ayer /aˈʝeɾ/ A1	noun/adverb - yesterday
question /kuesˈtʃon/ B1	noun - question
fin /fin/ A2	noun - end
aire /ˈaiɾe/ B2	noun - air
hojas /ˈoxa/ A2	noun - leaves
palmeras /palˈmeɾas/ B1	noun - palm trees
lloran /ˈʝoɾan/ B1	verb - they cry
maneja /maˈneχa/ B2	verb - handles
redes /ˈrεðes/ B2	noun - nets
dolor /doˈloɾ/ B2	noun - pain
barco /ˈβaɾko/ B1	noun - ship
timón /tiˈmon/ B2	noun - rudder
recuerdos /reˈkweɾðos/ B2	noun - memories
vida /ˈbi.βa/ A2	noun - life
cielo /ˈθje.lo/ A2	noun - sky
nieve /ˈnjeβe/ A2	noun - snow

Key Grammar Structures

• Trozos de papel, se pierden en la mar

  ➔ Present tense passive voice.

  ➔ The phrase "se pierden" indicates that the subject (pieces of paper) is acted upon.

• Qué blanco es el ayer, qué triste el porvenir

  ➔ Exclamatory sentences.

  ➔ The use of "Qué" emphasizes the speaker's feelings about the past and future.

• Lleno de preguntas que no llegan a su fin

  ➔ Relative clauses.

  ➔ The clause "que no llegan a su fin" provides additional information about the questions.

• ¿Quién dirige el aire?

  ➔ Interrogative sentences.

  ➔ The structure of the question seeks to identify the subject responsible for directing the air.

• Navega en el dolor

  ➔ Present tense.

  ➔ The verb "navega" is in the present tense, indicating an ongoing action.

• El cielo verde y gris

  ➔ Adjective agreement.

  ➔ The adjectives "verde" and "gris" agree in gender and number with the noun "cielo."

• Que pierden a solas

  ➔ Subjunctive mood.

  ➔ The phrase "que pierden" uses the subjunctive to express uncertainty or doubt.