Peço Perdão – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Rui Orlando, Matias Damásio

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a journey of cultural discovery, and 'Peço Perdão' offers a rich opportunity to delve into the emotive power of Angolan music. The song's conversational lyrics between two friends in a moment of crisis provide a unique context for understanding natural, expressive Portuguese. Its compelling story of love, betrayal, and friendship, set to the rhythms of Kizomba, makes it a memorable and engaging way to connect with the language and culture of Angola.

[English]

I swear I didn't ask

To fall in love with her

It feels like a soap opera

Look at destiny

How annoying

Stop being so cynical

To me, you were the only one

But with so many on the road

Buddy, you shouldn't have

Mate, those heart things

We can't control that

Honestly, I ask for forgiveness

But life goes on

Just shout, this is lack of consideration

And respect

You hurt my heart

And our friendship

I just want to know if, when I went to your house

You called my kids nephews

You looked at my wife

I never saw beyond what she was (what she was)

A great housewife

I don't even know how it happened

But I fell in love

I know I wasn't

The best in the world

The best husband

But she was my wife

Never wanted to be

Your substitute

Let's do it like this

I learned to love this woman

Mate, those heart things

We can't control that

Honestly, I ask for forgiveness

But life goes on

Just shout, this is lack of consideration

And respect

You hurt my heart

And our friendship

I just want to know if, when I went to your house

You called my kids nephews

You looked at my wife

I never saw beyond what she was (what she was)

A great housewife

I don't even know how it happened

But I fell in love

I know I wasn't

The best in the world

The best husband

But she was my wife

Never wanted to be

Your substitute

Let's do it like this

I learned to love this woman

I swear I didn't ask

To fall in love with her

It feels like a soap opera

Look at destiny

How annoying

I just want to know

If when I went to your house

You called my kids nephews

You looked at my wife

...

That she was the...

...

[Portuguese]

Te juro não pedi

P'ra estar apaixonado por ela

Até parece novela

Olha só o destino

Que chatice

Deixa de ser cínico

Você para mim era o único

Mas com tantas na via

Amigo tu não podias

Cota, essas coisas do coração

A gente não manda

De verdade peço perdão

Mas a vida anda

Brada, isso é falta de consideração

E respeito

Magoaste o meu coração

E a nossa amizade

Só quero saber, se quando ia lá em casa

Chamavas os meus filhos de sobrinhos

Já olhavas a minha mulher

Eu nunca vi além daquilo que ela era (que ela era)

Uma grande dona de casa

Nem sei como é que aconteceu

Mas me apaixonei

Sei que eu não fui

O melhor do mundo

O melhor marido

Mas ela era a minha mulher

Nunca quis ser

Teu substituto

Vamos fazer como

Aprendi a amar essa mulher

Cota, essas coisas do coração

A gente não manda

De verdade peço perdão

Mas a vida anda

Brada, isso é falta de consideração

E respeito

Magoaste o meu coração

E a nossa amizade

Só quero saber, se quando ia lá em casa

Chamavas os meus filhos de sobrinhos

Já olhavas a minha mulher

Eu nunca vi além daquilo que ela era (que ela era)

Uma grande dona de casa

Nem sei como é que aconteceu

Mas me apaixonei

Sei que eu não fui

O melhor do mundo

O melhor marido

Mas ela era minha mulher

Nunca quis ser

Teu substituto

Vamos fazer como

Aprendi a amar essa mulher

Te juro não pedi

P'ra estar apaixonado por ela

Até parece novela

Olha só o destino

Que chatice

Só quero saber

Se quando ia lá em casa

Chamavas os meus filhos de sobrinhos

Já olhavas a minha mulher

Que ela era a...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
juro /ˈʒu.ɾu/ B1	verb - to swear or promise
apaixonado /apaɪʃoˈnadu/ B1	adjective - in love
destino /desˈtʃinu/ B1	noun - destiny or fate
coração /koɾaˈsɐ̃w/ A2	noun - heart
vida /ˈvida/ A1	noun - life
respeito /ʁesˈpeitu/ B1	noun - respect
magoaste /maɡoˈaste/ B2	verb - to hurt or wound emotionally
amizade /amiˈzadʒi/ A2	noun - friendship
substituto /substituˈtu/ B2	noun - substitute
amar /aˈmaʁ/ A1	verb - to love
melhor /meˈʎoʁ/ A2	adjective - better
grande /ˈɡɾɐ̃dʒi/ A1	adjective - big or large
casa /ˈkaza/ A1	noun - house
filhos /ˈfiʎuʃ/ A2	noun - children
novela /noˈvɛla/ A2	noun - soap opera or novel

Key Grammar Structures

• Te juro não pedi pra estar apaixonado por ela

  ➔ Use of negative past tense with 'não' + verb, and infinitive structure with 'pra' (para) + verb

  ➔ 'Não' is used to negate the verb in the past tense, and 'pra' (short for 'para') introduces an infinitive verb expressing purpose or intention.

• Olha só o destino

  ➔ Use of imperative form with 'Olha' to draw attention, followed by a noun phrase

  ➔ 'Olha' is the imperative form of 'olhar', used here to command or draw attention, often followed by a description or object.

• De verdade peço perdão

  ➔ Use of 'peço' (from 'pedir') in the present tense to express 'I ask' or 'I apologize', with 'de verdade' for emphasis

  ➔ 'Peço' is the first person singular of 'pedir' (to ask or request), and 'de verdade' emphasizes sincerity or truthfulness.

• Sei que eu não fui o melhor do mundo

  ➔ Use of 'sei' (from 'saber') in the present tense to express 'I know', with 'que' as a conjunction, and past tense 'fui' (from 'ser')

  ➔ 'Sei' means 'I know' in the present tense, and 'fui' is the past tense of 'ser' (to be). 'Que' introduces the subordinate clause.