Pica Do 7 – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: António Zambujo

Lyrics & Translation

Discover António Zambujo's 'Pica Do 7,' a delightful Portuguese song that uses playful language and a catchy melody to capture the simple joys and romantic daydreams associated with daily life. Through its clever wordplay and evocative storytelling, you can immerse yourself in the nuances of Portuguese culture and the charm of Lisbon's iconic trams.

[English]

In the early morning, I jump from the nest

And I go to the stop

With a bandolete waiting for the 7

But not for the journey

I really didn't want to

But one certain day, I saw it pass

And my skeptical heart

By a tram's jolt began to dream again

With every ring that sounds

From the click of that clamp

In a frantic way

The skeptical heart beats back

If the train derails, the people complain

And I stay at the bell

For a mere route in my concrete case

Is already the destination

No one believes in the state

In which my heart remains

When the 7 catches me

I even think the ticket slips from my hand

For in the race of this vain life

Nothing else gives me the thrill that the 7 gives me

What a sad fate and such an unhappy itinerary

Crossing my schedule

With that of a Carris train employee

If I were to ask him

If he has a free pass for someone's heart

Who knows, maybe I would also erase his heart

No one believes in the state

In which my heart remains

When the 7 catches me

I even think the ticket slips from my hand

For in the race of this vain life

Nothing else gives me the thrill that the 7 gives me

...

No one believes in the state

In which my heart remains

When the 7 catches me

I even think the ticket slips from my hand

For in the race of this vain life

Nothing else gives me the thrill that the 7 gives me

Nothing else gives me the thrill that the 7 gives me

...

[Portuguese]

De manhã cedinho eu salto do ninho

E vou pra a paragem

De bandolete à espera do 7

Mas não pela viagem

Eu bem que não queria

Mas um certo dia, vi-o passar

E o meu peito céptico

Por um pica de eléctrico voltou a sonhar

A cada repique que sôa

Do clique daquele alicate

Num modo frenético

O peito céptico, toca a rebate

Se o trem descarrila, o povo refila

E eu fico no sino

Pois um mero trajecto no meu caso concreto

É já o destino

Ninguém acredita no estado

Em que fica o meu coração

Quando o 7 me apanha

Até acho que a senha me salta da mão

Pois na carreira, desta vida vã

Mais nada me dá a pica que o pica do 7 me dá

Que triste fadário e que itinerário tão infeliz

Cruzar meu horário

Com o de um funcionário de um trem da Carris

Se eu lhe perguntasse

Se tem livre passe pra o peito de alguém

Vá-se lá saber, talvez eu lhe oblitere o peito também

Ninguém acredita no estado

Em que fica o meu coração

Quando o 7 me apanha

Até acho que a senha me salta da mão

Pois na carreira, desta vida vã

Mais nada me dá a pica que o pica do 7 me dá

Ninguém acredita no estado

Em que fica o meu coração

Quando o 7 me apanha

Até acho que a senha me salta da mão

Pois na carreira, desta vida vã

Mais nada me dá a pica que o pica do 7 me dá

Mais nada me dá a pica que o pica do 7 me dá

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ninho /ˈniɲu/ A2	noun - nest
paragem /pɐˈɾeˌmɐ̃j/ B1	noun - stop (bus, tram)
viagem /viˈaʒẽj/ A2	noun - trip, journey
certo /ˈseɾtu/ B1	adjective - certain, sure
passar /paˈsaɾ/ A2	verb - to pass, to go by
peito /ˈpɛjtu/ B1	noun - chest, breast
sonhar /sõˈɲaɾ/ B2	verb - to dream
clique /ˈkliki/ B2	noun - click, switch, or a small group of friends
tocar /toˈkaɾ/ A2	verb - to play (instrument), to touch
rebate /ʁɐˈbajt/ C1	noun - rebound, response, alert
descarrila /dɨʃəˈʁila/ C2	verb - derails, to come off the rails
refila /ʁɨˈfiɫɐ/ C2	verb - to line up, to queue, to refil (as in refilling a service)
sino /ˈsinu/ A2	noun - bell
concreto /kõˈkɾetʊ/ B2	adjective/noun - concrete, specific
destino /dɨʃˈtinu/ B1	noun - destiny, fate, destination
carreira /kɐʁˈηɾɐ/ B2	noun - career, run, course
vida /ˈviðɐ/ A1	noun - life
dá /dɐ/ A2	verb - to give

Key Grammar Structures

• De manhã cedinho eu salto do ninho

  ➔ Present tense for habitual actions.

  ➔ The phrase "eu salto" indicates a habitual action of jumping out of the nest in the morning.

• Mas um certo dia, vi-o passar

  ➔ Past tense for completed actions.

  ➔ The phrase "vi-o passar" indicates a completed action of seeing it pass on a certain day.

• O meu peito céptico

  ➔ Use of possessive adjectives.

  ➔ The phrase "O meu peito" shows possession, indicating that the chest belongs to the speaker.

• Se o trem descarrila, o povo refila

  ➔ Conditional sentences.

  ➔ The phrase "Se o trem descarrila" sets a condition for the action that follows.

• Pois na carreira, desta vida vã

  ➔ Use of prepositions.

  ➔ The phrase "na carreira" uses the preposition to indicate a specific context or situation.

• Mais nada me dá a pica que o pica do 7 me dá

  ➔ Comparative structures.

  ➔ The phrase "Mais nada me dá a pica" compares the excitement from the tram to other experiences.

• Ninguém acredita no estado

  ➔ Negative sentences.

  ➔ The phrase "Ninguém acredita" expresses disbelief or negation.