Pobre secretaria – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Daniela Romo

Lyrics & Translation

[Spanish]

[English]

Casi las ocho, salto a la ducha

Almost eight, I jump in the shower

No, no me puedo retrasar

No, I can't be late

Medias de seda, falda apretada

Silk stockings, tight skirt

¿Qué maquillaje habré de usar?

What makeup should I use?

Siete perfumes, uñas pintadas

Seven perfumes, painted nails

Algo que pueda conquistar

Something that can conquer

Algo de escote, algo que note

Something low cut, something he'll notice

Que no le deje trabajar

So he can't work

Más atrevida, menos princesa

Bolder, less like a princess

Siendo elegante gustaré

Being elegant will make him like me

Más decidida, menos discreta

More determined, less discreet

Irresistible, más que ayer

Irresistible, more than yesterday

Tiro la casa por la ventana

I'm pulling out all the stops

Un elixír he de encontrar

I have to find an elixir

Jefe querido, lo has conseguido

Dear boss, you've done it

¡No sé si puedo aguantar más!

I don't know if I can bear it anymore!

Fíjate, fíjate en tu secretaria

Look, look at your secretary

¡Ay, señor, qué dolor!

Oh, sir, what pain!

¡Pobre secretaria!

Poor secretary!

Pídele que copie 100 mil veces: "yo te amo"

Ask her to copy "I love you" 100 thousand times

Fíjate, fíjate en tu secretaria

Look, look at your secretary

¡Ay, señor, qué dolor!

Oh, sir, what pain!

¡Pobre secretaria!

Poor secretary!

Creo que le falta poco para enloquecer

I think she's close to going crazy

Se abre la puerta, yo boquiabierta

The door opens, I'm open-mouthed

Siento un desmayo, un no sé qué

I feel faint, a certain something

"Venga al despacho", tono de macho

"Come to the office," a manly tone

Me armo de lápiz y papel

I arm myself with pencil and paper

Por una nota, por una cita

For a note, for a date

Por un piropo ¿Qué he de hacer?

For a compliment, what should I do?

Piel de franela, ojos canela

Flannel skin, cinnamon eyes

De indiferencia moriré

I'll die of indifference

Esa sonrisa maravillosa

That wonderful smile

De irresistible seductor

Of an irresistible seducer

Y ese atractivo de ejecutivo

And that executive charm

Me ha roto en dos el corazón

Has broken my heart in two

Caigo en tus brazos, dame un abrazo

I fall into your arms, give me a hug

Que no hay antídoto mejor

There's no better antidote

Llámame esclava, llámame nena

Call me your slave, call me baby

Y no me ignores por favor

And please don't ignore me

Fíjate, fíjate en tu secretaria

Look, look at your secretary

¡Ay, señor, qué dolor!

Oh, sir, what pain!

Pobre secretaria

Poor secretary

Pídele que copie 100 mil veces: "yo te amo"

Ask her to copy "I love you" 100 thousand times

Fíjate, fíjate en tu secretaria

Look, look at your secretary

¡Ay, señor, qué dolor!

Oh, sir, what pain!

Pobre secretaria

Poor secretary

Creo que le falta poco para enloquecer

I think she's close to going crazy

...

...

Fíjate, fíjate en tu secretaria

Look, look at your secretary

¡Ay, señor, qué dolor!

Oh, sir, what pain!

Pobre secretaria

Poor secretary

Pídele que copie 100 mil veces: "yo te amo"

Ask her to copy "I love you" 100 thousand times

Fíjate, fíjate en tu secretaria

Look, look at your secretary

¡Ay, señor, qué dolor!

Oh, sir, what pain!

Pobre secretaria

Poor secretary

Creo que le falta poco para enloquecer

I think she's close to going crazy

Fíjate, fíjate en tu secretaria

Look, look at your secretary

¡Ay, señor, qué dolor!

Oh, sir, what pain!

Pobre secretaria

Poor secretary

Pídele que copie 100 mil veces: "yo te amo"

Ask her to copy "I love you" 100 thousand times

Fíjate, fíjate en tu secretaria

Look, look at your secretary

¡Ay, señor, qué dolor!

Oh, sir, what pain!

Pobre secretaria...

Poor secretary...

...

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
secretaria /sekɾeˈtaɾja/ A1	noun - secretary (person who works in an office, managing tasks, correspondence, etc.)
pobre /ˈpoβɾe/ A1	adjective - poor (having little money or resources) adjective - poor (unfortunate, pitiable, deserving sympathy)
jefe /ˈxefe/ A1	noun - boss, chief, leader
dolor /doˈloɾ/ A2	noun - pain, ache (physical or emotional)
aguantar /aɣwanˈtaɾ/ B1	verb - to tolerate, to bear, to withstand, to hold on
enloquecer /enloqeˈθeɾ/ B2	verb - to go crazy, to drive mad
fijarse /fiˈxaɾse/ B1	verb - to notice, to pay attention, to look closely at
amar /aˈmaɾ/ A1	verb - to love
copiar /koˈpjaɾ/ A1	verb - to copy
corazón /koɾaˈθon/ A1	noun - heart (organ or symbol of feelings)
irresistible /iresisˈtible/ B2	adjective - irresistible
seductor /seðukˈtoɾ/ B2	noun - seducer adjective - seductive, alluring
ejecutivo /exekuˈtiβo/ B1	noun - executive (person in a management position) adjective - executive (relating to management or decision-making)
indiferencia /indifeˈɾenθja/ B2	noun - indifference (lack of interest, concern, or sympathy)
despacho /desˈpaʧo/ B1	noun - office (especially a private office or study)
desmayo /dezˈmaʝo/ B2	noun - faint, swoon (a sudden loss of consciousness)
piropo /piˈɾopo/ B2	noun - compliment (often a flattering or flirtatious one, sometimes a catcall)
antídoto /anˈtiðoto/ C1	noun - antidote (a remedy to counteract a poison or something harmful; a countermeasure)
esclava /esˈklaβa/ B1	noun - slave (female) adjective - enslaved (female)
atrevido /atɾeˈβiðo/ B1	adjective - daring, bold, cheeky, impudent

Key Grammar Structures

• No, no me puedo retrasar

  ➔ Reflexive Verb + Modal Verb 'Poder'

  ➔ The verb "retrasarse" is reflexive, meaning "to delay oneself" or "to be late." The "me" is the reflexive pronoun. "Poder" means "to be able to," indicating ability or permission.

• ¿Qué maquillaje habré de usar?

  ➔ 'Haber de + Infinitive' Construction

  ➔ The construction "haber de + infinitive" (here, "habré de usar") expresses obligation, necessity, or a future event/conjecture. It's similar to "tener que" or "deber," but can convey a slightly more formal or fated tone.

• Algo que pueda conquistar

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood with Indefinite Antecedent

  ➔ The subjunctive verb "pueda" is used here because the antecedent "algo" (something) is indefinite or non-existent; the speaker is looking for *any* makeup that *might* conquer, not a specific one.

• Que no le deje trabajar

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood in a Purpose Clause; 'Dejar + Infinitive'

  ➔ The "que" introduces a clause expressing purpose or desired outcome, thus requiring the subjunctive form "deje." "Dejar + infinitive" means "to let/allow someone to do something."

• Siendo elegante gustaré

  ➔ Gerund Expressing Condition/Means; Simple Future Tense

  ➔ The gerund "siendo" (being) indicates the condition or means by which the action of the main verb ("gustaré" - I will please/be liked) will occur. It's equivalent to "If I am elegant..." or "By being elegant...".

• Jefe querido, lo has conseguido

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense (Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto)

  ➔ "Has conseguido" is formed with the auxiliary verb "haber" in the present tense ("has") and the past participle ("conseguido"). It describes an action completed in the recent past or with relevance to the present.

• Pídele que copie 100 mil veces: "yo te amo"

  ➔ Imperative Mood; Subjunctive in a Noun Clause

  ➔ "Pídele" is an imperative command (ask him/her). The subjunctive verb "copie" is required in the dependent noun clause introduced by "que" because it follows a verb of request or command ("pedir que").

• Creo que le falta poco para enloquecer

  ➔ Impersonal Verb 'Faltar'; 'Para + Infinitive'

  ➔ "Le falta poco" means "very little is missing to him/her" or "he/she lacks very little." "Para enloquecer" indicates the purpose or the point towards which the lack is directed, meaning "before going crazy" or "to the point of going crazy."

• Me armo de lápiz y papel

  ➔ Reflexive Verb Phrase 'Armarse de'

  ➔ "Armarse de" is a reflexive verb phrase meaning "to equip oneself with," "to arm oneself with," or figuratively "to brace oneself with" something (e.g., courage, patience). The "me" is the reflexive pronoun.

• Que no hay antídoto mejor

  ➔ Impersonal Verb 'Haber' (Hay); Comparative Adjective 'Mejor'

  ➔ "No hay" is the impersonal form of the verb "haber" used to express existence ("there isn't" or "there isn't any"). "Mejor" is the irregular comparative form of "bueno" (good), meaning "better."