Por Estar Contigo – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: José José

Lyrics & Translation

Ready to dive into the language of eternal devotion? "Por Estar Contigo" is a classic romantic ballad by 'El Príncipe de la Canción' José José. Through its powerful metaphors like 'Si fueras caminante, yo sería camino' ('If you were a walker, I would be the road'), you can learn to express profound, unconditional love in Spanish, mastering both poetic vocabulary and the rich, emotive language of the Latin ballad genre.

[English]

For being with you, for being with you

If you were a traveler, I would be the road

For being with you, for being with you

If you were a poppy, I would be wheat

...

If you were a doe of the meadow, if you were a doe

For being with you, for being with you, I would be earth

And if you were a bird of high flight, and if you were a bird

For being with you, for being with you, I would be air

For being with you, for being with you

If you were a traveler, I would be the road

For being with you, for being with you

If you were a poppy, I would be wheat

...

If you were the bank of a clear river, if you were the bank

For being with you, for being with you, I would be a reed

And if you were a mountain rock, and if you were a rock

For being with you, for being with you, I would be a shadow

For being with you, for being with you

If you were a traveler, I would be the road

For being with you, for being with you

If you were a poppy, I would be wheat

For being with you, for being with you

If you were a traveler, I would be the road

For being with you, for being with you

If you were a poppy, I would be wheat

For being with you, for being with you

If you were a traveler, I would be the road

For being with you, for being with you

If you were a poppy, I would be wheat

...

[Spanish]

Por estar contigo por estar contigo

Si fueras caminante yo sería camino

Por estar contigo por estar contigo

Si fueras amapola yo seria trigo

Si tu fueras cierva de la pradera, si tu fueras cierva

Por estar contigo, por estar contigo, yo seria tierra

Y si fueras ave del alto vuelo y si tu fueras ave

Por estar contigo, por estar contigo, yo seria aire

Por estar contigo, por estar contigo

Si fueras caminante yo sería camino

Por estar contigo, por estar contigo

Si fueras amapola yo sería trigo

Si tu fueras cause de rio claro, si tu fueras cause

Por estar contigo, por estar contigo, yo seria zauce

Y si fueras roca de la montaña y si fueras roca

Por estar contigo, por estar contigo, yo sería sombra

Por estar contigo, por estar contigo

Si fueras caminante yo sería camino

Por estar contigo, por estar contigo

Si fueras amapola yo sería trigo

Por estar contigo, por estar contigo

Si fueras caminante yo sería camino

Por estar contigo, por estar contigo

Si fueras amapola yo sería trigo

Por estar contigo, por estar contigo

Si fueras caminante yo sería camino

Por estar contigo, por estar contigo

Si fueras amapola yo sería trigo

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
estar esˈtaɾ A1	verb - to be (location or state)
contigo konˈtiɣo A1	pronoun - with you
caminante kamiˈnante A2	noun - traveler
camino kaˈmino A1	noun - path, road
amapola amaˈpola B1	noun - poppy
trigo ˈtriɣo A2	noun - wheat
cierva ˈθjerβa B1	noun - doe
pradera pɾaˈðeɾa B1	noun - prairie
tierra ˈtjera A1	noun - earth, land
ave ˈaβe A1	noun - bird
vuelo ˈbwe.lo A2	noun - flight
aire ˈaiɾe A1	noun - air
causar kauˈsaɾ B1	verb - to cause
zauce ˈθaw.θe C1	noun - sauce (regional variant)
roca ˈroka A2	noun - rock
sombra ˈsom.bɾa A2	noun - shadow

Key Grammar Structures

• Por estar contigo por estar contigo

  ➔ Preposition + infinitive (por + estar) used to express cause or reason.

  ➔ The phrase "por estar" literally means “because *being*”. Here it explains why the speaker repeats the sentiment.

• Si fueras caminante yo sería camino

  ➔ Second‑type conditional: si + imperfect subjunctive + conditional (sería).

  ➔ The verb "fueras" is in the imperfect subjunctive, and "sería" is the simple conditional, together forming a hypothetical situation.

• Si tú fueras cierva de la pradera, si tú fueras cierva

  ➔ Repetition of the si‑clause for emphasis; still a second‑type conditional.

  ➔ The word "tú" is optional; the repeated "si tú fueras cierva" stresses the hypothetical comparison.

• Yo sería tierra

  ➔ Conditional of the verb ser (sería) used for self‑identification in a hypothetical context.

  ➔ "sería" is the conditional form of "ser" meaning “I would be”.

• Si fueras ave del alto vuelo y si tú fueras ave

  ➔ Coordinated si‑clauses with "y"; each clause follows the si + imperfect subjunctive pattern.

  ➔ The conjunction "y" links two hypothetical conditions, both using "fueras" (imperfect subjunctive).

• Yo sería aire

  ➔ Conditional verb "sería" expressing a metaphorical identity.

  ➔ "sería" translates as “I would be”, creating a poetic metaphor with "air".

• Si tú fueras causa de río claro, si tú fueras causa

  ➔ Repeated si‑clauses with imperfect subjunctive; the noun "causa" functions as a metaphorical source.

  ➔ The verb "fueras" is in the imperfect subjunctive; "causa" (cause) is used poetically as “source of a clear river”.

• Yo sería sombra

  ➔ Conditional "sería" expressing a metaphorical state (to be a shadow).

  ➔ "sería" means “I would be”, here forming the poetic image of being a "shadow".