Porque No Se Van – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Los Prisioneros
• Album: Pateando Piedras

Lyrics & Translation

Learning Spanish through “Porque No Se Van” offers a unique window into a pivotal moment in Chilean history. The song's direct and repetitive chorus makes it great for practicing pronunciation and understanding rhetorical questions in Spanish. Beyond the language, you'll uncover the socio-political commentary and the defiant spirit of a generation, making your learning experience both musically and culturally enriching.

[English]

Normandie

...

If you dream of New York and Europe

You complain about our people and their clothes

You live loving the Normandie art film

If you're an artist and the natives don't understand you

If your avant-garde here won't sell

If you want to be a second-hand Westerner

Why don't you leave?

Why don't they leave?

They don't leave the country?

Why don't they leave?

They don't leave the country?

If you travel to Italy every year

If culture is so rich in Germany

Why not stay there next year?

If they don't have the means you demand here

If your genius and talent don't bring fame here

If your surname isn't González or Tapia

Why don't you leave?

Why don't they leave?

They don't leave the country?

Why don't they leave?

They don't leave the country?

Why don't they leave?

They don't leave the country?

Why don't they leave?

They don't leave the country?

Oh, oh-oh

Oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

...

González or Tapia

...

Why don't they leave

They don't leave the country?

Why don't they leave

They don't leave the country?

Why don't they leave

They don't leave the country?

Why don't they leave

They don't leave the country?

Oh, oh-oh

Oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

...

[Spanish]

Normandie

Si sueñas con Nueva York y con Europa

Te quejas de nuestra gente y de su ropa

Vives amando el cine arte del Normandie

Si eres artista y los indios no te entienden

Si tu vanguardia aquí no se vende

Si quieres ser occidental de segunda mano

¿Por qué no te vas?

¿Por qué no se van

No se van del país?

¿Por qué no se van

No se van del país?

Si viajas todos los años a Italia

Si la cultura es tan rica en Alemania

¿Por qué el próximo año no te quedas allá?

Si aquí no tienen los medios que reclamas

Si aquí tu genio y talento no da fama

Si tu apellido no es González ni Tapia

¿Por qué no te vas?

¿Por qué no se van

No se van del país?

¿Por qué no se van

No se van del país?

¿Por qué no se van

No se van del país?

¿Por qué no se van

No se van del país?

Oh, oh-oh

Oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

González ni Tapia

¿Por qué no se van

No se van del país?

¿Por qué no se van

No se van del país?

¿Por qué no se van

No se van del país?

¿Por qué no se van

No se van del país?

Oh, oh-oh

Oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sueñas /ˈsweɲas/ B1	verb - you dream
gente /ˈxente/ A1	noun - people
ropa /ˈropa/ A1	noun - clothes
artista /aɾˈtista/ A2	noun - artist
vanguardia /banˈɡwaɾðja/ C1	noun - vanguard
occidental /ok.si.ðenˈtal/ B2	adjective - western noun - westerner
viajas /ˈbja.xas/ A2	verb - you travel
cultura /kulˈtuɾa/ A2	noun - culture
rica /ˈrika/ A2	adjective - rich
medios /ˈme.ðjos/ B1	noun - means, resources
genio /ˈxe.njo/ B2	noun - genius
talento /taˈlento/ B1	noun - talent
apellido /a.peˈʝi.ðo/ A2	noun - surname, last name
país /paˈis/ A1	noun - country

Key Grammar Structures

• Si sueñas con Nueva York y con Europa

  ➔ Use of the subjunctive mood in conditional sentences.

  ➔ The phrase "Si sueñas" indicates a hypothetical situation.

• Si eres artista y los indios no te entienden

  ➔ Use of conjunctions to connect clauses.

  ➔ The conjunction "y" connects two ideas.

• Si quieres ser occidental de segunda mano

  ➔ Use of the subjunctive mood in expressing desires.

  ➔ The phrase "Si quieres" indicates a wish or desire.

• ¿Por qué no te vas?

  ➔ Use of interrogative structures to ask questions.

  ➔ The phrase "¿Por qué no te vas?" is a direct question.

• Si aquí no tienen los medios que reclamas

  ➔ Use of conditional clauses to express conditions.

  ➔ The phrase "Si aquí no tienen" sets a condition for the statement.

• Si tu apellido no es González ni Tapia

  ➔ Use of negation in sentences.

  ➔ The phrase "no es" indicates negation of identity.

• No se van del país

  ➔ Use of passive voice.

  ➔ The phrase "No se van" indicates an action done by an unspecified subject.