Proteggiti da me – Bilingual Lyrics Italian/English

• By: Marco Mengoni

Lyrics & Translation

[Italian]

[English]

Non amo tanto i complimenti

I don't really like compliments

Un po' me li meriterei

Maybe I deserve a few

Per averti preso in giro

For having led you on

Anche solo immaginando occhi che non sono i tuoi

Even just imagining eyes that aren't yours

E allora che io sia dannato

So let me be damned

Sia cancellato il nome mio

Let my name be erased

E si scateni la tempesta

And let the storm break loose

Bagni la mia faccia tosta

Drench my bold face

Mi colpisca in pieno un fulmine

Let a lightning bolt strike me head-on

Che se solo l'avessi capito che era tutto sbagliato

If only I had realized it was all wrong

Che era solo l'ennesimo impatto fra la pioggia ed il fuoco

That it was just another collision between rain and fire

Maledetta la mia gelosia che mi sfugge di mano

Damn my jealousy that gets out of hand

Perché ammetto che alla tua partenza preferisco la tua indifferenza

Because I admit I'd prefer your indifference to you leaving

Come mi sento adesso?

How do I feel now?

Direi più o meno uguale a quello che

I'd say pretty much like someone who

Che nonostante il brutto viaggio ha rinnovato il suo coraggio

Who despite the rough journey has renewed their courage

E dalla paura un nuovo limite

And found a new limit from fear

Peró adesso prendimi le mani, prendimi le mani, prendimi le mani adesso

But now take my hands, take my hands, take my hands now

E ascoltami perché

And listen to me because

Perché non tutto è andato perso

Because not everything is lost

Non tutto il bene è andato perso

Not all the good is lost

Di alternative un universo

An universe of alternatives

Che se solo l'avessi capito che era tutto sbagliato

If only I had realized it was all wrong

Che era solo l'ennesimo impatto fra la pioggia ed il fuoco

That it was just another collision between rain and fire

Maledetta la mia gelosia che mi sfugge di mano

Damn my jealousy that gets out of hand

Perché ammetto che alla tua partenza preferisco la tua indifferenza

Because I admit I'd prefer your indifference to you leaving

Proteggiti da me se sai come fare

Protect yourself from me if you know how

Proteggiti da me, da me, da me

Protect yourself from me, from me, from me

Se sai come fare

If you know how

Proteggiti da me, da me

Protect yourself from me, from me

Se sai come fare

If you know how

Proteggiti da me, da me, da me

Protect yourself from me, from me, from me

Se sai come fare

If you know how

Che se solo l'avessi capito che era tutto sbagliato

If only I had realized it was all wrong

Che era solo l'ennesimo impatto fra la pioggia ed il fuoco

That it was just another collision between rain and fire

E maledetta la mia gelosia che mi sfugge di mano

And damn my jealousy that gets out of hand

Perché ammetto che alla tua partenza preferisco la tua indifferenza

Because I admit I'd prefer your indifference to you leaving

Proteggiti da me, se sai come fare

Protect yourself from me, if you know how

E spegneró così la luce

And I'll turn off the light like this

Te ne andrai così veloce

You'll go away so fast

Per proteggerti da me

To protect yourself from me

...

...

Key Grammar Structures

• Un po' me li meriterei

  ➔ Conditional Present + Combined Pronouns

  ➔ ''meriterei'' is the conditional present of 'meritare' (to deserve), indicating a hypothetical or desired action. ''me li'' combines the indirect object pronoun 'mi' (to me) and the direct object pronoun 'li' (them, referring to 'i complimenti').

• E allora che io sia dannato

  ➔ Subjunctive for Exhortation/Wish/Curse

  ➔ The ''che'' introduces a subjunctive clause (''io sia dannato'') expressing a strong wish, desire, or in this context, a curse or self-condemnation. It's often used with verbs like 'volere che,' 'sperare che,' or, as here, independently to express an immediate, strong sentiment.

• Che se solo l'avessi capito che era tutto sbagliato

  ➔ Mixed Conditional (Third Type Conditional 'se + congiuntivo trapassato' with Indicative Imperfect consequence)

  ➔ This is a complex conditional structure. ''se solo l'avessi capito'' (if only I had understood it) uses the *congiuntivo trapassato* (past perfect subjunctive), indicating a hypothetical condition in the past that did not happen. The consequence, ''era tutto sbagliato'' (everything was wrong), uses the *imperfetto indicativo* (imperfect indicative), stating a fact that was true in the past, implying that the speaker now realizes this fact because they 'had understood' the condition.

• Maledetta la mia gelosia che mi sfugge di mano

  ➔ Past Participle as Adjective + Idiomatic Expression

  ➔ ''Maledetta'' is the past participle of 'maledire' (to curse), used here as an adjective modifying 'gelosia' (jealousy), meaning 'cursed.' ''mi sfugge di mano'' is an idiomatic expression meaning 'to get out of hand' or 'to slip from one's grasp.' 'mi' is a reflexive/indirect object pronoun.

• Perché ammetto che alla tua partenza preferisco la tua indifferenza

  ➔ Verb Pattern 'Preferire X a Y'

  ➔ The verb 'preferire' (to prefer) is followed by ''X a Y,'' meaning 'to prefer X over Y.' In this sentence, the speaker prefers ''la tua indifferenza'' (your indifference) ''alla tua partenza'' (to your departure).

• E dalla paura un nuovo limite

  ➔ Ellipsis (Omission of Verb) + Preposition 'da'

  ➔ This sentence demonstrates ellipsis, where a verb (like 'è nato,' 'è sorto,' or 'è emerso' – 'was born,' 'arose,' or 'emerged') is omitted for conciseness or stylistic effect, but implied by the context. The preposition ''dalla'' (da + la) means 'from the' or 'out of the,' indicating origin or source.

• Peró adesso prendimi le mani

  ➔ Imperative Mood + Combined Pronoun

  ➔ ''prendimi'' is the informal singular imperative form of 'prendere' (to take) combined with the direct object pronoun 'mi' (me). This construction instructs someone directly to perform an action on the speaker.

• Non tutto il bene è andato perso

  ➔ Idiomatic Verb Phrase 'andare perso'

  ➔ ''andare perso'' is an idiomatic verb phrase meaning 'to be lost' or 'to go to waste.' It uses the verb 'andare' (to go) as an auxiliary with the past participle 'perso' (lost), similar to a passive construction but more commonly used for things that are wasted or vanish. 'non tutto' means 'not everything.'

• Proteggiti da me se sai come fare

  ➔ Reflexive Imperative + Preposition 'da' + Conditional Clause

  ➔ ''Proteggiti'' is the informal singular reflexive imperative form of 'proteggersi' (to protect oneself), meaning 'protect yourself.' The preposition ''da me'' means 'from me,' indicating separation or protection. ''se sai come fare'' is a conditional clause meaning 'if you know how to do it.'