Respirar – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Calema, Sara Correia

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the beauty of the Portuguese language through 'Respirar' by Calema and Sara Correia, a song that combines vibrant pop rhythms with soulful fado influences. Learn about appreciating life's simple gifts and finding peace in the present moment, all while improving your Portuguese vocabulary and cultural understanding.

[English]

I'm like water spilled on the ground

I dance on the wings of a hurricane

This is my home, I follow destiny

I am the road, I am, I am, I am

To live from life's light and give it a name

To escape the confusion that consumes us

Not much more is needed

Than a minute looking at the sky and breathing

Breathe, I will, breathe, I will

Breathe, I will, with an open chest (I will)

Wherever it may be, I will bring love

In my breathing

(Breathe, I will)

(Breathe, I will, I will)

(Breathe, I will)

And if we think

That we live together so much with so little

By the hands of the wind, the whole world is united

The same air, the night and the day

And if we think

That we live together so much with so little

By the hands of the wind, the whole world is united

The same air, the night and the day

Breathe, I will

Breathe, I will

Breathe, I will, breathe, I will

Breathe, I will, with an open chest

Wherever it may be, I will bring love

(In my breathing)

(Breathe, I will)

(Breathe, I will)

(Breathe, I will)

Breathe, I will, breathe, I will

Breathe, I will, with an open chest

Wherever it may be, I will bring love

(In my breathing)

(Breathe, I will)

(Breathe, I will)

(Breathe, I will)

To bring the melody every morning

And fill our chest with love at dawn, oh-oh

Life gave me so much without charging and I didn't even know

Now I know that to give thanks

Breathe, I will, breathe, I will

Breathe, I will, with an open chest, oh-oh

Wherever it may be, I will bring love

In my breathing (I will, I will)

Breathe, I will, breathe, I will

Breathe, I will, with an open chest

Wherever it may be, I'll bring love

In my breathing, I will bring love

Make peace a dwelling, with an open chest

Oh, what a good life, to dance this chorus every day

In life, I am the road

I am the road, I am the road...

...

[Portuguese]

Sou que nem água solta no chão

Danço nas asas de um furacão

Esta é a minha casa, sigo o destino

Eu sou a estrada, eu sou, eu sou, eu sou

Viver da luz da vida e dar-lhe um nome

Fugir da confusão que nos consome

Não é preciso muito mais

Do que um minuto a olhar o céu e respirar

Respirar, eu vou, respirar, eu vou

Respirar, eu vou, peito aberto (eu vou)

Seja onde for, eu vou levar amor

No meu respirar

(Respirar eu vou)

(Respirar, eu vou, eu vou)

(Respirar, eu vou)

E se pensarmos

Que vivemos juntos este tanto com tão pouco

Pelas mãos do vento faz-se unir o mundo todo

O mesmo ar, a noite e o dia

E se pensarmos

Que vivemos juntos este tanto com tão pouco

Pelas mãos do vento faz-se unir o mundo todo

O mesmo ar, a noite e o dia

Respirar, eu vou

Respirar, eu vou

Respirar, eu vou, respirar, eu vou

Respirar, eu vou, peito aberto

Seja onde for, eu vou levar amor

(No meu respirar)

(Respirar, eu vou)

(Respirar, eu vou)

(Respirar, eu vou)

Respirar, eu vou, respirar, eu vou

Respirar, eu vou, peito aberto

Seja onde for, eu vou levar amor

(No meu respirar)

(Respirar, eu vou)

(Respirar, eu vou)

(Respirar, eu vou)

Trazer todos os dias de manhã a melodia

E encher o nosso peito de amor no amanhecer, oh-oh

A vida deu-me tanto sem cobrar e eu nem sabia

Agora eu sei que para agradecer

Respirar, eu vou, respirar, eu vou

Respirar, eu vou, peito aberto, oh-oh

Seja onde for, eu vou levar amor

No meu respirar (eu vou, eu vou)

Respirar, eu vou, respirar, eu vou

Respirar, eu vou, peito aberto

Seja onde for, vou levar amor

No meu respirar, eu vou levar amor

Fazer da paz uma morada, peito aberto

Ai, que boa vida, dançar este refrão a cada dia

Na vida, eu sou a estrada

Eu sou a estrada, eu sou a estrada...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
água /ˈaɡwɐ/ A1	noun - water
chão /ʃɐ̃w̃/ A1	noun - ground, floor
asas /ˈazɐʃ/ A2	noun - wings
furacão /fuɾɐˈkɐ̃w̃/ B1	noun - hurricane
casa /ˈkazɐ/ A1	noun - house, home
destino /deʃˈtinu/ B1	noun - destiny
estrada /ɨʃˈtɾadɐ/ A2	noun - road, highway
luz /luʃ/ A1	noun - light
vida /ˈvidɐ/ A1	noun - life
nome /ˈnomɨ/ A1	noun - name
confusão /kõfuˈzɐ̃w̃/ B2	noun - confusion
céu /sɛw/ A1	noun - sky, heaven
peito /ˈpejtu/ A2	noun - chest, breast
amor /ɐˈmoɾ/ A1	noun - love
mãos /ˈmɐ̃w̃ʃ/ A1	noun - hands
vento /ˈvẽtu/ A1	noun - wind
mundo /ˈmũdu/ A1	noun - world
ar /aɾ/ A1	noun - air
noite /ˈnojtɨ/ A1	noun - night
dia /ˈdiɐ/ A1	noun - day
dias /ˈdiɐʃ/ A1	noun - days
manhã /mɐˈɲɐ̃/ A1	noun - morning
melodia /mɨluˈdiɐ/ B1	noun - melody
amanhecer /ɐmɐ̃ɲɨˈseɾ/ B2	noun - dawn
paz /paʃ/ A2	noun - peace
morada /muˈɾadɐ/ B2	noun - dwelling, residence
refrão /ʁɨˈfɾɐ̃w̃/ B1	noun - chorus

Key Grammar Structures

• Sou que nem água solta no chão

  ➔ Comparative constructions with 'que nem'

  ➔ 'Que nem' functions similarly to 'como' (like/as) for comparison. Here, it means 'I am like water loose on the ground'. Note that it can be more colloquial than 'como'.

• Esta é a minha casa, sigo o destino

  ➔ Present Simple tense to describe a general truth/characteristic and sequential actions

  ➔ "Esta é a minha casa" - a statement of fact. "Sigo o destino" - a general statement about the singer's attitude and a sequential action following from the fact of home.

• Não é preciso muito mais do que um minuto a olhar o céu e respirar

  ➔ Impersonal construction with 'é preciso', prepositional phrase 'do que' for comparison

  ➔ 'É preciso' means 'it is necessary'. 'Do que' introduces what is needed, which is 'more than a minute looking at the sky and breathing'.

• Seja onde for, eu vou levar amor

  ➔ Subjunctive mood with 'seja' (from 'ser') in an indefinite relative clause, Future Simple tense to express intention

  ➔ 'Seja onde for' (wherever it may be) uses the subjunctive because it expresses an indefinite location. 'Eu vou levar amor' (I will take love) expresses a future intention.

• E se pensarmos Que vivemos juntos este tanto com tão pouco

  ➔ Conditional clause introduced by 'Se' (If), use of 'tanto...com tão pouco' (so much...with so little) to emphasize contrast.

  ➔ 'Se pensarmos...' (If we think...) establishes a condition. The phrase 'tanto com tão pouco' highlights the paradox of living so much with so little.

• Pelas mãos do vento faz-se unir o mundo todo

  ➔ Passive voice with 'faz-se' (impersonal se), prepositional phrase indicating means 'pelas mãos de'

  ➔ 'Faz-se unir' means 'it is made to unite' (or more naturally, 'is united'). 'Pelas mãos do vento' means 'by the hands of the wind' or 'through the wind'.

• Trazer todos os dias de manhã a melodia E encher o nosso peito de amor no amanhecer, oh-oh

  ➔ Infinitive verb 'Trazer' used in place of imperative to suggest a general desired action; parallel construction with 'Trazer' and 'Encher'

  ➔ 'Trazer' (to bring) acts as a suggestion or aspiration rather than a direct command. The parallel structure links bringing melody in the morning and filling our chest with love at dawn.