Rio d'Água – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: SYRO, Gisela João
• Album: GENESIS

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the poetic world of "Rio d'Água" by SYRO and Gisela João, a beautiful blend of traditional Portuguese fado and modern electronic pop. This song offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in the Portuguese language, with its introspective lyrics and rich emotional delivery. You'll learn vocabulary related to life's journey, resilience, and self-discovery, all wrapped in a unique musical experience that celebrates cultural heritage while embracing contemporary sounds. Its evocative imagery and soulful vocals make it a special and engaging piece for language learners.

[English]

I've always heard it said

Only those who walk can fall

I’ve learned to lose

I wash away the wrinkles of pain

That time has left behind

Marks of who I am

And I’ve learned that from the ground

I also see the color of the sky

And today I am

Like a flowing water river

Life keeps rushing forward

And I wash my soul (soul)

Drowning the sorrow I hold inside

Like a river of water

You reach out your hand for me to drink

A river of water (water)

A river of water

I no longer return to who I was

I accept peacefully

But I carry within me

What unravels me apart

And the flowers I once watered

I saw them grow and I let go

Time to get what’s deserved

And without telling, they took them from me

Like a river of water

Life keeps rushing forward

And I wash my soul (soul)

Drowning the sorrow I hold inside

Like a river of water

You reach out your hand for me to drink

A river of water (water)

A river of water

Drink from the desire to know

The more I swim in this water

Clear to the eye of those

Who only want to live

Like a river of water

Life keeps rushing forward

And I wash my soul (soul)

Drowning the sorrow I hold inside

Like a river of water

You reach out your hand for me to drink

A river of water (water)

A river of water

Preach

...

I see in you the part of me

That time didn't take from here

It took away from me

...

[Portuguese]

Sempre ouvi dizer

Só quem anda cai

Aprendi a perder

Lavo as rugas da dor

Que o tempo deixou

Marcas de quem eu sou

E aprendi que do chão

Também vejo a cor do céu

E hoje sou

Como um rio de água

A vida não para de correr

E lavo a alma (alma)

Afogo a mágoa que tiver

Como um rio de água

Tu estendes a mão para eu beber

Um rio de água (água)

Um rio de água

Já não volto a quem fui

Eu aceito em paz

Mas carrego em mim

O que me desfaz

E as flores que um dia reguei

Vi-as a crescer e deixei

O tempo merecer

E sem dizer as levou de mim

Como um rio de água

A vida não para de correr

E lavo a alma (alma)

Afogo a mágoa que tiver

Como um rio de água

Tu estendes a mão para eu beber

Um rio de água (água)

Um rio de água

Bebe da vontade de saber

Quanto mais eu nado nesta água

Clara fica aos olhos de quem

Só quer viver

Como um rio de água

A vida não para de correr

E lavo a alma (alma)

Afogo a mágoa que tiver

Como um rio de água

Tu estendes a mão para eu beber

Um rio de água (água)

Um rio de água

Preach

Eu vejo em ti a parte de mim

Que o tempo não levou daqui

Levou de mim

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
água /ˈaɡwɐ/ A1	noun - water
vida /ˈvidɐ/ A1	noun - life
correr /koˈʁeʁ/ A2	verb - to run
mão /mɐ̃w/ A2	noun - hand
alma /ˈaw.mɐ/ B1	noun - soul
mágoa /ˈmaɡ.wɐ/ B2	noun - grief
tempo /ˈtẽ.pu/ B1	noun - time
cair /kɐjʁ/ B1	verb - to fall
crescer /kɾeˈseʁ/ B2	verb - to grow
parte /ˈpaʁ.tʃɨ/ B1	noun - part
flores /ˈflo.ɾɨs/ B1	noun - flowers
deixar /deˈʃaʁ/ B1	verb - to leave
saber /saˈbeʁ/ B2	verb - to know
aceitar /ɐ.sɨˈtaʁ/ B2	verb - to accept
perder /pɛʁˈdeʁ/ B2	verb - to lose

Key Grammar Structures

• Só quem anda cai

  ➔ Use of 'Só' to emphasize 'only' or 'just'.

  ➔ 'Só' means 'only' or 'just', emphasizing exclusivity or limitation.

• Aprendi que do chão também vejo a cor do céu

  ➔ Use of 'que' as a conjunction to introduce a subordinate clause expressing what was learned.

  ➔ 'Que' introduces a subordinate clause, explaining the content of what was learned.

• A vida não para de correr

  ➔ Use of 'não' to negate the verb, creating a negative sentence.

  ➔ 'Não' negates the verb 'para', indicating that life keeps moving.

• E lavo a alma

  ➔ Use of the verb 'lavar' in the first person singular to express 'I wash' or 'cleanse'.

  ➔ 'Lavo' is the first person singular of 'lavar', meaning 'I wash' or 'cleanse'.

• Tu estendes a mão para eu beber

  ➔ Use of the verb 'estender' in the present tense to indicate 'you extend' or 'reach out'.

  ➔ 'Estender' means 'to extend' or 'reach out', and is used here in the present tense for 'you'.

• Eu vejo em ti a parte de mim

  ➔ Use of 'em' (em + a preposition 'em') to indicate 'in' or 'within' a person or thing.

  ➔ 'Em' + 'ti' means 'in you', indicating the presence of a part of myself within someone else.