Sei Lá – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Bárbara Tinoco

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the lyrical world of Bárbara Tinoco's "Sei Lá" to experience the beauty and emotional depth of Portuguese. This song offers a compelling narrative of self-discovery and the complexities of love, making it an excellent piece to connect with the language through its relatable themes and heartfelt expression. You'll encounter common conversational phrases like "Sei lá" (I don't know) and gain insight into how everyday uncertainties can be woven into powerful artistic statements.

[English]

I don't know

What day of the week we're going, I don't know

What season it is, I don't know

Maybe I don't even want to know

I don't know

Because they say I'm crazy, I don't know

I'm no longer who I was, I'm someone else, I don't know

Ask me tomorrow, maybe I'll know how to answer

And I swear, I promise

And I do, and I pray

But in the end, what remains of me

And you say beautiful things

Stories from soap operas

But in the end, you take a little more of me

So come on, take another piece

Because I'm not going anywhere

Take all the good in me

I don't run away, I promise

I forgive and forget

But in the end, what remains of me

But you know, the wars I have

You know, the songs I compose

You probably don't even want to know

But you know, how much I love you

You know, I tell everyone it's a lie

You know, I ask you tomorrow

But you won't be able to answer

And I swear, I promise

And I do, and I pray

But in the end, what remains of me

And you say beautiful things

Stories from soap operas

But in the end, you take a little more of me

So come on, take another piece

Because I’m not going anywhere

Take all the good there is in me

I don't run away, I promise

I forgive and forget

But in the end, what remains of me

Yes, I swear

...

Yes, I swear

...

[Portuguese]

Eu sei lá

Em que dia da semana vamos, sei lá

Qual é a estação do ano, sei lá

Talvez nem sequer a queira saber

Eu sei lá

Porque dizem que estou louca, sei lá

Já não sou quem fui, sou outra, sei lá

Pergunta-me amanhã, talvez eu saiba responder

E eu juro, eu prometo

E eu faço, e eu rezo

Mas no fim o que sobra de mim

E tu dizes coisas belas

Histórias de telenovelas

Mas no fim tiras mais um pouco de mim

Então força, leva mais um bocado

Que eu não vou a nenhum lado

Leva tudo bom que há em mim

Que eu não fujo, eu prometo

Eu perdoo e eu esqueço

Mas no fim o que sobra de mim

Mas tu sabes lá, das guerras que eu tenho

Tu sabes lá, das canções que eu componho

Tu sabes lá, talvez nem sequer queiras saber

Mas tu sabes lá, da maneira que te amo

Tu sabes lá, digo a todos que é engano

Tu sabes lá, pergunto-te amanhã

Mas não vais saber responder

E eu juro, eu prometo

E eu faço, e eu rezo

Mas no fim o que sobra de mim

E tu dizes coisas belas

Histórias de telenovelas

Mas no fim tiras mais um pouco de mim

Então força, leva mais um bocado

Que eu não vou a nenhum lado

Leva todo o bom que há em mim

Que eu não fujo, eu prometo

Eu perdoo e esqueço

Mas no fim o que sobra de mim

Sim, eu juro

Sim, eu juro

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sei /seɪ/ A1	verb - I know
dia /ˈdi.ə/ A1	noun - day
semana /seˈmɑː.nə/ A1	noun - week
estação /es.tɐˈsɐ̃w/ A2	noun - season
querer /keˈɾeɾ/ A2	verb - to want
saber /saˈbeɾ/ A2	verb - to know
louca /ˈloʊ.kɐ/ B1	adjective - crazy
sobra /ˈsobɾɐ/ B1	noun - remains
coisas /ˈkoizɐs/ A1	noun - things
belas /ˈbɛlɐs/ B1	adjective - beautiful
histórias /isˈtɔɾjas/ B1	noun - stories
telenovelas /ˌtɛl.ə.nəˈvɛ.ləs/ B2	noun - soap operas
força /ˈfoʁsɐ/ B1	noun - strength
bocado /buˈkadu/ B2	noun - piece
fugir /fuˈʒiʁ/ B2	verb - to flee
perdoar /peʁduˈaʁ/ B2	verb - to forgive
esquecer /es.keˈseʁ/ B2	verb - to forget

Key Grammar Structures

• Porque dizem que estou louca, sei lá

  ➔ Use of the subjunctive mood after 'porque' in a dependent clause

  ➔ The phrase 'dizem que estou louca' uses the subjunctive 'estou' to express doubt or uncertainty.

• Pergunta-me amanhã, talvez eu saiba responder

  ➔ Use of the subjunctive 'saiba' after 'que' to express uncertainty or possibility

  ➔ The verb 'saiba' is in the present subjunctive mood, used here to express uncertainty about future knowledge.

• E eu faço, e eu rezo

  ➔ Use of the present tense verbs 'faço' and 'rezo' to express habitual action or general truth

  ➔ The verbs in present tense indicate ongoing or habitual actions performed by the speaker.

• Mas no fim o que sobra de mim

  ➔ Use of 'o que sobra' as a relative clause with the verb 'sobra' in present tense

  ➔ The phrase 'o que sobra' functions as a relative clause meaning 'what remains' with the verb 'sobra' in present tense.

• Que eu não fujo, eu prometo

  ➔ Use of the present tense 'fujo' in a negative statement with 'não' for habitual or general truth

  ➔ The phrase 'não fujo' uses the present tense of 'fugir' (to run away) in a negative form to express that the speaker does not run away from certain feelings or situations.

• Que eu não vou a nenhum lado

  ➔ Use of 'não vou' in the present tense to indicate a negative assertion of going somewhere

  ➔ The phrase 'não vou a nenhum lado' employs the present tense of 'ir' (to go) in a negative form to express that the speaker does not go anywhere.