Sunha – Bilingual Lyrics /English

• By: Apollo G
• Album: 3F EP

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the powerful world of *Rap Criolo* with Apollo G's "Sunha." This track is an excellent gateway to understanding Cape Verdean Creole (Kriolu) and its expression of resilience. You will learn emotionally charged vocabulary related to dreams, struggle, and perseverance, all delivered over a compelling hip-hop beat that tells a global story of a 'street kid' determined to make his dream a reality.

[English]

Tell me, Mom, that you won’t let me dream

I'm not scared of work, I'm not scared of fighting

I've always been patient and I keep speaking, but I'm hard‑hearted

I don't rush, I try to enjoy life

I know exactly what I'm looking for

Tell me, Mom, that you won’t let me dream

I'm not scared of work, I'm not scared of fighting

I've always been patient and I keep speaking, but I'm hard‑hearted

I don't rush, I try to enjoy life

I know exactly what I'm looking for

Tell me, Mom, that you won’t let me dream

They say I'm drinking, I'm smoking

They say my life is on the street

They call me a street kid

Nothing I never had, I'm always searching for more

The only discipline is the street; the street is tough, the street teaches

Mom, why won’t you let me dream?

I say nothing, you don’t know, but you never ask, huh?

They point fingers at me, they prefer to judge, and it’s so hard to help

The only thing I have is my hope and my desire to dream

(It’s so hard to help)

(They point fingers at me, they prefer to judge)

(I say nothing, you don’t know, but you never ask, huh?)

(Tell me, Mom, that you won’t let me…)

Tell me, Mom, that you won’t let me dream

I'm not scared of work, I'm not scared of fighting

I've always been patient and I keep speaking, but I'm hard‑hearted

I don't rush, I try to enjoy life

I know exactly what I'm looking for

Tell me, Mom, that you won’t let me dream

I'm not scared of work, I'm not scared of fighting

I've always been patient and I keep speaking, but I'm hard‑hearted

I don't rush, I try to enjoy life

I know exactly what I'm looking for

(Tell me, Mom, that you won’t let me dream)

[]

Fla-m pamó k'u ka ta dexa-m sunha

N ka ten medu trabadja, N ka ten medu luta

Sénpri N foi pasienti i dja N fla ma N ta dura

N ka sa ku présa, N sa tenta disfruta

N sabe dretu kusé ki N sa prokura

Fla-m pamó k'u ka ta dexa-m sunha

N ka ten medu trabadja, N ka ten medu luta

Sénpri N foi pasienti i dja N fla ma N ta dura

N ka sa ku présa, N sa tenta disfruta

N sabe dretu kusé ki N sa prokura

Fla-m pamó k'u ka ta dexa-m sunha

Es fla ma N ta bebe, N ta fuma

Es fla ma nha vida é na street

Es ta txoma-m un mininu di rua

Nada N ka tinha N sta sénpri ta buska

Úniku dixiplina é rua, rua ta nxina, rua ta iduka

Pamó k'u ka ta dexa-m sunha?

Di nada es ka sabe, ma es ka ta purgunta, ná

Es ta ponta-m dedu, ta prifiri julga, é más difísil ajuda

Úniku kusa ki N ten é nha speransa i nha vontadi sunha

(É más difísil ajuda)

(Es ta ponta-m dedu, ta prifiri julga)

(Di nada es ka sabe, ma es ka ta purgunta, ná)

(Fla-m pamó k'u ka ta dexa-m...)

Fla-m pamó k'u ka ta dexa-m sunha

N ka ten medu trabadja, N ka ten medu luta

Sénpri N foi pasienti i dja N fla ma N ta dura

N ka sa ku présa, N sa tenta disfruta

N sabe dretu kusé ki N sa prokura

Fla-m pamó k'u ka ta dexa-m sunha

N ka ten medu trabadja, N ka ten medu luta

Sénpri N foi pasienti i dja N fla ma N ta dura

N ka sa ku présa, N sa tenta disfruta

N sabe dretu kusé ki N sa prokura

(Fla-m pamó k'u ka ta dexa-m sunha)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dexa-m /dɛʃa/ or /deʃa/ B2	verb - to let go, to leave behind
sunha /sunha/ B2	noun - dream or hope
trabajja /tɾabaˈʎa/ B1	verb - to work
luta /luta/ A2	verb - to fight, struggle
vida /ˈvi.da/ A1	noun - life
pensa /ˈpẽsa/ A2	verb - to think
prokura /pɾokuˈɾa/ B2	verb - to seek, to look for
esperansa /ispeˈɾã.sɐ/ B2	noun - hope
acuda /aˈkuða/ A2	verb - to help
kuśé /kuˈze/ B2	adjective - difficult
speransa /spɛˈɾã.sɐ/ B2	noun - hope

Key Grammar Structures

• Fla-m pamó k'u ka ta dexa-m sunha

  ➔ Contractions and Clitic Pronouns

  ➔ The phrase uses the clitic pronoun '-m' (me) and the contraction 'ka' (não/not), typical in Cape Verdean Creole.

• N ka ten medu trabadja, N ka ten medu luta

  ➔ Negation and Verb Conjugation

  ➔ 'Ka' is used for negation, and 'ten' is the conjugated form of 'have' in Creole. The structure is subject + negation + verb.

• Sénpri N foi pasienti i dja N fla ma N ta dura

  ➔ Adverbs and Conjunctions

  ➔ 'Sénpri' (always) is an adverb, and 'i' (and) is a conjunction. The sentence combines two clauses with contrasting ideas.

• N ka sa ku présa, N sa tenta disfruta

  ➔ Modal Verbs and Infinitives

  ➔ 'Sa' functions as a modal verb (know how to), and 'tenta' is the infinitive form of 'try'. The structure shows ability and intention.

• Pamó k'u ka ta dexa-m sunha?

  ➔ Interrogative Structure

  ➔ The sentence uses an interrogative structure with 'pamó' (why) and the negation 'ka ta dexa-m' (don't let me), emphasizing a question.