Un Día Cualquiera – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Silvana Estrada

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the soul of contemporary Mexican folk through Silvana Estrada’s 'Un Día Cualquiera.' This song is a perfect tool for learners to explore evocative, literary Spanish, focusing on everyday vocabulary and lyrical emotional expression. Its clear, slow-paced delivery makes it an ideal study piece for those wanting to master the nuances of intimate, conversational Spanish.

[English]

I want an ordinary day

full of rushing and arguments

Of nights that wait for me

cool and silent

I want to be, of time,

if anything, a beautiful echo

To spend my whole life

looking into your eyes

I want to be, barely,

murmurs from your mouth

Sometimes a happy kiss

and sometimes butterflies

I want to be, of fear,

the rival in your soul

And when the dawn breaks

may your body be there first

I want to be, of fear,

the rival in your soul

And when the dawn breaks

to tell you that I want you there

[Spanish]

Quiero un día cualquiera

de prisas y argumentos

De noches que me esperen

fresquitas y en silencio

Quiero ser del tiempo

si acaso un eco hermoso

Pasar la vida entera

mirándote a los ojos

Quiero ser apenas

murmullos de tu boca

A veces beso alegre

y a veces mariposas

Quiero ser del miedo

rival en tu alma

Y cuando caiga el alba

tu cuerpo esté primero ahí

Quiero ser del miedo

rival en tu alma

Y cuando caiga el alba

Decirte que te quiero ahí

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
cualquiera kwalˈkjeɾa A2	adjective - any, whatever
prisas ˈpɾisas A2	noun - hurry, rush
argumentos aɾɣuˈmentos B1	noun - arguments, reasoning
fresquitas fɾesˈkitas B2	adjective - fresh, cool
silencio siˈlenθjo A1	noun - silence
eco ˈeko B1	noun - echo
hermoso eɾˈmoso A1	adjective - beautiful
murmullos murˈmuʝos C1	noun - murmurs, whispers
alegre aˈleɣɾe A1	adjective - happy, cheerful
mariposas maɾiˈposas A2	noun - butterflies
miedo ˈmjeðo A1	noun - fear
rival riˈβal B2	noun - rival, competitor
alba ˈalba C1	noun - dawn

Key Grammar Structures

• Quiero un día cualquiera

  ➔ Indefinite adjective 'cualquiera' (post-position)

  ➔ When 'cualquiera' follows a noun, it means 'any' in the sense of 'ordinary' or 'just any random'.

• De noches que me esperen

  ➔ Subjunctive mood in relative clause

  ➔ The subjunctive 'esperen' is used because the nights she refers to are hypothetical or non-existent yet.

• Quiero ser del tiempo / si acaso un eco hermoso

  ➔ Conditional 'si acaso' + noun phrase

  ➔ 'Si acaso' softens the statement, implying 'if by chance' or 'at most'.

• Pasar la vida entera / mirándote a los ojos

  ➔ Gerund (gerundio) denoting simultaneous action

  ➔ The gerund 'mirándote' describes the action occurring while spending the whole life.

• Y cuando caiga el alba

  ➔ Temporal clause with subjunctive

  ➔ The verb 'caiga' is in the subjunctive because the sunrise ('alba') is a future, anticipated event.

• tu cuerpo esté primero ahí

  ➔ Subjunctive expressing desire or necessity

  ➔ The subjunctive 'esté' follows the implied wish of the speaker.