Vivi – Bilingual Lyrics Italian/English

• By: Gigi D'Alessio

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the poignant Italian lyrics of Gigi D'Alessio's 'Vivi.' This pop ballad delves into the bittersweet emotions of love and loss, offering a window into the Italian language's expressive capacity for conveying deep feelings.

[English]

I've heard it said that with time everything passes and goes away

But I believe it's just philosophy

...

They told me that a new love will chase away the old one

But it wasn't enough to send you away

With you, I understood what it was to dream

With you, I understood what love was

Live like a light inside me

And your image ignites and extinguishes my heart

That's why you are my end, never a burden

With the air you give me breath, but I don't live

You're here, but you're not

...

Always making plans for the future of life, you and me

We looked in the same direction

Then I saw the world falling apart all around me

And your silence makes more noise

With you, I understood what it was to dream

After you, I had no more dreams to pursue

Live like a light inside me

And your image ignites and extinguishes my heart

That's why you are my end, never a burden

With the air you give me breath, but I don't live

You're here, but you're not

...

With the air you give me breath, but I don't live

You're here, but you're not

Live in all my days

Live here, but you're not

Live and I can't live you

You, live in all my days

Live here, but you're not

Live and I can't live you

...

[Italian]

Ho sentito dire che col tempo tutto passa e se ne va

Ma io credo sia solo filosofia

Mi hanno detto che un amore nuovo, quello vecchio scaccerà

Ma non è bastato per mandarti via

Io con te, ho capito cos'era sognare

Io con te, ho capito cos'era l'amore

Vivi come luce dentro me

E la tua immagine mi accende e spegne il cuore

Per questo che tu sei la mia fine, pena mai

Con l'aria che mi dai respiro, ma non vivo

Sei qui, ma non ci sei

Sempre a far progetti sul futuro della vita, io e te

Guardavamo nella stessa direzione

Poi ho visto il mondo che cadeva a pezzi solo intorno a me

E quel tuo silenzio fare più rumore

Io con te, ho capito cos'era sognare

Dopo te non ho avuto più sogni da fare

Vivi come luce dentro me

E la tua immagine mi accende e spegne il cuore

Per questo che tu sei la mia fine, pena mai

Con l'aria che mi dai respiro, ma non vivo

Sei qui, ma non ci sei

Con l'aria che mi dai respiro, ma non vivo

Se qui, ma non ci sei

Vivi in tutti i giorni miei

Vivi qui, ma non ci sei

Vivi ed io non posso viverti

Tu, vivi in tutti i giorni miei

Vivi qui, ma non ci sei

Vivi ed io non posso viverti

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
passa /ˈpas.sa/ A2	verb - to pass, to go by
credo /ˈkrɛː.do/ B1	verb - I believe
amore /aˈmoː.re/ A2	noun - love
vita /ˈviː.ta/ A2	noun - life
luce /ˈluː.tʃe/ B1	noun - light
cuore /ˈkwɔː.re/ B1	noun - heart
fine /ˈfiː.nɛ/ B2	noun - end, finish
respiro /reˈspɪː.ro/ B2	noun - breath
immagine /iˈmaːdʒin.e/ B2	noun - image, picture
sogno /ˈsɔɲ.ɲo/ B2	noun - dream
futuro /fuˈtuː.ro/ B1	noun - future

Key Grammar Structures

• che col tempo tutto passa e se ne va

  ➔ Subordinate clause introduced by 'che' meaning 'that', combined with 'passa' (pass) and 'va' (go).

  ➔ 'che' introduces a subordinate clause explaining or expanding the statement.

• Vivi come luce dentro me

  ➔ Use of 'come' as a simile meaning 'like' or 'as', with 'luce' (light) and 'dentro me' (inside me).

  ➔ 'come' introduces a simile, comparing the subject to 'light' inside oneself.

• Sei qui, ma non ci sei

  ➔ Use of 'sei' (you are) with 'qui' (here) and 'non ci sei' (you're not really present).

  ➔ 'sei' is the second person singular of 'essere' (to be), indicating 'you are', with an emphasis on presence or absence.

• Sempre a far progetti sul futuro della vita, io e te

  ➔ Use of 'a far progetti' (to make plans), with 'sempre' (always), indicating ongoing action.

  ➔ 'a far progetti' expresses the act of making plans, combined with 'sempre' to indicate that this is a habitual or ongoing action.

• Poi ho visto il mondo che cadeva a pezzi solo intorno a me

  ➔ Use of 'che cadeva a pezzi' (that was falling to pieces) as a relative clause to describe 'il mondo' (the world).

  ➔ 'che cadeva a pezzi' is a relative clause that describes the world as breaking apart or falling to pieces.

• E la tua immagine mi accende e spegne il cuore

  ➔ Use of 'mi accende e spegne' (lights me up and turns off) with reflexive pronoun, showing dual actions of emotional response.

  ➔ 'mi accende e spegne' describes the heart being simultaneously ignited and extinguished, reflecting intense emotional fluctuation.

• Con l'aria che mi dai respiro, ma non vivo

  ➔ Use of 'che mi dai respiro' (that you give me breath) with 'ma non vivo' (but I do not live), contrasting presence and lack of vitality.

  ➔ 'che mi dai respiro' shows the act of breathing provided by someone, while 'ma non vivo' indicates a lack of life or vitality despite presence.