¿Y Qué? – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: José José
• Album: Reflexiones

Lyrics & Translation

“¿Y Qué?” is a powerful, dramatic Latin Pop Ballad that serves as an excellent entry point into the rich world of Spanish-language romantic music. You can learn expressions of passionate love and defiance, particularly the phrase *“¿Y qué?”* (So what?) itself, which is a versatile expression of indifference to criticism. Listen to the dramatic storytelling and José José’s iconic vocal performance—he's known as 'El Príncipe de la Canción' (The Prince of Song) for a reason!

[English]

♪

We are going to love each other – always like this

In a hurry, hiding, or nothing

Love, this is making a bird fly

With its wings tied

Why not forget what people will say

And show our love to the whole world

True lovers

And if they need to know, let them know

And that's that!

So what?

If they call us names

So what?

If they judge us or not

So what?

Here it's just you and me

So what?

If they close the doors on us

So what?

If they blame us or not

So what?

If we live happily, you and I

♪

You think I'm exaggerating, that's not true

When it comes to making love, I'm ready

Believe me, it's not

I feel like a sparrow with an empty nest

Why be afraid of others

Let's go kissing through the streets

So they know the truth

And if they want to talk, go ahead, let them talk!

So what?

If they call us names

So what?

If they judge us or not

So what?

Here it's just you and me

So what?

If they shut the doors on us

So what?

If they blame us or not

So what?

If we live happily, you and I

So what?

If they call us names

So what?

If they judge us or not

So what?

Here it's just you and me

So what?

If they close the doors on us

So what?

If they blame us or not

So what?

If we live happily, you and I

♪

[Spanish]

♪

Es que vamos amarnos siempre así

Con prisa y escondiéndonos, o nada

Amor esto es hacer a un pájaro volar

Con las alas atadas

Por qué no olvidar el qué dirán

Y lucir nuestro amor por todo el mundo

Amantes de verdad

Y si se han de enterar, que se enteren

¡Y punto!

¿Y qué?

Si nos llaman de todo

¿Y qué?

Si nos juzgan o no

¿Y qué?

Aquí solo contamos, tú y yo

¿Y qué?

Si nos cierran las puertas

¿Y qué?

Si nos culpan o no

¿Y qué?

Si vivimos felices, tú y yo

♪

Tú piensas que exagero, no es verdad

Con hacer el amor estoy servido

Pues créeme que no

Que me siento gorrión con el nido vacío

Por qué tenerles miedo a los demás

Vayámonos besando por las calles

Que sepan la verdad

Y si es que van a hablar, adelante, ¡que hablen!

¿Y qué?

Si nos llaman de todo

¿Y qué?

Si nos juzgan o no

¿Y qué?

Aquí solo contamos, tú y yo

¿Y qué?

Si nos cierran las puertas

¿Y qué?

Si nos culpan o no

¿Y qué?

Si vivimos felices, tú y yo

¿Y qué?

Si nos llaman de todo

¿Y qué?

Si nos juzgan o no

¿Y qué?

Aquí solo contamos, tú y yo

¿Y qué?

Si nos cierran las puertas

¿Y qué?

Si nos culpan o no

¿Y qué?

Si vivimos felices, tú y yo

♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
amar aˈmaɾ A1	verb - to love
prisa ˈpɾisa A2	noun - hurry
esconder eskoŋˈdeɾ A2	verb - to hide
volar boˈlaɾ A1	verb - to fly
alas ˈalas A1	noun - wings
atadas aˈtaðas A2	adjective - tied
olvidar olbiˈðaɾ A2	verb - to forget
lucir luˈsiɾ B1	verb - to show off
amantes aˈmantes A2	noun - lovers
juzgar xuθˈgaɾ B1	verb - to judge
felices feˈliθes A1	adjective - happy
exagero eksaxeˈɾo B1	noun - exaggeration
gorrión goˈrɾjon A2	noun - sparrow
nido ˈniðo A2	noun - nest
besando beˈsando A2	verb - kissing

Key Grammar Structures

• Es que vamos amarnos siempre así

  ➔ Present Progressive + Adverb

  ➔ The use of 'vamos amarnos' (we are going to love) indicates a continuous or future action. 'Siempre' (always) modifies the verb, specifying the frequency. The structure 'Es que...' introduces an explanation.

• Por qué no olvidar el qué dirán

  ➔ Interrogative Structure + Infinitive

  ➔ This is a rhetorical question challenging the listener to disregard societal expectations ('qué dirán' - what people will say). 'Olvidar' (to forget) is used in the infinitive form after the preposition 'a' implied in 'por qué no'.

• Y si se han de enterar, que se enteren

  ➔ Conditional Clause + Subjunctive

  ➔ This sentence expresses acceptance of the possibility of others finding out. 'Se han de enterar' uses the periphrastic future subjunctive, indicating a potential future event. 'Que se enteren' is the subjunctive clause expressing a wish or acceptance of the outcome.

• Aquí solo contamos, tú y yo

  ➔ Pronoun Emphasis + Coordination

  ➔ The phrase 'solo contamos' emphasizes that only they matter. 'Tú y yo' (you and I) is a coordinated phrase highlighting the exclusivity of their relationship. The use of 'solo' (only) adds emphasis.