Zona Sul – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Bárbara Bandeira, WIU

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant fusion of Portuguese and Brazilian cultures with Bárbara Bandeira and WIU's "Zona Sul." This track offers a unique blend of urban rhythms and heartfelt lyrics, setting a passionate narrative in Rio de Janeiro's South Zone. Learning the lyrics will not only expose you to contemporary Portuguese and Brazilian slang but also immerse you in a song that beautifully bridges two rich musical worlds, making language acquisition an engaging journey through its captivating story and smooth flow.

[English]

♪ (South Zone) ♪

♪ (South Zone) ♪

♪ It’s the little things ♪

♪ I thought I didn’t need to say ♪

♪ You say you’re going to work to make things right ♪

♪ Get off unemployment benefits, baby ♪

♪ Today, I want to discuss with you - Then let time do its thing ♪

♪ Sex, alcohol, nicotine - I’ve already found a routine ♪

♪ So I want to go out, walk around - To get caught off guard ♪

♪ Then I’ll let you go - I just need more ♪

♪ Two hundred years of you - And then you’re free ♪

♪ You and I lost in the South Zone ♪

♪ Yeah yeah ♪

♪ Who’s the craziest - You said it was me, but it’s you after all ♪

♪ Yeah yeah - Yeah yeah, oh baby ♪

♪ My face is expensive, I’m in a BM X6 - I want to avoid X9 ♪

♪ He says six, he means half - I pretend I don’t know how much he involves me ♪

♪ Ice heart, so come melt it - Fenty kiss in a red lipstick ♪

♪ A color that matches your intention - But you won’t understand the details ♪

♪ Small details that remind me - of us both (us both) ♪

♪ Hate me now, but love me later ♪

♪ Disappear like a ghost, kiss me in the dark ♪

♪ Jump in the passenger seat, let’s go to the future ♪

♪ How much time do I still have to be late? ♪

♪ I want your contact, turn off your phone ♪

♪ You like to play with fire - I’m gonna thaw you out ♪

♪ I’ll make you hit the sky but without moving from here ♪

♪ So do me a favor and listen to me ♪

♪ After the sun sets - we dance with the moon ♪

♪ And even if the sun is gone we - dance in the rain ♪

♪ Tell me where you’re going - I’m free after the party ♪

♪ I just don’t know if it’s for you ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ You and I lost in the South Zone ♪

♪ Yeah Yeah ♪

♪ Who’s the craziest? ♪

♪ You said it was me, but it’s you after all ♪

♪ Yeah yeah ♪

♪ Yeah yeah, oh baby ♪

[Portuguese]

♪ (Na zona sul) ♪

♪ (Na zona sul) ♪

♪ São as pequenas coisas ♪

♪ Eu pensava que não era preciso dizer ♪

♪ Diz que vais trabalhar p’ra dar certo ♪

♪ Sair do subsídio de desemprego baby ♪

♪ Hoje, eu quero discutir contigo Depois dar tempo ao tempo ♪

♪ Sexo, álcool, nicotina Eu já encontrei rotina ♪

♪ Então eu quero sair, andar P’ra ser apanhada em contratempo ♪

♪ Depois deixo-te ir Só preciso de mais  ♪

♪ Duzentos anos de ti E depois és livre ♪

♪ Eu e tu perdidos na zona sul ♪

♪ Yeah yeah ♪

♪ Quem é o mais maluco Disse que era eu, afinal és tu ♪

♪ Yeah yeah Yeah yeah, oh baby ♪

♪ A minha cara é cara, eu tou num BM X6 Eu quero evitar X9 ♪

♪ Ele diz seis, quer dizer meio Eu finjo que não sei o quanto ele me envolve ♪

♪ Coração de gelo então vem dissolve Beijo da Fenty num batom vermelho ♪

♪ Cor que combina com a tua intenção Mas tu não vais entender os detalhes ♪

♪ Pequenos detalhes que me  lembram nós dois (nós dois) ♪

♪ Me odeia agora, mas me ama depois ♪

♪ Some igual fantasma, me beija no escuro ♪

♪ Se joga no banco vamo p’ro futuro ♪

♪ Quanto tempo eu ainda tenho p’ra me atrasar ♪

♪ Eu quero o teu contacto desliga o seu celular ♪

♪ Gosta de brincar com o fogo eu vou te descongelar ♪

♪ Te faço bater no céu mas sem sair do lugar ♪

♪ Então me faz o favor e me escuta ♪  

♪ Depois que o sol se pôr a gente dança com a lua ♪

♪ E mesmo se o sol se for a gente dança na chuva ♪

♪ Me diz onde você vai Tou livre depois do baile ♪

♪ Eu só não sei se é p’ra você ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ Eu e tu perdidos na zona sul ♪

♪ Yeah Yeah ♪

♪ Quem é o mais maluco ♪

♪ Disse que era eu, afinal és tu ♪

♪ Yeah yeah ♪

♪ Yeah yeah, oh baby ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
pequenas /peˈkenɐs/ A1	adjective - small
coisas /ˈkoi̯zɐs/ A1	noun - things
trabalhar /tɾɐβɐˈʎaɾ/ A1	verb - to work
desemprego /dɨzɨmˈpɾeɡu/ A2	noun - unemployment
discutir /dɨskuˈtiɾ/ A2	verb - to discuss
rotina /ʁoˈtĩnɐ/ A2	noun - routine
andar /ɐ̃ˈdaɾ/ A1	verb - to walk
contratempo /kõtɾɐˈtẽpu/ B1	noun - setback
maluco /maˈluku/ B1	adjective - crazy
evitar /eviˈtaɾ/ A2	verb - to avoid
envolve /ẽˈvɔlvɨ/ B1	verb - to involve
detalhes /dɨˈtaʎɨs/ A2	noun - details
fantasma /fɐ̃ˈtɐzmɐ/ A2	noun - ghost
descongelar /dɨskõʒəˈlaɾ/ B2	verb - to defrost
dança /ˈdɐ̃sɐ/ A1	verb - to dance
lua /ˈluɐ/ A1	noun - moon
chuva /ˈʃuvɐ/ A1	noun - rain

Key Grammar Structures

• Eu pensava que não era preciso dizer

  ➔ Imperfect Subjunctive in Subordinate Clauses

  ➔ The phrase "Eu pensava que não era preciso dizer" (I thought it wasn't necessary to say) uses the imperfect subjunctive ("era preciso") because it expresses a subjective opinion or thought in a subordinate clause after a verb of thinking ("pensava"). The use of "que" introduces the subordinate clause.

• Sair do subsídio de desemprego baby

  ➔ Infinitive as a Noun

  ➔ "Sair" (to leave/get out) is used as a noun, acting as the object of an implied verb like "preciso" or "quero" (I need/want to get out). It's the act of leaving unemployment benefits that is emphasized.

• Depois dar tempo ao tempo

  ➔ Infinitive Used as an Imperative

  ➔ "Dar tempo ao tempo" (give time to time/let time pass) uses the infinitive "dar" in a way that suggests a piece of advice or a suggestion, almost like an imperative. It's a common expression.

• Eu e tu perdidos na zona sul

  ➔ Pronoun Order (Eu e tu)

  ➔ The phrase "Eu e tu" (me and you) follows the standard pronoun order in Portuguese, placing the first-person pronoun ("Eu") before the second-person pronoun ("tu"). This order is generally maintained when combining pronouns in a subject.

• A minha cara é cara, eu tou num BM X6

  ➔ Wordplay with Adjectives (cara)

  ➔ The word "cara" is used twice, first as a noun meaning "face" ("A minha cara" - my face) and then as an adjective meaning "expensive" or "dear" ("é cara" - is expensive/dear). This creates a play on words.

• Ele diz seis, quer dizer meio

  ➔ Ellipsis (omission of words)

  ➔ The sentence "Ele diz seis, quer dizer meio" (He says six, [he] means half) uses ellipsis by omitting the subject pronoun "ele" (he) in the second clause. The meaning is understood from the context.

• Me odeia agora, mas me ama depois

  ➔ Direct Object Pronouns and Time Adverbs

  ➔ The sentence "Me odeia agora, mas me ama depois" (Hate me now, but love me later) uses the direct object pronoun "me" before the verbs "odeia" (hates) and "ama" (loves). "Agora" (now) and "depois" (later) are time adverbs modifying those verbs.

• Quanto tempo eu ainda tenho p’ra me atrasar

  ➔ Preposition Contraction and Infinitive

  ➔ The phrase "p’ra me atrasar" is a contraction of "para" (for/to) + "a" (to) forming "para a", which is often shortened to "p'ra" in informal speech/writing. The verb "atrasar" is in the infinitive form, indicating the purpose of the time the speaker has.