Carismático – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Babasónicos

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the surreal dreamscape of Babasónicos' "Carismático." This hook-laced pop track, sung in Spanish, offers a unique blend of fantastical lyrics and a captivating rhythm, making it a special and engaging song to explore as you learn the language.

[English]

I thought I saw two clowns

Looking scared, closing the place

Act natural, they're wearing their costumes

They're going to the circus to find the camels

They look a little frightened

Like they've come out of a painting that's about to be erased

Act natural, they're very sweaty

They're carrying a bucket with confetti

I have to learn to pretend more

And not show what I feel

I have to learn to pretend more

And to steer what I think

I try to approach a door

And I hear a swarm of flies whistling

Act natural, they're buzzing my name

We must leave and I don't know where

I have to learn to pretend more

And not show what I feel

I have to learn to pretend more

And to steer what I think

...

I have to learn to pretend more

And not show what I feel

I have to learn to pretend more

And to steer what I think

I have to learn to pretend more

And not show what I feel

I have to learn to pretend more

And to steer what I think

Some nights, I'm easy

I don't obey limits

Some nights, I'm easy

I have to learn to pretend more (I don't obey limits)

...

I have to learn to pretend more (I don't obey limits)

I have to learn to pretend more

And to steer what I think

...

[Spanish]

Me pareció ver dos payasos

Con cara de susto, cerrando el local

Disimulá, llevan los trajes puestos

Van para el circo a buscar los camellos

Lucen un poquito espantados

Salidos de un cuadro que se está por borrar

Disimulá, que están muy transpirados

Llevan un balde con papel picado

Tengo que aprender a fingir más

Y a no mostrar lo que siento

Tengo que aprender a fingir más

Y a pilotear lo que pienso

Trato de acercarme a una puerta

Y escucho un enjambre de moscas silbar

Disimulá, están zumbando mi nombre

Debemos irnos y no sé por dónde

Tengo que aprender a fingir más

Y a no mostrar lo que siento

Tengo que aprender a fingir más

Y a pilotear lo que pienso

Tengo que aprender a fingir más

Y a no mostrar lo que siento

Tengo que aprender a fingir más

Y a pilotear lo que pienso

Tengo que aprender a fingir más

Y a no mostrar lo que siento

Tengo que aprender a fingir más

Y a pilotear lo que pienso

Algunas noches, soy fácil

No acato límites

Algunas noches, soy fácil

Tengo que aprender a fingir más (no acato límites)

Tengo que aprender a fingir más (no acato límites)

Tengo que aprender a fingir más

Y a pilotear lo que pienso

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
payasos /paˈʝasos/ A1	noun - clowns
susto /ˈsusto/ A2	noun - fright
disimulá /disimuˈla/ B1	verb - pretend
trajes /ˈtraxes/ A2	noun - suits
circo /ˈθiɾko/ A1	noun - circus
camellos /kaˈmellos/ B1	noun - camels
espantados /espannˈtaðos/ A2	adjective - frightened
cuadro /ˈkwadɾo/ A2	noun - picture
transpirados /transpiˈɾaðos/ B2	adjective - sweaty
balde /ˈbalde/ A2	noun - bucket
papel /paˈpel/ A1	noun - paper
fingir /finˈxir/ A2	verb - to pretend
pilotear /piloteˈaɾ/ B2	verb - to navigate
enjambre /emˈxambɾe/ B2	noun - swarm
moscas /ˈmoskas/ A1	noun - flies
zumbando /θumˈbandο/ B1	verb - humming
acato /aˈkato/ C1	verb - to abide by
límites /ˈlimites/ A2	noun - limits

Key Grammar Structures

• Me pareció ver dos payasos

  ➔ Preterite tense of 'parecer' + infinitive ('ver') construction

  ➔ The verb 'pareció' (‘seemed’) is used impersonally followed by an infinitive, meaning 'It seemed to me that I saw...'.

• Disimulá, llevan los trajes puestos

  ➔ Imperative form ('Disimulá') + present indicative ('llevan')

  ➔ 'Disimulá' is an informal imperative used in Rioplatense Spanish, followed by a descriptive clause in the present tense.

• Lucen un poquito espantados

  ➔ Present indicative of 'lucir' + past participle used adjectivally

  ➔ 'Espantados' functions as an adjective describing the subject ('They look a bit scared').

• Salidos de un cuadro que se está por borrar

  ➔ Past participle ('salidos') + periphrasis 'estar por' expressing imminent action

  ➔ ‘Estar por + infinitive’ means something is about to happen; here 'borrar' indicates the erasing is imminent.

• Tengo que aprender a fingir más

  ➔ Modal expression 'tener que' + infinitive

  ➔ 'Tener que' expresses obligation ('I have to learn to pretend more').

• Y a no mostrar lo que siento

  ➔ Infinitive structure with 'a' + negation

  ➔ 'A' links this infinitive phrase to the prior clause, maintaining parallelism with 'aprender a fingir'.

• Trato de acercarme a una puerta

  ➔ Verb + preposition 'de' + reflexive infinitive ('acercarme')

  ➔ 'Tratar de' means 'to try to', and 'me' shows the action affects the subject (reflexive form).

• Están zumbando mi nombre

  ➔ Present progressive ('estar' + gerund)

  ➔ The construction describes an action in progress ('They are buzzing my name').

• Debemos irnos y no sé por dónde

  ➔ Modal verb 'deber' + reflexive infinitive ('irnos') + question phrase

  ➔ 'Debemos' expresses necessity (‘We must’), and 'irnos' shows the movement applies to the speaker group.

• Algunas noches, soy fácil

  ➔ Nominal phrase as adverbial modifier ('Algunas noches') + present tense verb 'ser'

  ➔ The phrase sets a temporal context (‘Some nights’) for the habitual action described by 'soy fácil'.