Echame a mi la culpa – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Albert Hammond

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the heart of Spanish emotion with Albert Hammond's iconic "Échame a mí la culpa." This classic song, a testament to selfless love and profound heartbreak, offers an excellent opportunity to explore Spanish vocabulary related to emotions, relationships, and forgiveness. Its poignant lyrics and melodic structure make it a perfect song for language learners to grasp authentic expressions and cultural nuances of Spanish ballads, while appreciating the beauty of its storytelling.

[English]

You know better than anyone that you failed me

...

That what you promised was forgotten

...

You know for sure that you deceived me

...

Although no one loved you like I did.

...

I'm full of reasons to despise you

...

And yet I want you to be happy.

...

And in the other world

Instead of hell, may you find glory

And may a cloud of your memory erase me.

...

And in the other world

Instead of hell, may you find glory

And may a cloud of your memory erase me.

...

Tell whoever asks that I didn't love you

...

Tell them I was deceiving you, that I was the worst

...

Put the blame on me for what happened

Cover yourself with my pain.

And in the other world

Instead of hell, may you find glory

And may a cloud of your memory erase me.

And in the other world

Instead of hell, may you find glory

And may a cloud of your memory erase me.

...

And in the other world

Instead of hell, may you find glory

And may a cloud of your memory erase me.

...

[Spanish]

Sabes mejor que nadie que me fallaste

Que lo que prometiste se te olvidó

Sabes a ciencia cierta que me engañaste

Aunque nadie te amaba igual que yo.

Lleno estoy de razones pa' despreciarte

Y sin embargo quiero que seas feliz.

Y allá en el otro mundo

En vez de infierno encuentres gloria

Y que una nube de tu memoria me borre a mí.

Y allá en el otro mundo

En vez de infierno encuentres gloria

Y que una nube de tu memoria me borre a mí.

Dile al que te pregunte que no te quise

Dile que te engañaba, que fuí lo peor

échame a mí la culpa de lo que pase

Cúbrete tú la espalda con mi dolor.

Y allá en el otro mundo

En vez de infierno encuentres gloria

Y que una nube de tu memoria me borre a mí.

Y allá en el otro mundo

En vez de infierno encuentres gloria

Y que una nube de tu memoria me borre a mí.

Y allá en el otro mundo

En vez de infierno encuentres gloria

Y que una nube de tu memoria me borre a mí.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
fallaste /faʎaˈste/ B1	verb - you failed
prometiste /promeˈtiste/ B1	verb - you promised
engañaste /eŋɣaˈnaste/ B1	verb - you deceived
despreciarte /despɾeθjaɾˈte/ C1	verb - to despise you
infierno /iɱˈfjeɾno/ B2	noun - hell
gloria /ˈɣloɾja/ B2	noun - glory
nube /ˈnuβe/ A2	noun - cloud
memoria /meˈmoɾja/ B1	noun - memory
dolor /doˈloɾ/ A2	noun - pain
culpa /ˈkulpa/ B1	noun - guilt
espaldas /esˈpaʎdas/ B1	noun - back
cubrir /kuˈbiɾ/ B1	verb - to cover

Key Grammar Structures

• que lo que prometiste se te olvidó

  ➔ Subjunctive mood in 'se te olvidó', expressing obligation or forgetfulness.

  ➔ 'Que' introduces a subordinate clause. The phrase 'se te olvidó' uses the past tense of the reflexive verb 'olvidar' with indirect object pronouns, showing that something was forgotten.

• Dile al que te pregunte que no te quise

  ➔ Imperative form 'Dile' (tell) plus indirect object 'al que te pregunte', demonstrating command + indirect speech.

  ➔ 'Dile' is the imperative form of 'decir' (to tell), used to give commands. The phrase 'al que te pregunte' is a subordinate clause introduced by 'que', meaning 'the one who asks you'.

• Cúbrete tú la espalda con mi dolor

  ➔ Imperative form 'Cúbrete' (cover yourself) with reflexive pronoun and prepositional phrase.

  ➔ 'Cúbrete' combines the imperative form of 'cubrirse' (to cover oneself) with the reflexive pronoun 'te'. The phrase 'con mi dolor' uses 'con' (with) to indicate the instrument or reason for covering.

• En vez de infierno encuentres gloria

  ➔ Subjunctive mood 'encuentres' after 'en vez de' (instead of) expressing a wish or hypothetical scenario.

  ➔ 'En vez de' is a fixed phrase meaning 'instead of.' 'Encuentres' in subjunctive mood indicates a wish or unreal scenario, often used after expressions of possibility or desire.

• Y una nube de tu memoria me borre a mí

  ➔ Subjunctive 'borre' after 'que' indicating a wish or hope.

  ➔ 'Que' introduces a subjunctive clause. 'Borre' is the present subjunctive form of 'borrar' (to erase), used here to express a wish that her memory be erased.