Gracias a la vida – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Violeta Parra
• Album: Las Últimas Composiciones

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a captivating journey into the heart of Latin American culture through Violeta Parra's iconic song, "Gracias a la vida." By exploring its poignant lyrics and rich musicality, you can gain a deeper understanding of Spanish vocabulary related to emotions, nature, and human experience. This song, a cornerstone of the Nueva Canción movement, offers not just a language lesson, but also a window into the resilience of the human spirit and the profound cultural heritage of Chile, making it a truly special and enriching learning experience.

[English]

Thanks to life that has given me so much

It gave me two bright eyes that when I open them

...

I perfectly distinguish black from white

...

And in the high sky its starry background

And in the crowds the man I love

Thanks to life, that has given me so much

...

It has given me the ear that in all its width

Records night and day crickets and canaries

...

Hammers, turbines, barks, downpours

And the tender voice of my beloved

...

Thanks to life, that has given me so much

...

It has given me sound and the alphabet

With it the words that I think and declare

Mother, friend, brother, and light illuminating

The path of the soul of the one I love

...

Thanks to life, that has given me so much

...

It has given me the march of my tired feet

With them I walked through cities and puddles

Beaches and deserts, mountains and plains

And your house, your street, and your yard

...

Thanks to life, that has given me so much

...

It gave me the heart that shakes its frame

When I look at the fruit of the human brain

When I see the good so far from the bad

When I look into the depths of your clear eyes

...

Thanks to life, that has given me so much

...

It has given me laughter and it has given me tears

...

Thus I distinguish joy from sorrow

The two materials that form my song

And your song that is the same song

And the song of all that is my own song

Thanks to life, that has given me so much

...

[Spanish]

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto

Me dio dos luceros que cuando los abro

Perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco

Y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado

Y en las multitudes el hombre que yo amo

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto

Me ha dado el oído que en todo su ancho

Graba noche y día grillos y canarios

Martillos, turbinas, ladridos, chubascos

Y la voz tan tierna de mi bien amado

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto

Me ha dado el sonido y el abecedario

Con él las palabras que pienso y declaro

Madre amigo hermano y luz alumbrando

La ruta del alma del que estoy amando

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto

Me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados

Con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos

Playas y desiertos montañas y llanos

Y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto

Me dio el corazón que agita su marco

Cuando miro el fruto del cerebro humano

Cuando miro el bueno tan lejos del malo

Cuando miro el fondo de tus ojos claros

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto

Me ha dado la risa y me ha dado el llanto

Así yo distingo dicha de quebranto

Los dos materiales que forman mi canto

Y el canto de ustedes que es el mismo canto

Y el canto de todos que es mi propio canto

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
vida /ˈbiða/ A1	noun - life
luceros /luˈθeɾos/ B2	noun - bright stars, (here eyes)
distingo /disˈtiŋɡo/ B2	verb - I distinguish, I discern
negro /ˈneɣɾo/ A1	adjective - black
blanco /ˈblaŋko/ A1	adjective - white
cielo /ˈθjelo/ A1	noun - sky, heaven
estrellado /estreˈʝaðo/ B2	adjective - starry
hombre /ˈombɾe/ A1	noun - man
amo /ˈamo/ A2	verb - I love
oído /oˈiðo/ A2	noun - hearing, ear
noche /ˈnotʃe/ A1	noun - night
día /ˈdia/ A1	noun - day
grillos /ˈɡɾiʝos/ B1	noun - crickets
canarios /kaˈnaɾjos/ B1	noun - canaries
voz /bos/ A1	noun - voice
amado /aˈmaðo/ A2	adjective - beloved

Key Grammar Structures

• Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto

  ➔ Use of the subjunctive mood in 'que me ha dado'.

  ➔ The phrase "que me ha dado" expresses a wish or gratitude, which is often conveyed using the subjunctive mood.

• Me dio dos luceros que cuando los abro

  ➔ Use of relative clauses with 'que'.

  ➔ The word "que" introduces a relative clause that provides more information about "luceros".

• Y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado

  ➔ Use of possessive adjectives 'su'.

  ➔ The adjective "su" indicates possession, referring to the 'sky' in this context.

• Me ha dado el oído que en todo su ancho

  ➔ Use of the present perfect tense 'ha dado'.

  ➔ The phrase "ha dado" indicates an action that has relevance to the present.

• Y la voz tan tierna de mi bien amado

  ➔ Use of demonstrative adjectives 'tan'.

  ➔ The word "tan" emphasizes the quality of the 'voice', indicating it is very tender.

• Los dos materiales que forman mi canto

  ➔ Use of plural nouns 'materiales'.

  ➔ The noun "materiales" is in plural form, indicating more than one material.

• Así yo distingo dicha de quebranto

  ➔ Use of conjunction 'así'.

  ➔ The conjunction "así" is used to indicate a manner or way of distinguishing between two things.

• Y el canto de todos que es mi propio canto

  ➔ Use of possessive pronouns 'mi'.

  ➔ The pronoun "mi" indicates ownership, referring to the speaker's own song.