No Me Compares – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Alejandro Sanz

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a journey of cultural and emotional discovery, and Alejandro Sanz's "No Me Compares" is a perfect vessel for this experience. This song offers a beautiful opportunity to delve into the poetic and romantic nuances of the Spanish language. Through its heartfelt lyrics, you can learn to express profound emotions of love, vulnerability, and the desire for acceptance. What makes this song special is its universal message of valuing individuality within a relationship, a theme that resonates across cultures. Let the passionate melody and evocative words of "No Me Compares" be your guide to understanding not just Spanish, but also the heart of its expression.

[English]

Now that the rocking chair legs creak

And there's static on the TV screen

Now that it's raining in the living room and turning off

The candles of a sky that lit me up

Now that slow moments pass, spilling out folk songs

And the world, ring-ring, woke up

Now that a fierce silence thunders

Now a cough comes upon us

Now that we've found the time

We can look at each other beyond the resentment

Now I'll show you where I come from

And the broken pieces of the engine

Now that I find my harbor

Now I find your fierce doubt

Now I'll show you where I come from

And what my heart is made of

I come from the air

That dried your skin, my love

I am the street

Where you found him

Don't compare me

I came down to earth on a paintbrush for you

Unforgivable

That I am not like him

Neither him, nor anyone

Now that the cats jump looking for scraps

You meow a sad song

Now that you've been left speechless

You compare, you compare with such passion

Now we can look at each other

Without fear of the reflection in the rearview mirror

Now I'll show you where I come from

And the wounds that love left me

Now I don't want any drama

Just, a quiet chat between us

If you want I'll tell you why I love you

And if you want I'll tell you why not

I come from the air

That dried your skin, my love

I am from the street

Where you found him

Don't compare me

I came down to earth on a paintbrush for you

Unforgivable

That I am not like him

Neither him, nor anyone

May someone dry me from your skin, my love

Let them tear us apart

And may they erase you from my mind

Don't speak to me

May someone dry me from your skin, my love

Let them tear us apart

I am your soul, you are my air

Don't compare me

Let them separate us, if they can

Let them separate us, let them try

(Let them separate us, let them try)

(I am your soul and you are my luck)

(Let them separate us, if they can) if they can

(Let them tear us apart, let them try) let them try

(Let them separate us, let them try)

(I am your soul and you are my luck)

(Let them separate us, if they can)

(Let them tear us apart, let them try)

(Let them separate us, let them try) soul

(I am your soul and you are my luck)

...

[Spanish]

Ahora que crujen las patas de la mecedora

Y hay nieve en el televisor

Ahora que llueve en la sala y se apagan

Las velas de un cielo que me iluminó

Ahora que corren los lentos, derramando trova

Y el mundo, ring-ring, despertó

Ahora que truena un silencio feroz

Ahora nos entra la tos

Ahora que hallamos el tiempo

Podemos mirarnos detrás del rencor

Ahora te enseño de dónde vengo

Y las piezas rotas del motor

Ahora que encuentro mi puerto

Ahora me encuentro tu duda feroz

Ahora te enseño de dónde vengo

Y de qué tengo hecho el corazón

Vengo del aire

Que te secaba a ti la piel, mi amor

Yo soy la calle

Donde te lo encontraste a él

No me compares

Bajé a la tierra en un pincel por ti

Imperdonable

Que yo no me parezco a él

Ni a él, ni a nadie

Ahora que saltan los gatos buscando las sobras

Maúllas la triste canción

Ahora que tú te has quedao sin palabras

Comparas, comparas con tanta pasión

Ahora podemos mirarnos

Sin miedo al reflejo en el retrovisor

Ahora te enseño de dónde vengo

Y las heridas que me dejó el amor

Ahora no quiero aspavientos

Tan solo, una charla tranquila entre nos

Si quieres te cuento por qué te quiero

Y si quieres cuento por qué no

Vengo del aire

Que te secaba a ti la piel, mi amor

Soy de la calle

Donde te lo encontraste a él

No me compares

Bajé a la tierra en un pincel por ti

Imperdonable

Que yo no me parezco a él

Ni a él, ni a nadie

Que alguien me seque de tu piel, mi amor

Que nos desclaven

Y que te borren de mi sien

Que no me hables

Que alguien me seque de tu piel, mi amor

Que nos desclaven

Yo soy tu alma, tú eres mi aire

No me compares

Que nos separen, si es que pueden

Que nos separen, que lo intenten

(Que nos separen, que lo intenten)

(Yo soy tu alma y tú mi suerte)

(Que nos separen, si es que pueden) si es que pueden

(Que nos desclaven, que lo intenten) que lo intenten

(Que nos separen, que lo intenten)

(Yo soy tu alma y tú mi suerte)

(Que nos separen, si es que pueden)

(Que nos desclaven, que lo intenten)

(Que nos separen, que lo intenten) alma

(Yo soy tu alma y tú mi suerte)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
comparar /kompaˈɾaɾ/ B1	verb - to compare; to liken
corazón /koɾaˈθon/ A2	noun - heart (organ) noun - heart (emotions, core)
amor /aˈmoɾ/ A1	noun - love, affection
aire /ˈai̯ɾe/ A1	noun - air, wind
piel /pjel/ A2	noun - skin
alma /ˈalma/ B1	noun - soul, spirit
suerte /ˈsweɾte/ A2	noun - luck, fortune
separar /sepaˈɾaɾ/ A2	verb - to separate, to divide
herida /eˈɾiða/ B1	noun - wound, injury
rencor /reŋˈkoɾ/ B2	noun - resentment, bitterness
silencio /siˈlenθjo/ A2	noun - silence, quiet
feroz /feˈɾoθ/ B2	adjective - fierce, ferocious, cruel, intense
duda /ˈduða/ A2	noun - doubt, uncertainty
enseñar /enseˈɲaɾ/ A1	verb - to teach, to show
venir /beˈniɾ/ A1	verb - to come, to arrive
encontrar /eŋkonˈtɾaɾ/ A1	verb - to find, to meet
mirar /miˈɾaɾ/ A1	verb - to look (at), to watch
parecer /paɾeˈθeɾ/ A2	verb - to seem, to appear, to look like
imperdonable /impeɾðoˈnable/ B2	adjective - unforgivable, inexcusable
tiempo /ˈtjempo/ A1	noun - time noun - weather

Key Grammar Structures

• Ahora que crujen las patas de la mecedora

  ➔ Temporal Clause with "Ahora que" + Present Indicative

  ➔ "Ahora que" introduces a temporal clause indicating a condition or circumstance existing *now*. The verb following it is in the present indicative, describing a current action or state. Here, "crujen" (from "crujir" - to creak) describes the current state of the rocking chair's legs. Keywords: "Ahora que", "crujen".

• Y las piezas rotas del motor

  ➔ Past Participle as Adjective

  ➔ "Rotas" is the past participle of the verb "romper" (to break). In this context, it functions as an adjective, describing the noun "piezas" (pieces). Like regular adjectives, it agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies (feminine plural for "piezas rotas"). Keywords: "rotas", "piezas".

• Que te secaba a ti la piel, mi amor

  ➔ Relative Pronoun "que" + Imperfect Indicative

  ➔ "Que" acts as a relative pronoun, referring back to "el aire" from the previous line. It introduces a relative clause providing more information. The verb "secaba" (from "secar" - to dry) is in the imperfect indicative, describing a past, continuous, or habitual action (the air *used to dry* your skin). The "a ti" emphasizes "te." Keywords: "Que", "secaba", "a ti".

• Donde te lo encontraste a él

  ➔ Relative Adverb "donde" + Double Object Pronouns ("te", "lo") + Preterite Indicative

  ➔ "Donde" is a relative adverb indicating place, referring to "la calle" from the previous line. It introduces a relative clause. "Te" is an indirect object pronoun (you), and "lo" is a direct object pronoun (him/it). When both are present, the indirect object pronoun comes before the direct object pronoun. "Encontraste" is in the preterite indicative, describing a completed action in the past. The "a él" clarifies the direct object "lo" (him). Keywords: "Donde", "te", "lo", "encontraste", "a él".

• No me compares

  ➔ Negative Imperative (Tú form)

  ➔ This is a command or prohibition directed at "tú" (you, informal singular). For negative commands in Spanish, the verb is conjugated in the present subjunctive. "Compares" is the present subjunctive form of "comparar" (to compare). The reflexive pronoun "me" (me) precedes the verb in negative commands. Keywords: "No", "me", "compares".

• Ahora que tú te has quedao sin palabras

  ➔ Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto (Present Perfect) + Reflexive Verb (Colloquial Contraction)

  ➔ "Te has quedao" is a colloquial contraction of "te has quedado" (you have stayed/been left). This uses the present perfect ("haber" + past participle) to describe an action that started in the past and continues to the present, or has a present relevance. "Quedar" is used reflexively here ("quedarse") meaning "to be left" or "to run out of." "Sin palabras" means "without words" or "speechless." Keywords: "te has quedao" (or "te has quedado"), "sin palabras".

• Si quieres te cuento por qué te quiero

  ➔ First Type Conditional Clause (Si + Present Indicative + Present Indicative)

  ➔ This sentence uses a "si" (if) clause to express a real or very probable condition and its consequence. The structure is "Si + present indicative (condition) + present indicative (result/consequence)". "Quieres" (you want) is the condition, and "te cuento" (I tell you) is the consequence. Keywords: "Si", "quieres", "te cuento".

• Que alguien me seque de tu piel, mi amor

  ➔ Subjunctive for Wishes/Commands (introduced by "Que")

  ➔ This construction uses "que" followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood to express a wish, desire, or indirect command directed at a third party (here, "alguien" - someone). "Seque" is the present subjunctive form of "secar" (to dry). It's equivalent to "I wish someone would dry me..." or "Let someone dry me...". Keywords: "Que", "seque".

• Que yo no me parezco a él / Ni a él, ni a nadie

  ➔ Negative Reflexive Verb in a Declarative Context + Double Negative Expressions "ni... ni..."

  ➔ "No me parezco" uses the negative particle "no" with the reflexive verb "parecerse" (to look like/resemble). This is a direct statement in the present indicative. "Ni a él, ni a nadie" employs a double negative structure "ni... ni..." (neither... nor...), which is common and grammatically correct in Spanish, reinforcing the negation that the speaker resembles no one, not even "him." Keywords: "no me parezco", "Ni a él, ni a nadie".

• Yo soy tu alma, tú eres mi aire

  ➔ Verb "Ser" for Identity/Essence

  ➔ The verb "ser" (to be) is used here to express permanent identity, essence, or inherent qualities. "Soy" (I am) and "eres" (you are) define who the speaker and the addressed person fundamentally are to each other ("my soul," "my air"). This contrasts with "estar," which indicates temporary states or locations. Keywords: "soy", "eres".