Construção – Bilingual Lyrics Portuguese/English

• By: Chico Buarque

Lyrics & Translation

Explore Chico Buarque's "Construção," a seminal work in Brazilian music. Through its innovative lyrical structure and evocative storytelling, the song offers a powerful commentary on the lives of working-class individuals and the socio-political landscape of Brazil in the 1970s. Learning about this song provides insight into the resilience of artistic expression under censorship and the rich cultural heritage of MPB.

[English]

He loved that time as if it were the last

He kissed his wife as if it were the last

And each of his children as if they were the only one

And he crossed the street with his timid step

He climbed the construction as if he were a machine

He raised four solid walls on the landing

Brick by brick in a magical design

His eyes dulled with cement and tears

He sat down to rest as if it were Saturday

He ate rice and beans as if he were a prince

He drank and sobbed as if he were a castaway

He danced and laughed as if he heard music

And he tripped in the sky as if he were drunk

And he floated in the air as if he were a bird

And he ended up on the floor like a limp package

He agonized in the middle of the public sidewalk

He died against traffic, disrupting the traffic

...

(He loved that time) as if it were the last

(He kissed his wife) as if she were the only one

(And each of his children) as if he were prodigal

And he crossed the street with his drunken step

He climbed the construction as if it were solid

He raised four magical walls on the landing

Brick by brick in a logical design

His eyes dulled with cement and traffic

He sat down to rest as if he were a prince

He ate rice and beans as if it were the best

He drank and sobbed as if he were a machine

He danced and laughed as if he were the next one

And he tripped in the sky as if he heard music

And he floated in the air as if it were Saturday

And he ended up on the floor like a timid package

He agonized in the middle of the castaway sidewalk

...

He died against traffic, disrupting the public

...

He loved that time as if he were a machine

He kissed his wife as if it were logical

He raised four limp walls on the landing

He sat down to rest as if he were a bird

And he floated in the air as if he were a prince

And he ended up on the floor like a drunken package

He died against traffic, disrupting the Saturday

...

For this bread to eat, for this floor to sleep on

The birth certificate to be born and the concession to smile

For letting me breathe, for letting me exist

God repay you

For the free moonshine we have to swallow

For the smoke, disgrace that we have to cough up

For the hanging scaffolds that we have to fall from

God repay you

For the carpenter woman to praise and spit on us

And for the myiasis flies to kiss and cover us

And for the ultimate peace that will finally redeem us

God repay you

...

[Portuguese]

Amou daquela vez como se fosse a última

Beijou sua mulher como se fosse a última

E cada filho seu como se fosse o único

E atravessou a rua com seu passo tímido

Subiu a construção como se fosse máquina

Ergueu no patamar quatro paredes sólidas

Tijolo com tijolo num desenho mágico

Seus olhos embotados de cimento e lágrima

Sentou pra descansar como se fosse sábado

Comeu feijão com arroz como se fosse um príncipe

Bebeu e soluçou como se fosse um náufrago

Dançou e gargalhou como se ouvisse música

E tropeçou no céu como se fosse um bêbado

E flutuou no ar como se fosse um pássaro

E se acabou no chão feito um pacote flácido

Agonizou no meio do passeio público

Morreu na contramão atrapalhando o tráfego

(Amou daquela vez) como se fosse o último

(Beijou sua mulher) como se fosse a única

(E cada filho seu) como se fosse o pródigo

E atravessou a rua com seu passo bêbado

Subiu a construção como se fosse sólido

Ergueu no patamar quatro paredes mágicas

Tijolo com tijolo num desenho lógico

Seus olhos embotados de cimento e tráfego

Sentou pra descansar como se fosse um príncipe

Comeu feijão com arroz como se fosse o máximo

Bebeu e soluçou como se fosse máquina

Dançou e gargalhou como se fosse o próximo

E tropeçou no céu como se ouvisse música

E flutuou no ar como se fosse sábado

E se acabou no chão feito um pacote tímido

Agonizou no meio do passeio náufrago

Morreu na contramão atrapalhando o público

Amou daquela vez como se fosse máquina

Beijou sua mulher como se fosse lógico

Ergueu no patamar quatro paredes flácidas

Sentou pra descansar como se fosse um pássaro

E flutuou no ar como se fosse um príncipe

E se acabou no chão feito um pacote bêbado

Morreu na contramão atrapalhando o sábado

Por esse pão pra comer, por esse chão pra dormir

A certidão pra nascer e a concessão pra sorrir

Por me deixar respirar, por me deixar existir

Deus lhe pague

Pela cachaça de graça que a gente tem que engolir

Pela fumaça, desgraça que a gente tem que tossir

Pelos andaimes pingentes que a gente tem que cair

Deus lhe pague

Pela mulher carpinteira pra nos louvar e cuspir

E pelas moscas bicheiras a nos beijar e cobrir

E pela paz derradeira que enfim vai nos redimir

Deus lhe pague

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
amou /aˈmow/ B1	verb - he/she loved
beijou /bɛˈʒow/ B1	verb - he/she kissed
passo /ˈpasu/ A2	noun - step
estrulhou /estruˈʃow/ B2	verb - he/she crossed
construção /kõs.tɾuˈsɐ̃w/ B2	noun - construction, building
ossos /ˈosoʃ/ B2	noun - bones
desenho /deˈʃeɲu/ B1	noun - drawing, design
olhos /ˈoʎuz/ B1	noun - eyes
sentou /sẽˈtɔw/ B2	verb - he/she sat down
comeu /koˈmew/ A2	verb - he/she ate
bebeu /beˈbew/ B1	verb - he/she drank
dançou /dãˈsow/ B2	verb - he/she danced
gargalhou /gar.ɡaˈʎow/ C1	verb - he/she laughed loudly
tropeçou /tɾo.pesˈow/ C1	verb - he/she stumbled
flutuou /flu.tuˈow/ C1	verb - he/she floated
acabou /a.kaˈbu/ B2	verb - he/she finished, ended
agoniou /a.ɡoˈɲow/ C2	verb - he/she agonized

Key Grammar Structures

• Amou daquela vez como se fosse a última

  ➔ Subjunctive mood used to express hypothetical situations.

  ➔ The phrase "como se fosse" indicates a hypothetical situation, meaning 'as if it were'.

• Bebeu e soluçou como se fosse um náufrago

  ➔ Use of the past tense to describe completed actions.

  ➔ The verbs "bebeu" and "soluçou" are in the past tense, indicating actions that have already occurred.

• E se acabou no chão feito um pacote flácido

  ➔ Simile used to compare two different things.

  ➔ The phrase "feito um pacote flácido" compares the subject's state to that of a limp package.

• Por esse pão pra comer, por esse chão pra dormir

  ➔ Use of prepositions to indicate purpose.

  ➔ The phrase "por esse pão" indicates the purpose of needing bread, meaning 'for this bread to eat'.

• Deus lhe pague

  ➔ Use of the subjunctive to express wishes or hopes.

  ➔ The phrase "Deus lhe pague" expresses a wish for divine gratitude, meaning 'God pay you'.