El Reloj – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: José José

Lyrics & Translation

To learn Spanish through music, there's no better starting point than "El Reloj." This classic bolero offers a masterclass in expressing profound, desperate emotion (despair, anguish) through the dramatic language of romantic Spanish. The lyrics use simple, poetic vocabulary to create a powerful personification of the clock, which acts as the cruel antagonist. You'll learn essential vocabulary related to time, loss, and eternal love, delivered by the unparalleled vocal mastery of José José, "El Príncipe de la Canción."

[English]

(JOSÉ JOSÉ) (Romántico)

(EL RELOJ) (JOSÉ JOSÉ)

Clock, don’t mark the hours

Because I’m going to lose my mind

She’ll be gone forever

When dawn breaks again

We only have this night left

To live our love

And your ticking reminds me

Of my unbearable pain

Clock, stop your march

Because my life is fading

She’s the star that lights up my being

Without her love, I’m nothing

Stop time in your hands

Make this night eternal

So she’ll never leave me

So dawn will never come

(Música)

Clock, stop your march

Because my life is fading

She’s the star that lights up my being

Without her love, I’m nothing

Stop time in your hands

Make this night eternal

So she’ll never leave me

So dawn will never come

(Música)

(EL RELOJ) (JOSÉ JOSÉ)

[Spanish]

(JOSÉ JOSÉ) (Romántico)

(EL RELOJ) (JOSÉ JOSÉ)

Reloj no marques las horas

Porque voy a enloquecer

Ella se irá para siempre

Cuando amanezca otra vez

No más nos queda esta noche

Para vivir nuestro amor

Y tu tic tac me recuerda

Mi irremediable dolor

Reloj detén tu camino

Porque mi vida se apaga

Ella es la estrella que alumbra mi ser

Yo sin su amor no soy nada

Detén el tiempo en tus manos

Haz esta noche perpetua

Para que nunca se vaya de mí

Para que nunca amanezca

(Música)

Reloj detén tu camino

Porque mi vida se apaga

Ella es la estrella que alumbra mi ser

Yo sin su amor no soy nada

Detén el tiempo en tus manos

Haz esta noche perpetua

Para que nunca se vaya de mí

Para que nunca amanezca

(Música)

(EL RELOJ) (JOSÉ JOSÉ)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
reloj reˈlox A1	noun - clock
marcar marˈkar A2	verb - to mark
enloquecer enloɣweˈθeɾ B1	verb - to go crazy
amanecer amaneˈθeɾ A2	verb - to dawn
irremediable irremeˈðjabl̩e C1	adjective - irreparable
dolor doˈloɾ A1	noun - pain
detener deteˈneɾ A2	verb - to stop
apagar apaˈɣaɾ A2	verb - to extinguish
estrella esˈtɾeʎa A1	noun - star
alumbrar alümˈbɾaɾ B1	verb - to illuminate
perpetua peɾpeˈtwa B2	adjective - perpetual
nunca ˈnuŋka A1	adverb - never
tic tac tik tak A1	noun - tick tock
recordar rekoɾˈðaɾ A2	verb - to remember
ser seɾ A1	verb - to be
nada ˈnaða A1	noun - nothing

Key Grammar Structures

• Reloj no marques las horas

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The verb 'marques' is in the imperative mood, used to give a direct command or order to the clock ('Reloj').

• Ella se irá para siempre

  ➔ Future Tense

  ➔ The verb 'irá' is in the future tense, indicating an action that will happen in the future ('she will go away forever').

• No más nos queda esta noche

  ➔ Negative Construction

  ➔ The phrase 'No más' is a negative construction, emphasizing the lack of remaining time ('we have no more than this night left').

• Y tu tic tac me recuerda

  ➔ Personal Pronoun as Object

  ➔ The pronoun 'me' is used as the object of the verb 'recuerda', indicating who is being reminded ('your ticking reminds me').

• Detén el tiempo en tus manos

  ➔ Imperative Mood with Object Pronoun

  ➔ The verb 'Detén' is in the imperative mood, and 'el tiempo' is the direct object, while 'en tus manos' specifies where the action should occur ('stop time in your hands').