Día de Enero (Day of January) is a slow and beautiful song by Shakira, the Colombian wonder from Barranquilla.
Although this song is not as famous as some of her other hits, its slow tunes make it a great resource to practice Spanish comprehension.
How should I listen?
I suggest you take a few minutes to listen to the song three times…
First, click on play and listen to the entire song while reading to the Spanish lyrics only.
Second, scroll down and read the lyrics in Spanish and English so you can fill any gaps you didn’t understand the first time.
Third, listen to the full song in Spanish without reading the lyrics, and keep listening to it at least once a day for a week so you continue to practice your Spanish and singing skills at the same time (vigorous dance moves are encouraged!)
It’s time to listen to the music and read the lyrics in Spanish:
Now, here’s the song in Spanish with English translations:
Día de Enero (Day of January):
Te conocí un día de enero,
(I met you on a January day,)
con la luna en mi nariz
(with the moon right on my nose)
Y como vi que eras sincero
(And since I saw you were sincere)
En tus ojos me perdí
(I lost myself in your eyes)
Que torpe distracción
(What a clumsy distraction)
Que dulce sensación
(What a sweet sensation)
Y ahora que andamos por el mundo
(And now that we are roaming the world)
Como Eneas y Benitin
(Like Eneas and Benitin (Mutt and Jeff, Comic strip))
Ya te encontré varios rasguños
(I’ve already found several scratches on you)
Que te hicieron por ahí
(That someone made on you out there)
Pero mi loco amor
(But my crazy love)
Es tu mejor doctor
(Is your best doctor)
Voy a curarte el alma en duelo
(I’m going to cure your grieving soul)
Voy a dejarte como nuevo
(I’m going to leave you as good as new)
Y todo va a pasar
(and everything will pass)
Pronto verás el sol brillar
(Soon you’ll see the sun shine)
Tú más que nadie mereces ser feliz
(And you more than anyone else, deserve to be happy)
Ya vas a ver como van sanando
(You’ll see how they’ll start healing)
Poco a poco tus heridas
(little by little those wounds of yours)
Ya vas a ver como va
(You’ll see how)
La misma vida a decantar la sal que sobra del mar
(Life itself will remove the excess salt from the sea)
Y aunque hayas sido un extranjero
(An although you’ve been a foreigner)
hasta en tu propio país
(even in your own country)
Si yo te digo ¿como dices tu?
(If I tell you ¿How do you say?)
Tu aún dices ¿que decís?
(You still say “what are you saying?” (as they do in Argentinean Spanish))
Y lloras de emoción oyendo un bandoneón
(And you cry out of excitement listening to a bandoneon (Argentinean musical instrument, similar to an accordeon))
Y aunque parezcas despistado con ese caminar pausado
(And even though you seem clueless with your slow walk)
Conozco la razón que hace doler tu corazón
(I know the reason that makes your heart hurt)
Por eso quise hacerte esta canción
(That’s why I wanted to make you this song)
Ya vas a ver como van sanando
(You’ll see how they’ll start healing)
Poco a poco tus heridas
(little by little those wounds of yours)
Ya vas a ver como va
(You’ll see how)
La misma vida a decantar la sal que sobra del mar
(Life itself will remove the excess salt from the sea)
You can listen to the song right here one more time (try not to read the lyrics this time, and understand as much as possible on your own):
If you want to continue practicing your Spanish with more songs, you can find several great ones over here: Click for more songs
If you found this post to be useful, please share it with your “amigos” on Facebook using the social buttons available below these lines. ¡Gracias! =)