Despacito... ¿He oído bien?

It’s often said when learning a new language, that singing along to popular songs can help with knowledge retention, increase vocabulary, and even hacer más fácil y divertido el aprendizaje de la lengua. And what better way than to do that with Luis Fonsi’s record-breaking 2017 smash hit “Despacito”?

But if you’re singing along to  “Despacito”, which was transmitido más de 4.000 millones de veces en sólo seis meses, you may be surprised to learn the meaning behind the words you’re singing.

Read moreVídeo: Falsos amigos español-inglés

As you may be able to decipher from Fonsi’s higher-pitched crooning of “slowly,” in some parts of the song, that’s the translation of the word, “despacito.” With “besito” meaning “little kiss” and “poquito” meaning “little” or, more accurately here meaning “little by little,” we can safely assume the song lyrics contain… let’s call it ‘romantic’ subject matter. But, what about the rest of the song? Let’s break it down.

Desapcito’s First Verses and Chorus

Las partes en español de esta canción empiezan de forma bastante inocente, hablando del deseo de bailar (“Tengo que bailar contigo hoy” meaning “I have to dance with you today), but moves quickly forward towards more suggestive content (“Todos mis sentidos van pidiendo más” meaning “All of my senses are asking for more), before launching into the most sing-along-able part – the not-so-innocent chorus, which translates into English as:

Read moreActividad en línea: Conjugar verbos españoles en presente

Lentamente
Quiero respirar en tu cuello lentamente
Déjame murmurarte cosas al oído
So that you remember if you’re not with me
Lentamente
Quiero desnudarte a besos lentamente
Firmemente en las paredes de tu laberinto
Y de tu cuerpo, quiero crear un manuscrito

Despacito’s “Daddy Yankee Rap” 

And that “Spanish rap” that Daddy Yankee performs in the middle of the song? “Bum-bum” is likely the term used by many when attempting to “rap-along” with him during this part of the song, but “bang-bang” is what he is actually saying, along with some other very specific terms to make one’s heart race while their hips are twisting along to the beat:

Si te pido un beso, ven, dámelo
I know that you’re thinking about it
I’ve been trying for a while
Nena, esto es dar y darlo
Sabes que tu corazón con el mío te hace bang-bang
Sabes que busca mi bang-bang
Ven, prueba de mi boca para ver a qué sabe
Quiero, quiero, quiero ver cuánto amor puedes recibir
No tengo prisa, quiero hacer el viaje
Let’s start slow, then wild

If you’re wondering if the song could get any more explicit, you’re in luck! Here are some other translated lyrics used throughout the song that make it extremely sexual in nature:

Quiero ser tu ritmo
Y enseñas mi boca
Your favourite places…

… Déjame superar tus zonas de peligro
Para hacerte gritar
And you forget your last name…

… Lo haremos en la playa de Puerto Rico
Till the waves scream ‘dear lord’
Para que mi sello permanezca contigo 

Did you have any idea what you were singing? No? Didn’t think so! Mira la letra en español junto con la traducción al inglés mientras escuchas la versión original de la canción (la versión sin Daddy Yankee).