by Camarón de la Isla
The singer fixates on the purity of nature, comparing their affection to "Como el agua, ay como el agua, como el agua" [Like the water, oh like the water, like the water]. Amidst promises of warmth, the lyrics take an unexpectedly domestic turn as the speaker imagines grinding olives all night long.
On this page: Lyrics and translations · Grammar notes · Word study
Limpia va el agua del río
Literal: Clean goes the water of the river
English: The river water flows clean
Turkish: Nehir suyu temiz akar
Como la estrella de la mañana
Literal: Like the star of the morning
English: Like the morning star
Turkish: Sabah yıldızı gibi
Limpio va el cariño mío
Literal: Clean goes the affection of mine
English: My affection flows clean
Turkish: Sevdam temiz akar
El manantial de tu fuente clara
Literal: The spring of your fountain clear
English: The spring of your clear fountain
Turkish: Berrak pınarının kaynağı
Como el agua, ay como el agua, como el agua
Literal: Like the water, oh like the water, like the water
English: Like the water, oh like the water, like the water
Turkish: Su gibi, ah su gibi, su gibi
Como el agua clara
Literal: Like the water clear
English: Like the clear water
Turkish: Berrak su gibi
Que ha baja(do) del monte
Literal: That has descended from the mountain
English: That has come down from the mountain
Turkish: Dağdan inmiş olan
Y así quiero verte
Literal: And thus I want to see you
English: And that is how I want to see you
Turkish: Ve seni böyle görmek istiyorum
De día y de noche
Literal: Of day and of night
English: By day and by night
Turkish: Gündüz ve gece
Ay como el agua, como el agua, como el agua
Literal: Oh like the water, like the water, like the water
English: Oh like the water, like the water, like the water
Turkish: Ah su gibi, su gibi, su gibi
Yo te eché mi brazo al hombro
Literal: I threw my arm to the shoulder
English: I threw my arm over your shoulder
Turkish: Kolumu omzuna attım
Y un brillo de luz de luna
Literal: And a shine of light of moon
English: And a gleam of moonlight
Turkish: Ve ay ışığının bir parıltısı
Iluminaba tus ojos
Literal: Was illuminating your eyes
English: Illuminated your eyes
Turkish: Gözlerini aydınlatıyordu
De ti deseo yo t(od)ito el calor
Literal: Of you I desire I all the heat
English: From you I desire all the warmth
Turkish: Senden tüm sıcaklığı diliyorum
Pa(ra) ti mi cuerpo si lo quieres tú
Literal: For you my body if it want you
English: For you my body if you want it
Turkish: Sen istersen bedenim sana
Fuego en la sangre nos corre a los dos
Literal: Fire in the blood us-to runs to the two
English: Fire in the blood runs through both of us
Turkish: İkimizin de kanında ateş akıyor
Ay como el agua, como el agua, como el agua
Literal: Oh like the water, like the water, like the water
English: Oh like the water, like the water, like the water
Turkish: Ah su gibi, su gibi, su gibi
Si tus ojillos fueran
Literal: If your little-eyes were
English: If your little eyes were
Turkish: Eğer o küçük gözlerin olsaydı
Aceitunitas verdes
Literal: Little-olives green
English: Green little olives
Turkish: Yeşil küçük zeytinler
To(d)a la noche estaría muele que muele, muele que muele
Literal: All the night I-would-be grinding that grinding, grinding that grinding
English: All night long I would be grinding, grinding
Turkish: Bütün gece öğütür dururdum, öğütür dururdum
To(d)a la noche estaría muele que muele
Literal: All the night I-would-be grinding that grinding
English: All night long I would be grinding
Turkish: Bütün gece öğütür dururdum
Muele que muele, muele que muele
Literal: Grinding that grinding, grinding that grinding
English: Grinding, grinding, grinding, grinding
Turkish: Öğütür dururum, öğütür dururum
Luz del alma mía, divina
Literal: Light of soul mine, divine
English: Light of my soul, divine
Turkish: Ruhumun ışığı, ilahi
Que a mí me alumbra mi corazón
Literal: That to me it illuminates my heart
English: That illuminates my heart for me
Turkish: Ki bana kalbimi aydınlatır
Mi cuerpo alegre camina
Literal: My body happy walks
English: My happy body walks
Turkish: Neşeli bedenim yürüyor
Porque de ti lleva la ilusión
Literal: Because of you it carries the illusion
English: Because it carries your illusion
Turkish: Çünkü senden gelen umudu taşıyor
Ay como el agua, como el agua, como el agua
Literal: Oh like the water, like the water, like the water
English: Oh like the water, like the water, like the water
Turkish: Ah su gibi, su gibi, su gibi
Ay como el agua, ay como el agua, como el agua
Literal: Oh like the water, oh like the water, like the water
English: Oh like the water, oh like the water, like the water
Turkish: Ay su gibi, ay su gibi, su gibi
Ay como el agua, y como el agua, y como el agua
Literal: Oh like the water, and like the water, and like the water
English: Oh like the water, and like the water, and like the water
Turkish: Ay su gibi, ve su gibi, ve su gibi
What each line is doing grammatically: the case and person endings it uses, the tense or mood of its verb, and the fixed expressions a dictionary will not resolve word by word. Lines that repeat in the song are listed once.
Limpia va el agua del río
The river water flows clean
Limpio va el cariño mío
My affection flows clean
El manantial de tu fuente clara
The spring of your clear fountain
Como el agua, ay como el agua, como el agua
Like the water, oh like the water, like the water
Que ha baja(do) del monte
That has come down from the mountain
Y así quiero verte
And that is how I want to see you
De día y de noche
By day and by night
Ay como el agua, como el agua, como el agua
Oh like the water, like the water, like the water
Yo te eché mi brazo al hombro
I threw my arm over your shoulder
De ti deseo yo t(od)ito el calor
From you I desire all the warmth
Pa(ra) ti mi cuerpo si lo quieres tú
For you my body if you want it
Fuego en la sangre nos corre a los dos
Fire in the blood runs through both of us
Si tus ojillos fueran
If your little eyes were
To(d)a la noche estaría muele que muele, muele que muele
All night long I would be grinding, grinding
To(d)a la noche estaría muele que muele
All night long I would be grinding
Muele que muele, muele que muele
Grinding, grinding, grinding, grinding
Luz del alma mía, divina
Light of my soul, divine
Que a mí me alumbra mi corazón
That illuminates my heart for me
Mi cuerpo alegre camina
My happy body walks
Porque de ti lleva la ilusión
Because it carries your illusion
Every distinct word in the song, in the order it is first sung, with the dictionary form to look up, the endings on it, what it means here, and where the word came from. Words that recur are listed once.
| Word | Dictionary form | Grammar | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limpia | limpio | adj. f. sg. | clean | From Latin limpidus.Wiktionary |
| va | ir | v., 3rd pers. sg. pres. ind. (presente de indicativo) | goes / flows | From Latin eo, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| el | el | art. m. sg. | the | From Latin ille, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| agua | agua | n. f. sg. | water | From Old Spanish agua, from Latin aqua.Wiktionary |
| del | de | prep. + art. m. sg. | of the | From Old Spanish de.Wiktionary |
| río | río | n. m. sg. | river | From Latin rivus, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| Como | como | prep. | like / as | From Old Spanish commo, from Latin cōmō̆.Wiktionary |
| la | el | art. f. sg. | the | From Latin ille, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| estrella | estrella | n. f. sg. | star | From Latin stella, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| de | de | prep. | of | From Old Spanish de.Wiktionary |
| mañana | mañana | n. f. sg. | morning | From Old Spanish mannana, from Vulgar Latin *māneāna, from Latin māne.Wiktionary |
| Limpio | limpio | adj. m. sg. | clean | From Latin limpidus.Wiktionary |
| cariño | cariño | n. m. sg. | affection / love | Possibly from caro (dear) + -iño suffix. |
| mío | mío | pron. poss. m. sg. | of mine | From Latin meus, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| manantial | manantial | n. m. sg. | spring | Formed within Spanish from manante.Wiktionary |
| tu | tu | pron. poss. sg. | your | From Latin tuus (your). |
| fuente | fuente | n. f. sg. | fountain / source | From Latin fons, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| clara | claro | adj. f. sg. | clear | From Latin clarus, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| ay | ay | interj. | oh | Of uncertain origin, likely expressive. |
| Que | que | pron. rel. | that | From Latin quid.Wiktionary |
| ha | haber | v., 3rd pers. sg. pres. ind. (presente de indicativo) | has | From Old Spanish aver, from Latin habeo ('have, hold').Wiktionary |
| bajado | bajar | v., past participle | descended | From Latin bassare, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| monte | monte | n. m. sg. | mountain | From Latin mōns.Wiktionary |
| Y | y | conj. | and | From Old Spanish é.Wiktionary |
| así | así | adv. | thus / that way | From Latin sic, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| quiero | querer | v., 1st pers. sg. pres. ind. (presente de indicativo) | I want | From Latin quaerō.Wiktionary |
| verte | ver | v. inf. + pron. 2nd pers. sg. | to see you | From Latin videre, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| día | día | n. m. sg. | day | From Latin dies, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| noche | noche | n. f. sg. | night | From Old Spanish noche.Wiktionary |
| Yo | yo | pron. pers. 1st pers. sg. | I | From Late Latin eo, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| te | tú | pron. pers. 2nd pers. sg. | you | From Latin tū, from Proto-Italic *tū, from Proto-Indo-European *túh₂.Wiktionary |
| eché | echar | v., 1st pers. sg. pret. ind. (pretérito perfecto simple) | threw | From Latin iactare, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| mi | mi | adj. poss. 1st pers. sg. | my | From Latin meus (my). |
| brazo | brazo | n. m. sg. | arm | From Latin brachium, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| al | a | prep. + art. m. sg. | to the | From Latin ad.Wiktionary |
| hombro | hombro | n. m. sg. | shoulder | From Latin umerus, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| un | uno | art. m. sg. | a | From Old Spanish uno, from Latin ūnus ('one'), from Proto-Italic *oinos.Wiktionary |
| brillo | brillo | n. m. sg. | gleam | Formed within Spanish from brillar.Wiktionary |
| luz | luz | n. f. sg. | light | From Old Spanish luz, from Latin lūx.Wiktionary |
| luna | luna | n. f. sg. | moon | From Latin luna, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| Iluminaba | iluminar | v., 3rd pers. sg. impf. ind. (pretérito imperfecto) | Illuminated | From Latin illūmināre.Wiktionary |
| tus | tú | adj. poss. 2nd pers. sg. | your | From Latin tuus (your). |
| ojos | ojo | n. m. pl. | eyes | From Old Spanish ojo.Wiktionary |
| ti | tú | pron. pers. 2nd pers. sg. | you | From Latin tū, from Proto-Italic *tū, from Proto-Indo-European *túh₂.Wiktionary |
| deseo | desear | v., 1st pers. sg. pres. ind. (presente de indicativo) | desire | From Vulgar Latin.Wiktionary |
| t(od)ito | todo | adj. m. sg. | all the | From Latin totus (all). |
| calor | calor | n. m. sg. | warmth | From Latin calor, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| Pa(ra) | para | prep. | For | From Latin prō.Wiktionary |
| cuerpo | cuerpo | n. m. sg. | body | From Latin corpus, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| si | si | conj. | if | From Latin si, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| lo | lo | pron. pers. 3rd pers. sg. | it | From Old Spanish lo.Wiktionary |
| quieres | querer | v., 2nd pers. sg. pres. ind. (presente de indicativo) | want | From Latin quaerō.Wiktionary |
| tú | tú | pron. pers. 2nd pers. sg. | you | From Latin tū, from Proto-Italic *tū, from Proto-Indo-European *túh₂.Wiktionary |
| Fuego | fuego | n. m. sg. | Fire | From Old Spanish fuego, from Late Latin focus ('fire'), from Latin focus ('hearth').Wiktionary |
| en | en | prep. | in | From Latin in, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| sangre | sangre | n. f. sg. | blood | From Old Spanish sangne, from Latin sanguis,sanguinem.Wiktionary |
| nos | nos | pron. pers. 1st pers. pl. | us | From Latin nos, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| corre | correr | v., 3rd pers. sg. pres. ind. (presente de indicativo) | runs | From Latin currere, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| a | a | prep. | to | From Latin ad.Wiktionary |
| los | el | art. m. pl. | the | From Latin ille, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| dos | dos | num. card. | two | From Latin duo, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| ojillos | ojo | n. m. pl. | little eyes | From Old Spanish ojo.Wiktionary |
| fueran | ser | v., 3rd pers. pl. impf. subj. (pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo) | were | From Latin sum.Wiktionary |
| Aceitunitas | aceituna | n. f. pl. | little olives | From Arabic.Wiktionary |
| verdes | verde | adj. | green | From Latin viridis, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| To(d)a | todo | adj. f. sg. | All | From Latin totus (all). |
| estaría | estar | v., 1st pers. sg. cond. ind. (condicional simple) | I would be | From Old Spanish estar, from Latin stō, stare.Wiktionary |
| muele | moler | v., 3rd pers. sg. pres. ind. (presente de indicativo) | grinding | From Latin molo, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| que | que | conj. | that | From Latin quid.Wiktionary |
| alma | alma | n. f. sg. | soul | From Latin anima, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| mía | mío | pron. poss. f. sg. | my | From Latin meus, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| divina | divino | adj. f. sg. | divine | From Latin dīvīnus.Wiktionary |
| mí | yo | pron. pers. 1st pers. sg. | me | From Late Latin eo, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| me | yo | pron. pers. 1st pers. sg. | me | From Late Latin eo, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| alumbra | alumbrar | v., 3rd pers. sg. pres. ind. (presente de indicativo) | illuminates | From Latin illuminare.Wiktionary |
| mi | mi | pron. poss. sg. | my | From Latin meus (my). |
| corazón | corazón | n. m. sg. | heart | From Old Spanish coraçon, from Vulgar Latin *corāceōnem, from Latin cor.Wiktionary |
| alegre | alegre | adj. sg. | happy | From Vulgar Latin alacer.Wiktionary |
| camina | caminar | v., 3rd pers. sg. pres. ind. (presente de indicativo) | walks | From Vulgar Latin *cammīnāre.Wiktionary |
| Porque | porque | conj. | because | Formed within Spanish from por + que.Wiktionary |
| lleva | llevar | v., 3rd pers. sg. pres. ind. (presente de indicativo) | carries | From Latin levāre, probably from Old Spanish.Wiktionary |
| ilusión | ilusión | n. f. sg. | illusion/hope | From Latin illūsiōnem.Wiktionary |
| como | como | adv. | like | From Old Spanish commo, from Latin cōmō̆.Wiktionary |
Linguistic analysis is produced with AI assistance and reviewed by hand before publication. It is designed as an educational aid and may still contain translation or etymological errors.
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