Acróstico Lyrics in English by Shakira

Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Acróstico by Shakira from Spanish to English.
These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!
Verse 1
You taught me that love is not a scam
And that when it's real, it doesn't end
I tried not to let you see me cry
Lit: I tried that you don't see my cry
Not to let you see my fragility
Lit: That you don't see my fragility
But things aren't always as we dream them
Sometimes we run, but we don't make it
Sometimes we run, but we don't reach (our destination)
Never doubt that I'll be here
Talk to me because I'll listen to you
Or: Talk to me and I'm going to listen to you
And even if life treated me like this
I'll be strong just for you
Or: I'm going to be strong only for you
Chorus 1
All that I want is your happiness
And to be with you
A smile of yours is my weakness
To love you
It serves as anaesthesia for the pain
It makes me feel better
I'm here for whatever you need
You came to complete who I am
Verse 2
We only broke one plate, not the whole dinner set
And although I don't know how to turn the other cheek
To learn to forgive is wise
May only love come from your lips
Or: May only love comes from those lips
If things get damaged, they're not thrown away, they're repaired
Problems are faced and confronted
We have to laugh at life
Even though the wounds hurt
If you have to give your heart completely
Even if they hurt you for no reason
Chorus 2
All that I want is your happiness
And to be with you
A smile of yours is my weakness
To love you
It serves as anaesthesia for the pain
It makes me feel better
I'm here for whatever you need
You came to complete who I am
It serves as anaesthesia for the pain
It makes me feel better
I'm here for whatever you need
You came to complete who I am
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Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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vajilla — dishes / tableware

Vajilla is the Spanish word for a set of dishes or tableware. While it might seem like an ordinary household item, Shakira uses it in a beautiful and powerful metaphor about resilience.

She sings, "Se nos rompió sólo un plato no toda la vajilla" (We only broke one plate, not the whole set of dishes). This line serves as a touching message to her children, suggesting that even if one thing goes wrong in life, it doesn't mean everything is ruined. It's a memorable lesson about perseverance packed into a simple, elegant phrase.

Colombian superstar Shakira slows things down in "Acróstico" for an open, incredibly tender pop ballad about unconditional devotion during tough times. Instead of pretending everything is fine, she is honest about struggle: "Intenté que no me veas llorar / Que no veas mi fragilidad" ("I tried not to let you see me cry / Not to let you see my fragility"). Still, the focus stays squarely on protecting and lifting up the person she loves, promising that loving them act like medicine: "Sirve de anestesia al dolor / Hace que me sienta mejor" ("It acts as anesthesia for the pain / It makes me feel better").

What makes this track special for Spanish learners are the clever idioms and proverbs tucked into the chorus and verses. She uses a lovely domestic metaphor to keep things in perspective: "Se nos rompió sólo un plato no toda la vajilla" ("We only broke one plate, not the whole set of dishes"). She also gives solid life advice about fixing what is broken instead of throwing it away: "Si las cosas se dañan no se botan, se reparan" ("If things break, they aren't thrown out, they're repaired"). It is a gentle reminder to laugh at life ("Hay que reírse de la vida") and choose forgiveness, even when wounds still sting.

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