Boa Sorte Lyrics in English by Vanessa da Mata, Ben Harper
Desencontro is a beautiful Portuguese word that literally means an 'un-meeting' or 'failed encounter'. It's formed by adding the prefix des- (which implies negation or reversal) to encontro (meeting).
In the song, it perfectly describes the core theme: a relationship breakdown due to a fundamental mismatch or disconnection. The singer points out "Há um desencontro" (There is a disconnection), highlighting the sad reality that she and her partner are simply not on the same wavelength.
Breakups rarely sound this breezy, but Brazilian singer Vanessa da Mata and American songwriter Ben Harper pull it off with total clarity. The track cuts right to the chase with the brutally honest opening lines: É só isso / Não tem mais jeito / Acabou / Boa sorte ("That's it / There's no way / It's over / Good luck"). No dramatic screaming, no back-and-forth arguments. One person simply packs up and walks away because the relationship turned exhausting. The demands became suffocating—É demais / É pesado / Não há paz ("It's too much / It's heavy / There's no peace")—choked by what they call irreais expectativas desleais ("unrealistic, unfair expectations").
What makes this duet so good for language learners is how Ben Harper translates the Portuguese lines almost word-for-word, creating an instant mirror between the two languages. You also get some neat linguistic gems in the verses. Vanessa sings about a desencontro ("a disconnection" or "a missed encounter"), a handy Portuguese word used when two people fail to meet up or simply drift out of sync. Then she adds the reminder: Um bom encontro é de dois ("A good match takes two"). It is a warm, polite kiss-off that basically tells an ex: heal yourself, move on, and remember there are plenty of other special people out there.
