Aula De Natação Lyrics in English Cristina Branco

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Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Aula De Natação by Cristina Branco from Portuguese to English.

I met him on the tenth of May

On a visit to Miradaire

'It's João'

Announced a friend of mine

He was a sporty type

Smiling, polite

He made a point of greeting me at the school entrance

He asked in his awkward way

'Tonight at eight, will you stop by the pavilion?'

That's how

I found myself

In a little corner of the concrete stands

Alone waiting for the end of the class

Of swimming

As soon as he landed a good job

And I finished my degree

He offered me an engagement ring

We settled in the city

A couple with two boys

For one year of work

Twenty days in the Algarve

And one night, hopeful, he remembered

'It'd be great if the kids could already swim this summer'

That's how I found myself

In a little corner of the concrete stands

Alone waiting for the end

Of the swimming class

Fifteen years and a day married

We signed the papers at the registry

He said he'd fallen in love

What I said I no longer know

We split the assets

The Passat for him

The timeshare and a lot in Meais

The apartment for me

Custody of the boys

Wrinkles, varicose veins, two herniated discs

And the water-aerobics program

I went there today for the first session

That's how I found myself

In a little corner of the concrete stands

Alone waiting for the end

Of the swimming class

That's how I found myself

In a little corner of the concrete stands

Alone waiting for the end

Of the swimming class

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SONG MEANING

“Aula De Natação” is a witty slice-of-life story that unfolds from the concrete bleachers of a swimming pool. The narrator first meets João on 10 May during a school visit, and what begins with a shy invitation to watch his swim class quickly turns into the classic progression of courtship, marriage and family life. Holidays in the Algarve, a modest car, two sons and a predictable routine paint a picture of ordinary middle-class dreams. Yet every milestone is punctuated by the same image: she is seated alone, waiting for the lesson to finish, watching rather than participating.

That recurring scene becomes a playful yet poignant metaphor for a life spent on the sidelines. Decades pass, the couple eventually divorces and the narrator’s “bench view” remains unchanged, highlighting her quiet resignation as well as her resilience. Cristina Branco mixes humor with melancholy to question how easily people slip into passive roles, letting time swim by. The result is a relatable, bittersweet commentary on choices, expectations and the courage it takes to finally dive into your own lane.

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Cristina Branco Aula De Natação Lyrics