By Happy Hour Spanish Posted April 21, 2017 In Spanish Music, Spanish Practice 165 5
Despacito by Luis Fonsi
Seems like everybody’s learning Spanish now – even Justin Bieber?? Despacito, by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee, is the mega summer hit of 2017. With a billion views on Youtube after only 3 months, this is a song you will hear not only in Spanish-speaking countries, but in English speaking ones as well – especially given the version showcasing Justin Bieber singing Despacito in Spanish (see below for the video of this version). Although we love his version, he unfortunately didn’t actually learn Spanish and has therefore struggled performing the song live. But that won’t be you, because we have the despacito lyrics below for you to use to improve your Spanish. Sing along word-for-word or download the pdf version for more practice.
What does despacito mean?
Despacito means something like ‘extra slowly‘, with a connotation of a good vibe feeling. It is a Spanish diminutive, stemming from Spanish word for slow or slowly, which is despacio. Despacio (slowly) -> Despacito (extra slowly)
Spanish diminutives and their meanings
A diminutive takes regular Spanish words and changes the ending in order to slightly change the meaning. Common endings are ito or cito , but there are several options depending on whether the word is masculine or feminine and how it is spelled (ito/ita, cito/cita, quito/quita, illo/illa). The effect of a diminutive is not always the same. It can be used to:
– minify
– add a note of affection or endearment
– add richness or a good vibe feeling
– add a demeaning element. For example: casa (house) –> casita (little house, home)
chica (girl) –> chiquita (little girl, honey)
pobre (poor) –> pobrecito (poor baby) For more on diminutives – how they’re formed, the most common forms, and how their meanings change – check out our 50+ list of Spanish diminutives. As for the rest of the song Despacito, listen for a few more diminutives: pasito – stems from paso which means ‘step’. Pasito is like ‘baby step’
suavecito – stems from suave which means to be smooth or soft. So suavecito can be thought of as being ‘extra soft and smooth’ in a good vibes kind of way. ( Suavecito can also sometimes be slang for referring to smooth talking)
poquito – stems from poco which means ‘little’. So poquito means something like ‘a little bit’. Now, take what you’ve learned and apply it to the transcript and translation below! Happy singing along in Spanish!