Learn Spanish by singing! 👉¿Adónde vamos a parar?, by Marco Antonio Solís 🎤🎸

🎶 Learn Spanish Through Music!

Music is a powerful tool when learning a new language. It helps us pick up vocabulary, understand grammar, and most importantly, feel the rhythm of the language. Today, we’ll dive into a beautiful song by the legendary Marco Antonio Solís: ¿Adónde vamos a parar?

Born in Michoacán, Mexico, Marco Antonio Solís is a celebrated singer, songwriter, and producer, known for his deep emotional lyrics and timeless melodies. His career spans over four decades, during which he has released numerous hits in both Latin pop and regional Mexican music.

The song ¿Adónde vamos a parar? speaks about the fragility of relationships and the challenges of keeping love alive. Through its heartfelt lyrics, we’ll explore not only the language but also the emotional depth of this iconic ballad. Ready to learn and sing along? 🎤💃

Now, let’s listen to the song! 🎶🎧 Let the music guide us as we sing along and learn Spanish in the most fun way possible! Are you ready? Let’s go! 💃🕺

Did you enjoy the song? 🎶 Now, let’s take a look at some of the structures—are any of them new to you? 🤔💡

1. Ya ves

Structure: “Ya” (adverb) + “ves” (second person singular of the verb ver, “to see”, in the present tense).
Function: Ya is an adverb indicating something that has already happened or is evident. Ves acts as the main verb in the present tense. The phrase “ya ves” conveys that the listener is already aware of the situation or that something is being reaffirmed as known.

2. Acabar – así

Structure: Verb acabar (to end) in the present + adverb of manner así (like this/that).
Function: Acabar indicates the end of an action or situation, while así specifies how that ending happens. The expression “acabamos así” highlights that the situation repeatedly ends the same way.

3. Hacer (me, te, le…)

Structure: Verb hacer (causative “to make”) + indirect pronoun (me, te, le).
Function: Hacer is a verb that implies causing an action or situation. Indirect pronouns like me, te, le are used to indicate who is affected by the action. Example: hacernos sufrir — suffering is caused between both people.

4. Evitar

Structure: Verb evitar (to avoid) in the infinitive.
Function: Evitar expresses the intention to prevent something from happening. In the song, it refers to what could be avoided but isn’t: “por no evitar discutir” (for not avoiding arguments).

5. Por no

Structure: Preposition por (because of) + negation no + verb in the infinitive.
Function: This structure introduces the reason or cause of a negative action or consequence. Example: “por no evitar discutir” — the failure to avoid conflict is the cause of the suffering.

6. La queremos ganar

Structure: Pronoun la (direct object) + verb querer (to want) + infinitive ganar (to win).
Function: La refers to something previously mentioned (the argument or the fight). The verb querer indicates desire, and ganar suggests a goal. Together, the phrase expresses the desire to win in an argument: “queremos ganar la discusión” (we want to win the argument).

7. Caer – cayendo

Structure: Verb caer (to fall) in the infinitive or gerund.
Function: Caer in the infinitive expresses the action of “falling” or “making a mistake,” while the gerund cayendo indicates an action in progress. Example: “cayendo siempre en el mismo error” (always falling into the same mistake) emphasizes the constant repetition of the same errors.

8. El mismo / la misma

Structure: Definite article el/la (the) + adjective mismo/misma (same).
Function: This determiner is used to indicate that something is identical or repeated. Example: “el mismo error” (the same mistake) refers to making the same mistake on different occasions.

9. No nos

Structure: Negation no + reflexive pronoun nos (us).
Function: The structure no nos indicates that something does not happen or does not affect the people included in the reflexive pronoun. Example: “no nos deja separar” (it doesn’t let us separate) shows an action that is prevented or doesn’t occur, involving both people in the relationship.

10. Dejar algo a alguien

Structure: Verb dejar (to let) + direct object (something) + indirect pronoun (to someone).
Function: Dejar means to allow or permit. In this case, the verb expresses that something (like love) prevents or permits an action. Example: “no nos deja separar” — love doesn’t allow the couple to separate.

11. Costar (ue)

Structure: Verb costar (to be difficult, irregular with a stem change from o→ue).
Function: Costar means that something is difficult or requires effort. Example: “nos cuesta ceder” (it’s hard for us to give in) implies that yielding is difficult for them.

12. Doler (ue)

Structure: Verb doler (to hurt, irregular with a stem change from o→ue).
Function: Doler expresses suffering or emotional/physical pain. Example: “Me duele la cabeza” (My head hurts).

13. La humildad, la intimidad, y la plenitud

Structure: Definite article la (the) + noun humildad/intimidad/plenitud (humility/intimacy/plenitude).
Function: All three nouns—humildad, intimidad, and plenitud—are feminine and describe abstract qualities. They are feminine because they end in -dad or -ud, which are common endings for feminine nouns in Spanish, often indicating abstract concepts or states of being.

14. ¿A dónde / adónde / dónde?

Structure: Question using interrogative pronouns.
Function: ¿A dónde? and adónde are used to ask about the destination or direction something is going. In the song, ¿A dónde vamos a parar? expresses uncertainty, asking where the relationship will end up. ¿Dónde? is used in other contexts to ask about the exact location of something.

15. Dar el paso a alguien

Structure: Verb dar (to give) + direct object el paso (the step) + indirect object a alguien (to someone).
Function: The phrase dar el paso implies taking a step forward or allowing someone or something to continue. In this case, it is used metaphorically to invite humility to play a more prominent role in the relationship.

16. Démosle

Structure: Form of the verb dar (to give) in the first-person plural imperative + enclitic pronoun le (to him/her/it).
Function: Démosle is an inclusive command that indicates something should be given or granted to someone. In the context of the song, “démosle paso a la humildad” (let’s give way to humility) is an invitation to allow humility to take a more significant role in the relationship.

Now, let’s read the lyrics and listen to the song again! 🎤🎶 Did you understand it better this time? And… did you sing along? 🎶🎧🎤😀

¿Adónde vamos a parar?

Ya ves siempre acabamos así
Solo haciéndonos sufrir
Por no evitar discutir
Por no evitar discutir

¿Por qué ya no podemos hablar
Sin una guerra empezar?
Y la queremos ganar
Y la queremos ganar

¿A dónde vamos a parar?
Con esta hiriente y absurda actitud
Démosle paso a la humildad
Y vamos a la intimidad
De nuestras almas en total plenitud

¿A dónde vamos a parar?
Cayendo siempre en el mismo error
Dándole siempre mas valor
A todo, menos al amor
Que no nos deja separar

Tal vez por lo que fue nuestro ayer
Nos cuesta tanto ceder
Y eso nos duele aprender
Y eso nos duele aprender