Capoeira Song of the Week: Sou Capoeira

You submit the songs.  We show you the lyrics, translation, and give some phonetic spelling to help your pronunciation.

The format works like this:

The lyrics in Portuguese are in bold

The phonetic spelling for pronunciation is in italics with the STRESSED SYLLABLES IN ALL CAPITALS with syllables se-pa-ra-ted by dash-es

The English translation is in regular text

From Mestre Suassuna.  Thanks Alfinete!

Sou Capoeira

(coro/chorus)

Sou Capoeira olha eu sei que sou

Soh kah-pooh-EY-rah OH-lyah ehoo sey keeh soh

I am Capoeira, look I know I am

Eu vim aqui foi para jogar

Ehoo veenh ah-KEEH foy PAH-rah zhoh-GARH

I came here  to play

Faço bonito só porque tenho talento

FAH-sooh boh-NEEH-tooh saw* pohrh-KEY TEHNH-yooh tah-LEHN-tooh     *We don't have this vowel sound in English.

I do it beautifully just because I have talent

E solto meus movimentos

Eeh SOHL-tooh mehooz moh-veeh-MEHN-toohs

And I let my movements loose

Com uma voz no coração

Kohnh OOH-mah voiz nooh koh-rah-SOWNH

With a voice in the heart

Que amor é esse que trago no coração

Keeh ah-MORH eh/ah EH-seeh key TRAH-gooh noo koh-rah-SOWNH

What love is this that I bring in the heart

Uma alegría uma vontade de gingar

OOH-mah ah-leh-GREEH-ah OOH-mah vohn-TAH-jee deeh zheeng-garh

A joy, a desire to ginga

São Bento Grande, Iúna, Cavalaria 

Sownh BEHN-tooh GRAHN-jeeh, eeh-OOH-nah, kah-vah-lah-REEH-ah

São Bento Grande, Iúna​​, Cavalaria

Quando toca me arrepia 

KWAHN-dooh TOH-kah meeh ah-heh-PEEH-ah

When it plays, I get goosebumps

Hoje é dia de jogar 

OH-zheeh eh/ah DEEh-ah deeh zhoh-GARH

Today is the day to play

E o cantador solta a voz 

Eeh ooh kahn-tah-DORH SOHL-tah ah voiz

And the singer lets his voice loose

Para o povo ouvir, 

PAH-rah ooh POH-vooh OH-veerh

For the people to hear,

Berimbau viola, forma a roda e

Beeh-REENH-BOW veeh-OH-lah, FORH-mah ah HOH-dah eeh

Berimbau viola, form the roda and

Marca o som.

MARH-kah ooh SONH

Mark the sound.

A meia lua, é ligera e corta o vento

Ah MEY-ah LOOH-ah eh/ah leeh-ZHEY-rooh eeh KORH-tah ooh VEHN-tooh

The meia lua is fast and cuts the wind

Capoeira jogar dentro

Kah-pooh-EY-rah zhoh-GARH DEHN-trooh

Capoeira is an inside game

Como meu mestre me ensinou.

KOH-mooh mehoo MEHS-treeh meeh ehn-seeh-NOH

Like my teacher taught me.

(coro/chorus)

Sou Capoeira olha eu sei que sou

Soh kah-pooh-EY-rah OH-lyah ehoo sey keeh soh

I am Capoeira, look I know I am

Eu vim aqui foi para jogar

Ehoo veenh ah-KEEH foy PAH-rah zhoh-GARH

I came here  to play

Faço bonito só porque tenho talento

FAH-sooh boh-NEEH-tooh saw* pohrh-KEY TEHNH-yooh tah-LEHN-tooh     *We don't have this vowel sound in English.

I do it beautifully just because I have talent

E solto meus movimentos

Eeh SOHL-tooh mehooz moh-veeh-MEHN-toohs

And I let my movements loose

Com uma voz no coração

Kohnh OOH-mah voiz nooh koh-rah-SOWNH

With a voice in the heart

E um Capoeira é arcusso é velhaco

Eeh oonh kah-pooh-EY-rah eh/ah arh-KOOH-sooh eh/ah veh-LYAH-cooh

And a Capoeirista  is arcusso* is a rogue    *Researching this word's definition.  Know it?  Let us know in the comments below.

É inimigo do perigo e confusão

Eh/ah eeh-neeh-MEEH-gooh dooh peh-REE-grooh eeh kohn-foo-SOWHN

He is the enemy of the danger and confusion

Pois ele sabe o valor de uma vida

Poiz EEH-leeh SAH-beeh ooh vah-LORH deeh OOH-mah VEEH-dah

For he knows the value of a life

Por isso corre de briga

Porh EEH-sooh KOHRH-heeh deeh BREEH-gah

So he runs from  argument

É quer mais é vadiar

Eh/ah kehrh miez eh/ah vah-deeh-ARH

What he wants more is to have fun