Song guide

Despacito

Luis Fonsi

Despacito by Luis Fonsi, line by line: what the lyrics mean, 25 expressions explained and 439 words translated with their grammar. Learn Spanish from the song, free.

75 lines translated 439 words explained 25 expressions

Lyrics with English translation, line by line

Each line as sung, what it means, and — where it needs one — why it's said that way.

  1. Ay, ¡Fonsi! ¡DY!

    Ay, Fonsi! DY!

    Fonsi is the nickname of Luis Fonsi, the Puerto Rican singer who co-wrote and performed this song. DY refers to Daddy Yankee, the Puerto Rican reggaeton artist who features on the track.

  2. Oh-oh, oh, no, oh, no, oh

    Oh-oh, oh, no, oh, no, oh

  3. ¡Hey, yeah!

    Hey, yeah!

  4. Diri-diri-diririri, Daddy, go!

    Diri-diri-diririri, Daddy, go!

    The syllables 'Diri-diri-diririri' are vocal improvisation typical of reggaeton and Latin urban music, used to set the rhythm before the verse begins. 'Daddy' is Daddy Yankee's common nickname.

  5. Sí, sabes que ya llevo un rato mirándote

    Yes, you know I've been watching you for a while

  6. Tengo que bailar contigo hoy (¡DY!)

    I have to dance with you today

  7. Vi que tu mirada ya estaba llamándome

    I saw that your gaze was already calling me

  8. Muéstrame el camino que yo voy (Oh)

    Show me the way, because I'm going

  9. Tú, tú eres el imán y yo soy el metal

    You, you are the magnet and I am the metal

  10. Me voy acercando y voy armando el plan

    I'm getting closer and putting together the plan

  11. Solo con pensarlo, se acelera el pulso (Oh, yeah)

    Just thinking about it, my pulse speeds up

  12. Ya, ya me está gustando más de lo normal

    I'm already liking it more than usual

  13. Todos mis sentidos van pidiendo más

    All my senses keep asking for more

  14. Esto hay que tomarlo sin ningún apuro

    This has to be taken without any rush

  15. Despacito

    Slowly

    'Despacito' is the title of the song. It is the diminutive form of 'despacio' (slowly), making it mean 'very slowly' or 'gently'. The diminutive adds affection and intimacy to the word.

  16. Quiero respirar tu cuello despacito

    I want to breathe in your neck slowly

  17. Deja que te diga cosas al oído

    Let me whisper things in your ear

  18. Para que te acuerdes si no estás conmigo

    So that you remember me when I'm not with you

  19. Despacito

    Slowly

  20. Quiero desnudarte a besos despacito

    I want to undress you with kisses, slowly

  21. Firmar las paredes de tu laberinto

    To sign the walls of your labyrinth

    The metaphor of 'signing the walls of your labyrinth' and 'making your body a manuscript' (line 21) uses literary imagery — the body as a text to be written on — which is a poetic device common in Latin romantic songwriting.

  22. Y hacer de tu cuerpo todo un manuscrito

    And make your body into a manuscript

  23. (Sube, sube, sube), ah (Sube, sube)

    Rise, rise, rise, ah, rise, rise

  24. Quiero ver bailar tu pelo, quiero ser tu ritmo (Woah, woah)

    I want to see your hair dance, I want to be your rhythm

  25. Que le enseñes a mi boca (Woah, woah)

    That you teach my mouth

  26. Tus lugares favoritos (Favorito', favorito', baby)

    Your favorite places

  27. Déjame sobrepasar tus zonas de peligro (Eh; woah, woah)

    Let me go beyond your danger zones

  28. Hasta provocar tus gritos (Woah, woah)

    Until I make you scream

  29. Y que olvides tu apellido (Rrr; DY)

    And you forget your last name

  30. Si te pido un beso, ven, dámelo, yo sé que estás pensándolo (Eh)

    If I ask you for a kiss, come give it to me — I know you're thinking about it

  31. Llevo tiempo intentándolo (Eh), mami, esto es dando y dándolo

    I've been trying for a while, baby, this is all about giving and giving

    'Mami' is a term of endearment widely used in Latin American and Caribbean Spanish, especially in reggaeton, to address a woman affectionately. It does not necessarily mean 'mother'.

  32. Sabes que tu corazón conmigo te hace bam-bam

    You know your heart goes bam-bam with me

  33. Sabes que esa beba está buscando de mi bam-bam

    You know that girl is looking for my bam-bam

    'Beba' is a Latin American slang term (especially Caribbean) for a young woman or 'babe'. It is the feminine form of 'bebo/beba', used as a term of endearment in reggaeton culture.

  34. Ven, prueba de mi boca para ver cómo te sabe (Eh-eh; ¡plo!)

    Come, taste my mouth to see how it tastes to you

  35. Quiero, quiero, quiero ver cuánto amor a ti te cabe

    I want, I want, I want to see how much love you can hold

  36. Yo no tengo prisa, yo me quiero dar el viaje

    I'm in no rush, I want to enjoy the ride

  37. Empezamos lento, después salvaje

    We start slow, then wild

  38. Pasito a pasito, suave suavecito

    Step by step, soft and gentle

    The diminutive suffix -ito/-ita is extremely productive in Spanish, especially in Latin American varieties. It can express smallness, affection, or intensity. 'Suavecito' and 'pasito' are examples of affectionate diminutives used to evoke tenderness.

  39. Nos vamo' pegando, poquito a poquito

    We're pressing together, little by little

  40. Cuando tú me besas con esa destreza

    When you kiss me with that skill

  41. Veo que eres malicia con delicadeza

    I see that you are mischief wrapped in delicacy

  42. Pasito a pasito, suave suavecito

    Step by step, soft and gentle

  43. Nos vamo' pegando, poquito a poquito (Oh-oh)

    We're pressing together, little by little

  44. Y es que esa belleza es un rompecabezas (No, no)

    And that beauty is a puzzle

    'Rompecabezas' literally means 'head-breaker' (rompe = breaks, cabezas = heads) and is the standard Spanish word for a jigsaw puzzle. The song uses it as a metaphor for the woman's complex, captivating beauty.

  45. Pero pa' montarlo aquí tengo la pieza, oye (Yo, yo; ¡plo!)

    But to put it together, I've got the piece right here

  46. Despacito

    Slowly

  47. Quiero respirar tu cuello despacito (Yo)

    I want to breathe in your neck slowly

  48. Deja que te diga cosas al oído (Yo)

    Let me whisper things in your ear

  49. Para que te acuerdes si no estás conmigo (Plo, plo)

    So that you remember me when I'm not with you

  50. Despacito (¡Plo!)

    Slowly

  51. Quiero desnudarte a besos despacito (Yeah-eh)

    I want to undress you with kisses, slowly

  52. Firmar las paredes de tu laberinto

    To sign the walls of your labyrinth

  53. Y hacer de tu cuerpo todo un manuscrito

    And make your body into a manuscript

  54. (Sube, sube, sube), ah (Sube, sube)

    Rise, rise, rise, ah, rise, rise

  55. Quiero ver bailar tu pelo, quiero ser tu ritmo (Eh, woah, woah)

    I want to see your hair dance, I want to be your rhythm

  56. Que le enseñes a mi boca (Woah, woah)

    That you teach my mouth

  57. Tus lugares favoritos (Favorito', favorito', baby)

    Your favorite places

  58. Déjame sobrepasar tus zonas de peligro (Eh, woah, woah)

    Let me go beyond your danger zones

  59. Hasta provocar tus gritos (Woah, woah)

    Until I make you scream

  60. Y que olvides tu apellido

    And you forget your last name

  61. Despacito

    Slowly

  62. Vamo' a hacerlo en una playa en Puerto Rico

    Let's do it on a beach in Puerto Rico

    Puerto Rico is the home island of both Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. Setting the scene on a Puerto Rican beach is a deliberate cultural reference celebrating their shared Caribbean identity.

  63. Hasta que las olas griten: "¡Ay, bendito!"

    Until the waves cry out: 'Oh, bless it!'

    'Ay, bendito' is a quintessential Puerto Rican expression of surprise, admiration, or emotion. It is deeply embedded in Puerto Rican culture and is used here to evoke the island's local flavor and identity.

  64. Para que mi sello se quede contigo

    So that my mark stays with you

  65. (Báilalo)

    Dance it

  66. Pasito a pasito, suave suavecito (Oh, yeah-yeah)

    Step by step, soft and gentle

  67. Nos vamos pegando, poquito a poquito (No, no; oh)

    We're pressing together, little by little

  68. Que le enseñes a mi boca

    That you teach my mouth

  69. Tus lugares favoritos

    Your favorite places

  70. Favorito', favorito', baby (Ooh)

    Favorites, favorites, baby

  71. Pasito a pasito, suave suavecito

    Step by step, soft and gentle

  72. Nos vamos pegando, poquito a poquito

    We're pressing together, little by little

  73. Hasta provocar tus gritos (Fonsi)

    Until I make you scream

  74. Y que olvides tu apellido (DY)

    And you forget your last name

  75. Despacito

    Slowly

Expressions and idioms in “Despacito”

The lines that don't mean what the dictionary says.

llevo un rato mirándote I've been watching you for a while
llevar + time expression + gerund is a Spanish construction for an action that has been ongoing for a period of time. It is equivalent to English 'have been doing something for X time'. The gerund (mirándote) describes the ongoing action.
Tengo que bailar I have to dance
tener que + infinitive is the standard Spanish construction for expressing personal obligation, equivalent to English 'have to' or 'must'. The subject is always the one obligated.
estaba llamándome was calling me
estar (imperfect) + gerund forms the past progressive in Spanish, describing an action that was in progress at a past moment. This mirrors the English 'was doing' construction.
Me voy acercando I'm getting closer
ir + gerund (with a reflexive pronoun when the verb is reflexive) expresses a gradual, progressive action in Spanish — 'to be gradually doing something'. It implies slow, continuous movement toward a goal.
voy armando el plan I'm putting the plan together
ir + gerund again here, emphasizing the gradual, ongoing nature of forming the plan. This periphrastic construction highlights process rather than a single completed action.
más de lo normal more than usual
más de lo + adjective/adverb is a fixed Spanish comparative construction meaning 'more than what is [adjective]'. The neuter article lo turns the adjective into an abstract noun concept.
me está gustando I'm liking it / it's pleasing me
estar + gerund of gustar forms the present progressive. Note that gustar works in reverse from English: the thing liked is the subject, and the person who likes it is the indirect object. 'Me está gustando' literally means 'it is pleasing to me'.
van pidiendo más keep asking for more
ir + gerund here conveys a continuous, accumulating action — 'to keep on doing something'. It suggests the senses are persistently and increasingly demanding more.
sin ningún apuro without any rush
sin + ningún + noun is a common Spanish pattern for 'without any [noun]'. Note that ningún is the apocopated (shortened) form of ninguno used before masculine singular nouns.
hay que tomarlo it has to be taken / one must take it
hay que + infinitive is an impersonal construction expressing general obligation — 'one must' or 'it is necessary to'. Unlike tener que, it has no specific subject; it applies to everyone.
Deja que te diga Let me tell you
dejar que + subjunctive is the standard Spanish construction for 'to let/allow someone to do something'. The subjunctive (diga) is required after dejar que when the subjects of the two clauses differ.
cosas al oído things in your ear / whispered things
decir cosas al oído is an idiomatic expression meaning to whisper things into someone's ear. The phrase al oído (literally 'to the ear') is the standard Spanish way to express whispering.
para que te acuerdes so that you remember
para que + subjunctive expresses purpose ('so that', 'in order that'). The subjunctive is always required after para que. acordarse (reflexive) means 'to remember', while the non-reflexive acordar means 'to agree'.
te acuerdes you remember
acordarse is a reflexive verb meaning 'to remember'. The plain verb acordar means 'to agree/decide'. The reflexive form completely changes the meaning — a classic reflexive meaning-shift.
Llevo tiempo intentándolo I've been trying for a while
llevar + time/noun + gerund again expresses an ongoing action. Here tiempo (time) is used without a specific duration, making it vaguer — 'I've been at it for some time'.
me quiero dar el viaje I want to enjoy the ride / take my time with it
darse el viaje is a colloquial expression meaning to enjoy an experience fully, to savour the journey. The reflexive me quiero dar (I want to give myself) adds the sense of treating oneself to the experience.
no tengo prisa I'm in no rush
tener prisa is the standard Spanish idiom for 'to be in a hurry/rush'. Spanish uses tener (to have) where English uses 'to be': tener prisa = 'to be in a rush', tener miedo = 'to be afraid', tener hambre = 'to be hungry'.
Pasito a pasito step by step / little by little
X a X is a Spanish repetition pattern meaning 'one X at a time' or 'X by X'. The diminutive -ito suffix on pasito makes it 'little step by little step', adding tenderness and slowness to the image.
poquito a poquito little by little
poquito a poquito follows the same X a X repetition pattern as pasito a pasito. The double diminutive (-ito on poco) intensifies the sense of extreme gradualness and tenderness.
Nos vamo' pegando we're pressing together / we're getting closer
ir + gerund (reflexive) here describes a gradual physical coming-together. pegarse (reflexive of pegar) means 'to stick to / press against each other', which differs from pegar alone ('to hit / to stick something').
es que the thing is / it's just that
es que is a very common Spanish filler/discourse marker used to introduce an explanation or mild excuse. It does not translate word-for-word; it softens or frames what follows.
pa' montarlo to put it together
pa' is an elided (shortened) form of para, very common in informal speech and song lyrics. montarlo here means 'to assemble/put together' the puzzle (rompecabezas), continuing the metaphor from the previous line.
Vamo' a hacerlo Let's do it
ir a + infinitive is the standard Spanish periphrastic future, equivalent to English 'going to do something'. Vamos a + infinitive also functions as a suggestion ('let's do it'). Vamo' is the colloquial elided form of vamos.
para que mi sello se quede contigo so that my mark stays with you
para que + subjunctive again expresses purpose. quedarse (reflexive) here means 'to stay/remain', which differs from quedar (non-reflexive) meaning 'to be left over' or 'to arrange to meet'. The reflexive shifts the meaning to staying in place.
se quede stays / remains
quedarse (reflexive) = 'to stay/remain'. The non-reflexive quedar means 'to be left over' or 'to arrange to meet someone'. Adding the reflexive pronoun se fundamentally changes the verb's meaning.

Vocabulary to learn from “Despacito”

The words the song uses most.

Verbs in the song, and the form being sung

Present tense for each; the highlighted row is the one you'll hear.

querer I want

sung: quiero irregular
querer — present tense
yo quiero
tú quieres
él / ella / usted quiere
nosotros queremos
vosotros queréis
ellos / ustedes quieren

subir rise / go up

sung: sube
subir — present tense
yo subo
tú subes
él / ella / usted sube
nosotros subimos
vosotros subís
ellos / ustedes suben

ir I go / I am going

sung: voy irregular
ir — present tense
yo voy
tú vas
él / ella / usted va
nosotros vamos
vosotros vais
ellos / ustedes van

ser you are

sung: eres irregular
ser — present tense
yo soy
tú eres
él / ella / usted es
nosotros somos
vosotros sois
ellos / ustedes son

ver I saw

sung: vi irregular
ver — present tense
yo veo
tú ves
él / ella / usted ve
nosotros vemos
vosotros veis
ellos / ustedes ven

Grammar you'll meet in this song

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