Song guide

La lola

Café Quijano

La lola by Café Quijano, line by line: what the lyrics mean, 30 expressions explained and 272 words translated with their grammar. Learn Spanish from the song, free.

42 lines translated 272 words explained 30 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. Se llama Lola y tiene historia

    Her name is Lola and she has a story

    'Lola' is a very common Spanish female name, often associated with strong, passionate women in Spanish culture and literature. It is a diminutive of 'Dolores' (sorrows). The name carries connotations of a classic, archetypal Spanish woman.

  2. Aunque más que historia sea un poema

    Although more than a story, it may be a poem

  3. Su vida entera pasó buscando

    Her whole life passed by searching

  4. Noches de gloria como alma en pena

    Nights of glory like a tormented soul

    'Alma en pena' evokes the Catholic concept of a soul in purgatory — condemned to wander without rest. In Spanish folklore and literature, it is a powerful image of a restless, suffering spirit, often used to describe someone who lives in perpetual anguish.

  5. Detrás de su manto de fría dama

    Behind her cloak of cold lady

  6. Tenía escondidas tremendas armas

    She had tremendous weapons hidden

    'Armas' (weapons) here is a metaphor for Lola's physical charms and seductive powers — the tools she used in the 'battles' of love and seduction. This military metaphor for romantic conquest is a classic trope in Spanish poetry and song.

  7. Para las batallas del cara a cara

    For the face-to-face battles

    'Cara a cara' (face to face) reinforces the military/battle metaphor from line 5. The 'battles' Lola fought were intimate, direct confrontations — likely romantic or sexual encounters — where she used her 'weapons' (charms) to her advantage.

  8. Que con ventaja muy bien libraba

    That she fought very well with advantage

  9. Le fue muy mal de mano en mano

    Things went very badly for her, from hand to hand

  10. De boca en boca, de cama en cama

    From mouth to mouth, from bed to bed

  11. Como una muñeca que se desgasta

    Like a doll that wears out

    The image of a 'muñeca' (doll) that wears out is a classic metaphor for a woman who has been objectified and passed around, losing her value in others' eyes over time. It is a critical commentary on how society treats women who live outside conventional norms.

  12. Se queda vieja y la pena arrastra

    She grows old and sorrow drags her along

  13. Óyeme mi Lola, mi tierna Lola

    Listen to me, my Lola, my tender Lola

  14. Tu triste vida es tu triste historia

    Your sad life is your sad story

  15. Pero qué manera de caminar

    But what a way she has of walking

    The chorus shifts from narrating Lola's sad story to admiring her physical presence and dignity. Despite everything, she walks with pride. This tension between a tragic life and a proud bearing is central to the song's emotional impact.

  16. Mira qué soberbia en su mirar

    Look at the pride in her gaze

    'Soberbia' can mean both 'pride' and 'arrogance'. In this context it is used admiringly — Lola's proud, defiant gaze is presented as something beautiful and worthy of respect, not as a flaw.

  17. Óyeme mi Lola, mi tierna Lola

    Listen to me, my Lola, my tender Lola

  18. Tu triste vida es tu triste historia

    Your sad life is your sad story

  19. Pero qué manera de caminar

    But what a way she has of walking

  20. Mira qué soberbia en su mirar

    Look at the pride in her gaze

  21. Óyeme mi Lola, mi tierna Lola

    Listen to me, my Lola, my tender Lola

  22. Tu triste vida es tu triste historia

    Your sad life is your sad story

  23. Fue mujer serena hasta el instante

    She was a serene woman until the moment

    The song shifts from past tense (lines 2-11) to a mix of past and present, reflecting on Lola's life as both a completed story and an ongoing reality. This temporal shift is a common device in Spanish ballads.

  24. De entregarse presta a sus amantes

    Of giving herself readily to her lovers

  25. Es tiempo de llanto, es tiempo de duda

    It is a time of tears, it is a time of doubt

  26. De nostalgia y de su locura

    Of nostalgia and of her madness

  27. Tienes el consuelo de saberte llena

    You have the consolation of knowing yourself to be full

  28. De cariño limpio y amor sincero

    Of pure affection and sincere love

  29. Porque nadie supo robar de tus besos

    Because nobody knew how to steal from your kisses

  30. Eso que hoy te sobra y que nadie añora

    That which you now have in abundance and nobody longs for

    This line is deliberately ambiguous and bittersweet: the 'something' that nobody could steal from her kisses — her genuine capacity for love — is now something she has in abundance but that nobody wants or misses. It is a melancholy commentary on how her authentic feelings were never truly valued.

  31. Óyeme mi Lola, mi tierna Lola

    Listen to me, my Lola, my tender Lola

  32. Tu triste vida es tu triste historia

    Your sad life is your sad story

  33. Pero qué manera de caminar

    But what a way she has of walking

  34. Mira qué soberbia en su mirar

    Look at the pride in her gaze

  35. Óyeme mi Lola, mi tierna Lola

    Listen to me, my Lola, my tender Lola

  36. Tu triste vida es tu triste historia

    Your sad life is your sad story

  37. Pero qué manera de caminar

    But what a way she has of walking

  38. Mira qué soberbia en su mirar

    Look at the pride in her gaze

  39. Óyeme mi Lola, mi tierna Lola

    Listen to me, my Lola, my tender Lola

  40. Tu triste vida es tu triste historia

    Your sad life is your sad story

  41. Es el tiempo de la arruga que no perdona

    It is the time of the wrinkle that shows no mercy

    'La arruga que no perdona' is a play on the common Spanish saying 'el tiempo no perdona' (time shows no mercy). By substituting 'la arruga' (the wrinkle) for 'el tiempo' (time), the lyric makes the metaphor more vivid and specific — it is the physical mark of aging that is merciless.

  42. Es el tiempo de la fruta y la pintura

    It is the time of fruit and makeup

    'La fruta y la pintura' is a double metaphor common in Spanish poetic tradition. 'Fruta' evokes the idea of a woman past her prime (like overripe fruit), while 'pintura' (makeup/paint) suggests the artifice used to conceal aging. Together they paint a picture of a woman trying to maintain her appearance against time.

Expressions and idioms in “La lola”

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

tiene historia has a story / has a past
tener + noun without an article is a common Spanish pattern to express having a quality or characteristic. 'Tiene historia' implies she has a significant past or backstory, not just any story.
Se llama Her name is / She is called
llamarse is a reflexive verb meaning 'to be named/called'. The reflexive pronoun 'se' is required — you cannot simply say 'llama' alone to mean 'her name is'. This pattern is used for all names: '¿Cómo te llamas?' = 'What is your name?'
aunque ... sea although it may be
'Aunque' (although/even though) triggers the subjunctive mood when expressing uncertainty or concession. Here 'sea' is the present subjunctive of 'ser', used because the speaker is entertaining a possibility rather than stating a fact.
más que historia more than a story
The comparative construction 'más que' means 'more than'. Note that the article is dropped before 'historia' in this poetic context, which is common in song lyrics for rhythm and flow.
pasó buscando passed by searching / spent time searching
pasar + gerund is a periphrastic construction meaning 'to spend time doing something'. 'Su vida entera pasó buscando' = 'her whole life was spent searching'. The gerund describes what was happening throughout the time that passed.
alma en pena tormented soul / soul in anguish
'Alma en pena' is a fixed Spanish expression referring to a suffering or wandering soul — often evoking the image of a ghost or spirit condemned to wander. It is not simply 'a soul in sorrow' but carries a strong cultural and literary weight.
Detrás de behind / beneath
'Detrás de' is a prepositional phrase meaning 'behind' or 'at the back of'. It requires 'de' after it — you cannot say 'detrás su manto'; it must be 'detrás de su manto'.
Tenía escondidas had hidden
tener + past participle (agreeing in gender/number with the object) is a construction expressing a state resulting from an action. 'Tenía escondidas tremendas armas' = 'she had tremendous weapons hidden (away)'. The participle 'escondidas' agrees with 'armas' (feminine plural), not with the subject.
cara a cara face to face
'Cara a cara' is a fixed idiomatic expression meaning 'face to face' or 'head to head'. It is used both literally and figuratively for direct confrontation. The repetition of 'cara' with 'a' between them is the standard Spanish pattern for this type of expression (e.g., 'mano a mano', 'paso a paso').
librar batallas to fight / wage battles
'Librar una batalla' is the standard Spanish collocation for 'to fight/wage a battle'. The verb 'librar' in this context means to fight or engage in combat, not its more common meaning of 'to free/liberate'. This is a fixed verb-noun pairing learners should memorize.
con ventaja with advantage / advantageously
'Con ventaja' is a prepositional phrase meaning 'with advantage' or 'advantageously'. In Spanish, 'con' + noun often replaces an adverb: 'con ventaja' = 'advantageously', 'con cuidado' = 'carefully'. This is a very productive pattern.
de mano en mano from hand to hand
'De X en X' is a productive Spanish pattern meaning 'from X to X', expressing movement or passage through a series. Other examples: 'de boca en boca' (by word of mouth), 'de casa en casa' (from house to house). It always follows the structure 'de + noun + en + same noun'.
Le fue muy mal Things went very badly for her
'Irle bien/mal a alguien' is a key idiomatic construction meaning 'for things to go well/badly for someone'. The indirect object pronoun 'le' indicates who is affected. Compare: 'Me fue bien' = 'Things went well for me'. The subject is impersonal — there is no explicit subject noun.
de boca en boca from mouth to mouth / by word of mouth
Another instance of the 'de X en X' pattern. 'De boca en boca' specifically is a fixed expression meaning 'by word of mouth' — information or gossip spreading from person to person. Here it is used more literally to describe Lola passing between people.
de cama en cama from bed to bed
A third instance of the 'de X en X' pattern, here used with strong sexual connotation — moving from one lover's bed to another. The repetition of this structure across lines 8 and 9 creates a rhythmic, accumulative effect typical of Spanish song lyrics.
se desgasta wears out / gets worn down
desgastarse is a reflexive verb meaning 'to wear out' or 'to erode'. The plain verb 'desgastar' means 'to wear something out' (transitive), while the reflexive 'desgastarse' means 'to wear out on its own / to become worn'. The reflexive shifts the meaning from active to passive/spontaneous.
Se queda vieja She grows old / She becomes old
quedarse + adjective is a very common Spanish construction meaning 'to become' or 'to end up (in a state)'. It describes a change of state. 'Se queda vieja' = 'she becomes/grows old'. Compare: 'quedarse solo' (to end up alone), 'quedarse callado' (to go quiet). This is different from plain 'quedar' (to remain/be left).
la pena arrastra sorrow drags her along
Here 'la' is a direct object pronoun ('her'), not the article. The structure is 'la pena + la (her) + arrastra' = 'sorrow drags her'. In Spanish, the direct object pronoun is placed before the conjugated verb, which can be confusing when the pronoun and article look identical.
Óyeme Listen to me / Hear me
This is an imperative form of 'oír' (to hear/listen) with the clitic pronoun 'me' (me) attached directly to the end of the verb. In Spanish, object pronouns attach to the end of affirmative imperatives. 'Óye' alone = 'listen!'; 'Óyeme' = 'listen to me!'
qué manera de caminar what a way of walking
'Qué + noun + de + infinitive' is a Spanish exclamatory construction expressing admiration or surprise. 'Qué manera de caminar' = 'what a way to walk!' The structure 'qué + noun' is the standard exclamatory pattern, equivalent to English 'what a + noun'.
Mira qué soberbia Look at what pride / Look how proud
'Mira qué + noun/adjective' is a colloquial exclamatory construction meaning 'look at what...' or 'look how...'. 'Mira' here is an imperative used to direct attention. This pattern is very common in spoken Spanish: 'Mira qué bonito' = 'Look how beautiful'.
en su mirar in her gaze / in her way of looking
In Spanish, an infinitive can be used as a noun (called a 'sustantivación del infinitivo'). Here 'mirar' (to look) functions as a masculine noun meaning 'the act of looking' or 'gaze'. This is a poetic device common in song lyrics and literature.
hasta el instante de until the moment of
'Hasta' as a preposition means 'until' or 'up to'. 'Hasta el instante de' + infinitive means 'until the moment of doing something'. This construction marks the endpoint of a state or action.
entregarse a to give herself to / to surrender to
entregarse is a reflexive verb meaning 'to give oneself to' or 'to surrender to'. It governs the preposition 'a'. The plain verb 'entregar' means 'to hand over/deliver' (transitive), while 'entregarse a' means 'to devote/surrender oneself to someone or something'.
Tienes el consuelo de You have the consolation of
'Tener el + noun + de + infinitive' is a construction expressing that someone possesses a particular comfort, advantage, or quality. 'Tienes el consuelo de saberte llena' = 'You have the consolation of knowing yourself to be full'. The 'de' links the noun to the following infinitive.
saberte llena knowing yourself to be full
'Saber + reflexive clitic + adjective/participle' is a construction meaning 'to know oneself to be (something)'. 'Saberte llena' = 'knowing yourself to be full'. The clitic 'te' refers back to the subject (Lola/you). This is a sophisticated construction expressing self-awareness.
nadie supo robar nobody knew how to steal / nobody managed to steal
'Saber + infinitive' means 'to know how to do something'. In the preterite, 'supo' can also carry the nuance of 'managed to' or 'was able to'. 'Nadie supo robar' = 'nobody knew how to steal / nobody managed to steal'. This is different from 'poder' (to be able to) — 'saber' implies skill or knowledge.
te sobra you have in excess / you have left over
'Sobrar' is a verb meaning 'to be left over' or 'to be in excess'. Like 'gustar', it works inversely to English: the thing that is in excess is the grammatical subject, and the person is the indirect object. 'Te sobra' = 'it is left over for you / you have too much of it'. 'Me sobra tiempo' = 'I have time to spare'.
la arruga que no perdona the wrinkle that shows no mercy
'No perdonar' used figuratively means 'to show no mercy / to spare no one'. The phrase 'el tiempo no perdona' is a common Spanish saying meaning 'time shows no mercy' (i.e., aging is inevitable). Here 'la arruga' (the wrinkle) is personified as something that does not forgive or spare anyone.
la fruta y la pintura fruit and makeup / the ripe fruit and the paint
This is a poetic double metaphor. 'La fruta' (fruit) suggests ripeness and the peak of beauty, while 'la pintura' (paint/makeup) refers to cosmetics used to maintain appearances. Together they evoke the idea of aging — relying on makeup to cover what time has done, like painting over something past its prime.

Vocabulary to learn from “La lola”

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.

ser it may be / it is

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

mirar look / look at

sung: mira
mirar — present tense
yo miro
tú miras
él / ella / usted mira
nosotros miramos
vosotros miráis
ellos / ustedes miran

oír listen to me / hear me

sung: óyeme irregular
oír — present tense
yo oigo
tú oyes
él / ella / usted oye
nosotros oímos
vosotros oís
ellos / ustedes oyen

caminar to walk

caminar — present tense
yo camino
tú caminas
él / ella / usted camina
nosotros caminamos
vosotros camináis
ellos / ustedes caminan

tener has / she has

sung: tiene irregular
tener — present tense
yo tengo
tú tienes
él / ella / usted tiene
nosotros tenemos
vosotros tenéis
ellos / ustedes tienen

Grammar you'll meet in this song

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