Oye como va Celia Cruz Translation Meaning and Lyrics

Song Meaning

'Oye como va' means 'Hey, How is it going?' in English. It is a name of a song by 'Celia Cruz' human translated here by a native speaker.

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Lyrics and Translations

'Oye como va' human translated and annotated. Look for notes about interesting vocabulary, language constructions, idioms, changes to transcribed words, grammar rules and general info that our members have discovered

Song is in Spanish which is has full support in the Cloudlingo system. Use the controls below to turn on and off different views of the lyrics and their translations.

Display: Lyrics Word by Word Translations Aligned Translations Free Translations

Test: Typing Test; click in the text boxes on each line and start typing the words! Speech Test; click the links and then say the words!

Lingo Script Icons

Line 1
Original Lyrics: Oye como va

Typing Test:    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Hey how' 's it going

Free Translation: Hey how is it going?

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 2
Original Lyrics: Mi ritmo bueno pa' goza', mulata

Typing Test:       '   ',  

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: My good rhythm , mulatto

Free Translation: my rhythm is good to enjoy, mulata

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 3
Original Lyrics: Oye como va

Typing Test:    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Hey how' 's it going

Free Translation: Hey how is it going?

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 4
Original Lyrics: Mi ritmo bueno pa' goza', mulata

Typing Test:       '   ',  

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: My good rhythm , mulatto

Free Translation: my rhythm is good to enjoy, mulata

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 5
Original Lyrics: Si no sabes bailar

Typing Test:        

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: If you don' 't know how to dance

Free Translation: If you don't know how to dance

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 6
Original Lyrics: Si estás "peliao" con el son

Typing Test:     ""      

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: If you with the son

Free Translation: If you are "fighting" with the rhythm

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 7
Original Lyrics: Sígueme marcando el paso

Typing Test:      

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Follow me marking the step

Free Translation: Follow me marking the step

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 8
Original Lyrics: Y te aseguro que te lo va a sobrosón

Typing Test:                

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: And I assure you that it will be sobroson

Free Translation: And I assure you that it will be fun

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 9
Original Lyrics: Voy pa la rumba, la rumba, la rumba

Typing Test:       ,     ,    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: I'm going to the party to the party to the party

Free Translation: I'm going to the party, to the party, to the party

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 10
Original Lyrics: Porque me llama, me llama, me llama

Typing Test:     ,     ,    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: 'Cause , it calls me it calls me it calls me

Free Translation: 'Cause it's calling me, he's calling me, he's calling me

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 11
Original Lyrics: Y necesito que suene el coro

Typing Test:          

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: And I need the chorus to sound

Free Translation: And I need the choir to sound

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 12
Original Lyrics: Para que se ponga a vacilar

Typing Test:          

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: To make him start to waver

Free Translation: To start to have fun

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 13
Original Lyrics: Y te lo digo

Typing Test:      

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: And I'm telling you

Free Translation: And I'm telling you

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 14
Original Lyrics: Oye como va

Typing Test:    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Hey how' 's it going

Free Translation: Hey how is it going?

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 15
Original Lyrics: Mi ritmo bueno pa' goza', mulata

Typing Test:       '   ',  

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: My good rhythm , mulatto

Free Translation: my rhythm is good to enjoy, mulata

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 16
Original Lyrics: Oye como va

Typing Test:    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Hey how' 's it going

Free Translation: Hey how is it going?

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 17
Original Lyrics: Mi ritmo bueno pa' goza', mulata

Typing Test:       '   ',  

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: My good rhythm , mulatto

Free Translation: my rhythm is good to enjoy, mulata

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 18
Original Lyrics: Esto se pone caliente

Typing Test:      

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: This is getting hot

Free Translation: This is getting hot

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 19
Original Lyrics: Esto se baila "apretao"

Typing Test:       ""

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: This is danced very close

Free Translation: This is danced "tight"

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 20
Original Lyrics: Cuatro pasito' "pal" frente

Typing Test:   '   ""  

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Four little steps to the front

Free Translation: Four little steps to the front

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 21
Original Lyrics: Y un "meneito" de "lao"

Typing Test:     ""     ""

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: And a little dance from one side

Free Translation: And a "little wiggle" from one side

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 22
Original Lyrics: Porque la rumba, la rumba, la rumba

Typing Test:     ,     ,    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Because the the rumba

Free Translation: Because the party the party the party

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 23
Original Lyrics: Tiene la clave, la clave, la clave

Typing Test:     ,     ,    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: He's got the key the key, the key

Free Translation: has the key, the key, the key

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 24
Original Lyrics: Y hay que meterle candela al jarro

Typing Test:            

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: And you have to put fire in the jar

Free Translation: And you have to put the jar on fire

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 25
Original Lyrics: Para que suene así como va

Typing Test:          

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: To make it sound the way it goes

Free Translation: To make it sound the way it goes

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 26
Original Lyrics: Te lo repito

Typing Test:    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: I repeat it to you

Free Translation: I repeat it to you

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 27
Original Lyrics: Oye como va

Typing Test:    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Hey how' 's it going

Free Translation: Hey how is it going?

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 28
Original Lyrics: Mi ritmo bueno pa' goza', mulata

Typing Test:       '   ',  

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: My good rhythm , mulatto

Free Translation: my rhythm is good to enjoy, mulata

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 29
Original Lyrics: Oye como va

Typing Test:    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Hey how' 's it going

Free Translation: Hey how is it going?

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 30
Original Lyrics: Mi ritmo bueno pa' goza', mulata

Typing Test:       '   ',  

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: My good rhythm , mulatto

Free Translation: my rhythm is good to enjoy, mulata

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 31
Original Lyrics: Oye como va

Typing Test:    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Hey how' 's it going

Free Translation: Hey how is it going?

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 32
Original Lyrics: (Ay camina como Chencha o no va a echa pa tra)

Typing Test: (                     )

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: (Ay walk like chencha or not vay tch pa tra)

Free Translation: hey, walk like Chencha or you will put us down

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 33
Original Lyrics: Oye como va

Typing Test:    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Hey how' 's it going

Free Translation: Hey how is it going?

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 34
Original Lyrics: (Oye Como Va Oye Como va)

Typing Test: (           )

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: How It Goes Hey How it Goes)

Free Translation: (Hey How It Goes Hey How it Goes)

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 35
Original Lyrics: (Quimbara quimbara cumba quimbamra quimbara cumba quimbara quimbara cumba quimbamba

Typing Test: (                   )

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Quimbara quimbara cumba quimbamra quimbara cumba quimbamba

Free Translation: (Quimbara quimbara cumba quimbamra quimbara cumba quimbara quimbara cumba quimbamba)

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 36
Original Lyrics: Oye como va

Typing Test:    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: hey

Free Translation: Hey how's it going

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 37
Original Lyrics: (Como va la rumba, Como viene y va)

Typing Test: (       ,         )

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: how the rumba goes, as it comes

Free Translation: (As the rumba goes, as it comes and goes)

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 38
Original Lyrics: Oye como va

Typing Test:     ,    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: hey

Free Translation: Hey how's it going

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 39
Original Lyrics: Y llega el negro Vicente

Typing Test:        

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: And the black Vicente arrives

Free Translation: And Vicente "the black" arrives

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 40
Original Lyrics: Y el bodegero de al lado

Typing Test:          

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: And the employee next door

Free Translation: And the employee next door

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 41
Original Lyrics: Que venga toda mi gente (mi gente)

Typing Test:           (   )

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Let all my people come (my people)

Free Translation: Let all my people come (my people)

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 42
Original Lyrics: Para que gocen "tumbao"

Typing Test:       ""

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: for they to enjoy themselves laying back

Free Translation: for they to enjoy themselves laying back

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 43
Original Lyrics: Porque la rumba, la rumba, la rumba

Typing Test:     ,     ,    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Because the the rumba

Free Translation: Because the party the party the party

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 44
Original Lyrics: Tiene la clave, la clave, la clave

Typing Test:     ,     ,    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: He's got the key the key, the key

Free Translation: has the key, the key, the key

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 45
Original Lyrics: Y hay que meterle candela al jarro

Typing Test:            

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: And you have to put fire in the jar

Free Translation: And you have to put the jar on fire

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 46
Original Lyrics: Para que suene así como va

Typing Test:          

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: To make it sound the way it goes

Free Translation: To make it sound the way it goes

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 47
Original Lyrics: Bien suavecito

Typing Test:  

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Very soft

Free Translation: very softly

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 48
Original Lyrics: Oye como va

Typing Test:    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Hey how' 's it going

Free Translation: Hey how is it going?

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 49
Original Lyrics: Mi ritmo bueno pa' goza', mulata

Typing Test:       '   ',  

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: My good rhythm , mulatto

Free Translation: my rhythm is good to enjoy, mulata

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 50
Original Lyrics: Oye como va

Typing Test:    

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: Hey how' 's it going

Free Translation: Hey how is it going?

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 51
Original Lyrics: Mi ritmo

Typing Test:  

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: my pace

Free Translation: my rhythm

Lingo Script Icons:

Line 52
Original Lyrics: bueno pa' goza',

Typing Test:   '   ',

Voice Test:

Aligned Translation: good to enjoy oneself

Free Translation: good to enjoy oneself

Lingo Script Icons:

Review

Celia Cruz sang this version of OYE COMO VA, but Tito Puente wrote and sang this song in 1962. The song became popular in 1970 when the American rock group Santana recorded it for their album Abraxas. The song is part of the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Grammy Hall of Fame since 2002. For its multinational origins and many versions, this song represents "the interconnectedness, hybridity and transnationality" of Latin Music

You can learn from this song's expressions, diminutives, and contractions. The part that calls the attention the most is Celia’s famous phrase: Quimbara quimbara cumba quimbamra quimbara cumba quimbara quimbara cumba quimbamba. Celia tried to imitate the sounds that the drum produced.

Submitted by user: ANDRESFREELANCER

Average Ratings

Most people find the song lyrics easy to understand lyrics, lyrics sung fast and it has hard to remember verbs and nouns

Most words used are in very common daily usage.RAE

Oye como va has 130 BPM (beats per minute)

References

RAE Based on a median word frequency of 161 using the frequency database from the Royal Spanish Academy (La Real Academia Española)

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