cero a la izquierda is a fantastic Spanish idiom that literally translates to "a zero on the left". Think about it: a zero in front of a number, like in '07', adds no value.
Figuratively, it means something or someone is worthless or completely insignificant. In the song, Shakira sings "el pasado es un cero a la izquierda" (the past is a zero on the left) to powerfully express that she's letting go of what's behind her and focusing only on the present and future. Learning idioms like this is a great way to sound more like a native speaker!
Shakira kicks this song off with a very direct take on life: "La vida es una perra, ya lo sé" (Life is a bitch, I know). It's a fun, blunt way to say she understands that daily routines and stress can be overwhelming. The song argues that we often get bogged down by small things and forget to live. Her solution? Grab a towel and head to the beach to forget "lo malo del mundo" (the bad things in the world), even if just for a moment. The whole point is summed up in the chorus: "No importa cómo, dónde y cuándo / Lo que importa es con quién" (It doesn't matter how, where, or when / What matters is who you're with).
The song encourages you to live in the now. Shakira sings that "el pasado es un cero a la izquierda" (the past is worthless) and that "sólo existe hoy" (only today exists). It's all about shaking off what weighs you down and finding strength in the present moment with good people. She even throws in a funny observation that the only honest people left are "los borrachos en los bares" (the drunks in the bars)! It's a great reminder that time flies when you're having fun, so you should spend it with the right company.
Shakira signed to Sony Music Colombia at thirteen, and her debut album Magia sold about 1,200 copies in Colombia. Born in Barranquilla in 1977 to a family of Lebanese, Catalan and Colombian descent, she was belly dancing by four, after hearing Arabic drumming at a Middle Eastern restaurant near home, and she has written or co-written most of what she records.
The breakthrough came with Pies Descalzos (1995) and its single "Estoy Aquí", and ¿Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998) followed with "Ciega, Sordomuda" and "Ojos Así". She moved into English on Laundry Service (2001), whose "Whenever, Wherever" was released in Spanish as "Suerte", then topped the US Hot 100 in 2006 with "Hips Don’t Lie", featuring Wyclef Jean. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", recorded with the South African band Freshlyground, was the official song of the 2010 World Cup. Her 2023 session with Argentine producer Bizarrap won Latin Grammy Song of the Year, and Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran took Best Latin Pop Album at the 2025 Grammys, her fourth Grammy next to fifteen Latin Grammys.