Desesperando is a powerful verb that means "despairing" or "getting desperate". It perfectly captures a feeling of growing frustration and hopelessness.
In the song, the singer is tired of only ever getting the answer "maybe" (quizás). They sing, "Y yo, desesperando" (And I, getting desperate), showing how the constant uncertainty is driving them crazy. It's a very dramatic word that reveals the emotional heart of this classic song.
Have you ever tried to make plans with someone who just can't give you a straight answer? That's the entire mood of this classic song, performed here by Guatemalan artist Gaby Moreno. The singer is stuck in a loop, asking basic questions like "Qué, cuándo, cómo y dónde" (What, when, how, and where), only to get the same frustrating reply every single time: "Quizás, quizás, quizás" (Maybe, maybe, maybe).
You can feel the singer's patience wearing thin as the days go by. They complain, "Y yo, desesperando" (And me, getting desperate), while the other person just keeps thinking. The singer finally calls them out for it, saying "Estás perdiendo el tiempo / Pensando, pensando" (You're wasting time / Thinking, thinking). The song's simple, repeated plea, "¿Hasta cuándo?" (Until when?), shows someone who is completely fed up with waiting for a simple yes or no.