Below, I translated the lyrics of the song El Perdedor by Aventura from Spanish to English.
These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!
There's a saying
You don't know what you have
Or: One doesn't know what he has
Until you lose it
Or: Until it's lost
Verse 1
I saw you cry
You lived in monotony
And I was listening to you talk
But it was him who was understanding you
Prechorus 1
And he stole that treasure
'Tesoro de duende', (literally 'leprechaun treasure'), is a figurative expression that can be translated as 'treasure of a sprite' or 'treasure of an enchantment' in English
And now I understand the value
That defects are not covered with pretexts
Or: That flaws can't be covered up with excuses
And instead, I feel resentment
Chorus 1
Oh, go and tell him that I hate him and detest him
For having what was mine
Although the guilty one I have been
That today I consider him an enemy
Regretting my loss
In the battle for your love
Emphasize that I don't sleep at night
Imagining that in sex
He devours you with passion
I lack courage to admit
That by your side, I was a child
And his manhood overcame
And his manhood surpassed (mine)
Add that today I revealed myself
Envious, selfish
Impulsive without control
For believing that I was the only one
That you would love, how stupid
Guy with the prize and me the loser
'Fulano' is a colloquial term used in Spanish, particularly in Latin American countries, to refer to an unspecified or generic person. It is similar to saying 'so-and-so' or 'John Doe' in English
Verse 2
I saw him arrive
And I didn't think that it would matter
And he started to conquer you
Turning you into my enemy
Prechorus 2
And he stole that treasure
'Tesoro de duende', (literally 'leprechaun treasure'), is a figurative expression that can be translated as 'treasure of a sprite' or 'treasure of an enchantment' in English
And now I understand the value
That defects are not covered with pretexts
And instead, I feel resentment
Chorus 2
Oh, go and tell him that I hate him and detest him
For having what was mine
And although I have been the guilty one
That today I consider him an enemy
Regretting my loss
In the battle for your love
Emphasize that I don't sleep at night
Imagining that in sex
He devours you with passion
I lack maturity to admit
That by your side, I was a child
And his manhood overcame
Add that today I revealed myself
Envious and selfish
Impulsive without control
For believing that I was the only one
That you would love, how stupid
'Fulano' is a colloquial term used in Spanish, particularly in Latin American countries, to refer to an unspecified or generic person. It is similar to saying 'so-and-so' or 'John Doe' in English
Guy with the prize
And me the loser
Lyrics and Translations Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fulano is a colloquial term for "so-and-so" or "what's-his-name". It's a placeholder used to refer to a man whose name you don't know, or more fittingly in this song, a name you don't care to use.
In "El Perdedor", the singer spits out the word with contempt, referring to his rival as just some random guy: "Fulano con el premio y yo el perdedor" (What's-his-name with the prize, and I'm the loser). It’s a powerful, dismissive word that perfectly captures the jealousy and bitterness of losing someone you love.
Ever heard the saying, "You don't know what you have until it's gone"? Aventura kicks off this bachata classic with that exact idea. The singer has lost his girlfriend to another man, and he is absolutely spiraling.
He admits he was the problem, confessing he was just a "chiquillo" (little boy) next to her. But he's also filled with rage and jealousy towards the new guy. He wants his ex to go tell her new man everything: that he hates him, that he can't sleep at night imagining them together, and that he's now an "envidioso, egoísta / Impulsivo sin control" (envious, selfish / impulsive guy without control). It's a brutally honest song about regret, where the other guy gets the prize and our singer is left as "el perdedor" (the loser).
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