No Lyrics in English by Shakira
Cemento is the Spanish word for "cement", a common building material. But in this song, Shakira uses it in a deeply poetic and unexpected way.
She sings the powerful line, "Pesa más la rabia que el cemento", which translates to "Anger weighs more than cement". By comparing the emotional weight of her rage to a famously heavy material, she creates a stark and unforgettable image of how heavy her heartbreak feels.
This song is one of the most direct breakup anthems you'll ever hear. Shakira is completely done with someone and tells them exactly why. She starts by shutting down any apologies, saying, "Las excusas ya existían antes de ti" [Excuses already existed before you]. She sees right through their attempts to win her back, calling their way of speaking their "arma más letal" [most lethal weapon]. It's a powerful and firm rejection of a relationship that has become toxic.
But what makes this song so good is that it's not just anger. She admits how much this person meant to her, singing, "La esperanza que me dio tu amor / No me la dio más nadie" [The hope your love gave me / No one else gave me]. She's not just mad; she's heartbroken because something that once gave her so much hope has turned into "tanto veneno" [so much poison]. She's decided she can't live like that anymore, declaring that her "rabia" [anger] now "pesa más... que el cemento" [weighs more... than cement]. It's a final, painful goodbye to save herself.
