Te Quiero Lyrics in English Stromae

Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Te Quiero by Stromae from French to English.
One day I saw her, I immediately knew that
we'd have to play those absurd games
Jewels, kisses and tra-la-las, sweet words and low blows
Insults, punches, etcetera, etcetera
No! Not mine but hers, yes
Our kid will become hers too after
In the end the judge will insist, I guess
Picture me and her with it under her arm
And my dirty jeans and all that
I love her to death but for life
We'll say 'yes', for life, till death
And even if we change our minds
Even knowing we're wrong
We won't change life, so like everybody
I'll suffer from it till death
I'd like to be her shadow
But I hate her
Even at the end of the world
Well then, let her stay there
Yeah I loved her so much
I still love her
I won't have a choice, no
Till death
I love you
I love you
Till death
I love you
I love you
I love you
One day I'll see her again, I'll know it immediately
that we'll be off again for another lap
One more world, a new judge
And then their smells of piss
It'll just become repetitive once more
Picture me in my old jeans
But that time, homeless
Morale low, up on a bridge
A cliff or a building
I'll look like an idiot when I jump into the void
I love her to death, I love her to death
I love her to death, I love her to death, I love her to death
I love her to death, I love her to death, I love her to death
I love her to death, I love her to death, I love her to death
I love her to death but for life
We'll say 'yes', for life, till death
And even if we change our minds
Even knowing we're wrong
We won't change life
So like everybody
I'll suffer from it till death
I'd like to be her shadow
But I hate her
Even at the end of the world
Well then, let her stay there
Yeah I loved her so much
I still love her
I won't have a choice, no
Till death
I love you
I love you
Till death
I love you
I love you
Outro
I love her to death, I love her to death
I love her to death, I love her to death, I love her to death
I love her to death
I love her to death
Lyrics and Translations Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lyrics © BECAUSE EDITIONS
Paul Van Haver
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tralalasetceteras / frills

Tralalas is a playful and somewhat onomatopoeic word that means 'etceteras' or 'frills'. It's not a formal word, but rather an informal way to refer to the trivial or superficial aspects of something, often implying a lighthearted or dismissive tone.

In the context of Stromae's song, it appears in the line "Bijoux, bisous et tralalas, mots doux et coups bas" (Jewelry, kisses and frills, sweet words and low blows). Here, 'tralalas' encapsulates the superficial gestures and empty promises that often accompany a tumultuous relationship, contrasting sharply with the deeper emotional struggles the singer describes. Its unique sound and meaning make it memorable and intriguing.

Stromae turns the tender phrase “Te quiero” into a bittersweet confession. In the song, the Belgian artist slips into the shoes of someone hopelessly tangled in a toxic relationship. He imagines the roller-coaster of passion, insults, legal battles, and heartbreak that follow “I love you” once infatuation curdles. Marriage, children, judges, and even homelessness flash before his eyes, yet the chorus keeps circling back to that deceptively simple te quiero—a reminder that love and pain can cling together like inseparable twins.

The result is a darkly humorous tango between devotion and self-destruction. Stromae’s narrator swears eternal love while picturing himself jumping off a bridge, dreams of being her shadow but also wishes she would disappear to the ends of the earth. The repetitive refrain and pounding beat mirror the endless loop of break-up and make-up, highlighting how obsession can trap us in cycles we know are harmful but can’t resist. In short, “Te Quiero” is a catchy warning: sometimes the sweetest words hide the sharpest edges.

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