Spanish to English
Macarena Song Translation
A complete line-by-line breakdown of every verse in the original Spanish, with English translations, vocabulary definitions, and cultural context for each reference.
Translating the Macarena is not as straightforward as running it through a dictionary. The original Spanish lyrics by Los del Rio use Andalusian slang, cultural references specific to southern Spain, and wordplay that loses its punch in a literal translation. This page breaks the song down stanza by stanza, giving you the original Spanish text, a natural English equivalent, and notes on the grammar and vocabulary that make each line work.
If you are looking for the full lyrics without the linguistic breakdown, visit the complete Macarena lyrics page. For an analysis of what the story means and why it matters culturally, see our Macarena song meaning guide.
Chorus (Estribillo)
Dale a tu cuerpo alegria Macarena
Give your body joy, Macarena
Que tu cuerpo es pa' darle alegria y cosa buena
Because your body is for giving it joy and good things
Dale a tu cuerpo alegria, Macarena
Give your body joy, Macarena
Eh, Macarena! Aaaaay!
Hey, Macarena! Aaaaay!
Vocabulary and Grammar Notes
Dale: The imperative form of "dar" (to give). "Dale" literally means "give it." In conversational Spanish it often functions as "go ahead" or "do it."
pa': A colloquial contraction of "para" (for). Common in spoken Andalusian Spanish and throughout Latin America.
cosa buena: "Good thing" or "good stuff." In this context it carries a double meaning, referring both to wholesome enjoyment and to physical pleasure.
Verse 1 (Primera Estrofa)
Macarena tiene un novio que se llama
Macarena has a boyfriend whose name is
Que se llama de apellido Vitorino
Whose last name is Vitorino
Y en la jura de bandera del muchacho
And during the boy's flag-swearing ceremony
Se la dio con dos amigos
She got together with two of his friends
Vocabulary and Grammar Notes
jura de bandera: A military oath ceremony in Spain where conscripts swear loyalty to the national flag. Until 2001, military service was compulsory for Spanish men.
se la dio: A colloquial expression meaning "she gave herself to" or "she got involved with." The phrasing is deliberately euphemistic.
de apellido: "By last name" or "by surname." Specifying the surname emphasizes that this is a real, known person in the story.
Verse 2 (Segunda Estrofa)
Macarena suena con El Corte Ingles
Macarena dreams of El Corte Ingles
Y se compra los modelos mas modernos
And she buys the most modern styles
Le gustaria vivir en Nueva York
She would like to live in New York
Y ligar un novio nuevo
And pick up a new boyfriend
Vocabulary and Grammar Notes
El Corte Ingles: Spain's largest department store chain, comparable to Harrods in London or Macy's in the United States. The name translates literally to "The English Cut," referring to a style of tailoring.
ligar: Spanish slang for flirting, hooking up, or picking someone up romantically. Very common in casual conversation but carries a forward, assertive tone.
Nueva York: New York. In the 1990s, New York represented the peak of cosmopolitan aspiration for many Europeans. Macarena's desire to live there signals her ambition beyond small-town Andalusia.
Verse 3 (Tercera Estrofa)
Macarena, Macarena, Macarena
Macarena, Macarena, Macarena
Que te gustan los veranos de Marbella
You like the summers of Marbella
Macarena, Macarena, Macarena
Macarena, Macarena, Macarena
Que te gusta la movida guerrillera
You like the guerrilla scene
Vocabulary and Grammar Notes
Marbella: A glamorous resort city on Spain's Costa del Sol, known for beaches, nightlife, and wealth. Spending summers there implies a taste for the high life.
la movida: Likely a reference to "La Movida Madrilena," the countercultural movement that swept Spain after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975. It celebrated artistic freedom, nightlife, and rebellion against conservative traditions.
guerrillera: Literally "guerrilla" (feminine form). Combined with "movida," this suggests Macarena enjoys an edgy, nonconformist lifestyle rather than literal guerrilla warfare.
Pronunciation Tips for Non-Spanish Speakers
Alegria (ah-leh-GREE-ah): Stress falls on the third syllable. The "g" is soft, almost like an English "h" in some dialects. Means "joy" or "happiness."
Jura (HOO-rah): The Spanish "j" sounds like an English "h." This word means "oath" or "swearing-in."
Guerrillera (geh-ree-YEH-rah): Four syllables. The double "l" in Castilian Spanish makes a "y" sound (or "j" sound in some Latin American dialects).
Ligar (lee-GAR): Stress on the second syllable. A common colloquial verb that does not appear in most beginner textbooks.
A Note on Andalusian Spanish
Los del Rio are from Dos Hermanas, a town near Seville in the Andalusia region of southern Spain. Andalusian Spanish differs from standard Castilian in several ways that show up in the Macarena lyrics. Contractions like "pa'" instead of "para" are standard in spoken Andalusian. Word-final consonants are often dropped or softened. And colloquial expressions like "se la dio" carry meanings that a textbook translation would miss entirely.
Understanding these regional features is important because they explain why some translations of the Macarena feel awkward or incomplete. The song was written to sound natural in the Andalusian dialect, not to be easily translated into other languages. That gap between the original feel and the translated words is part of what allowed the song to become a family-friendly hit worldwide, since most listeners simply could not parse what was actually being said.
Learn the Dance
Now that you can understand every word, learn the 16-count sequence that goes with it.
Learn the Dance Moves