João Gilberto
O Pato lyrics with English translation
- Language
- Portuguese
- Level
- Intermediate
- Released
- 1960
- Genre
- Bossa Nova
- Length
- 2:03
Vinha cantando alegremente
I came singing joyfully
Quém! Quém
Quém! Quém
Quando um Marreco sorridente pediu
When a smiling Duck asked
Para entrar também no samba
To join in the samba too
No samba, no samba
In the samba, in the samba
O Ganso, gostou da dupla
The Goose liked the duo
E fez também
And joined in as well
Quém! Quém! Quém
Quém! Quém! Quém
Olhou pro Cisne
Looked at the Swan
E disse assim
And said like this
Vem! Vem!
Come! Come!
Que o quarteto ficará bem
The quartet will be just fine
Muito bom, muito bem
Very good, very well
Na beira da lagoa
By the edge of the pond
Foram ensaiar
They went to rehearse
Para começar
To get started
O tico-tico no fubá
The little chirp in the cornmeal
A voz do Pato
The voice of the Duck
Era mesmo um desacato
It was truly a disrespect
Jogo de cena com o Ganso era mato
The scene play with the Goose was wild
Mas eu gostei do final
But I liked the ending
Quando caíram n'água
When they fell in the water
E ensaiando o vocal
And rehearsing the vocals
Quém! Quém! Quém! Quém
Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack
Quém! Quém! Quém! Quém
Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack
Quém! Quém! Quém! Quém
Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack
O Pato
The Duck
Vinha cantando alegremente
Was singing joyfully
Quém! Quém
Quack! Quack
Quando um Marreco sorridente pediu
When a smiling Duckling asked
Para entrar também no samba
To join in the samba too
No samba, no samba
In the samba, in the samba
O Ganso, gostou da dupla
The Goose liked the duo
E fez também
And did too
Quém! Quém! Quém
Quack! Quack! Quack
Olhou pro Cisne
Looked at the Swan
E disse assim
And said like this
Vem! Vem
Come! Come
Que um quarteto ficará bem
That a quartet will sound good
Muito bom, muito bem
Very good, very well
Na beira da lagoa
By the edge of the pond
Foram ensaiar
They gathered to rehearse
Para começar
To start off
O tico-tico no fubá
The tico-tico in the cornmeal
A voz do Pato
The voice of the Duck
Era mesmo um desacato
It truly was a disgrace
Jogo de cena com o Ganso era mato
A scene play with the Goose was wild
Mas eu gostei do final
But I liked the ending
Quando caíram n'água
When they fell into the water
E ensaiando o vocal
And rehearsing the vocals
Quém! Quém! Quém! Quém
Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack
Quém! Quém! Quém! Quém
Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack
Quém! Quém! Quém! Quém
Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack
Quém! Quém! Quém! Quém
Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack
Quém! Quém! Quém! Quém
Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack
Quém! Quém! Quém! Quém
Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack
Quém! Quém! Quém! Quém
Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack
Key vocabulary
- vem
- comeA1
- voz
- voiceA1
- vinha
- vineyardB1
- cantando
- singing
- alegremente
- happilyB2
- quém
- whoA1
- marreco
- mallard
- sorridente
- smilingB2
- pediu
- asked
- entrar
- enterA1
Test yourself
How much of O Pato did you catch?
A quick quiz on the key words from this song.
About this song
João Gilberto was a Brazilian singer and guitarist associated with bossa nova, and one of its key architects. He is known for shaping the style through understated acoustic guitar rhythms and a restrained vocal approach that helped define the samba and jazz-informed sound, including on seminal recordings such as Chega de Saudade and Getz/Gilberto.