Justin Bieber, Luis Fonsi Sing 'Despacito': What Are the English Lyrics?

What are the English lyrics to Justin Bieber and Luis Fonsi song, 'Despacito?'
Justin Bieber performs at Fontainebleau Miami Beach on December 31 in Miami Beach, Florida. Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images

After Justin Bieber recently messed up the lyrics to Luis Fonsi's chart-topping Spanish-language song "Despacito," the Puerto Rican singer wasn't all that offended: After all, Bieber is Canadian and English is his native tongue. So it was apparently understandable to Fonsi that the pop star fumbled the words.

"That chorus is not easy to sing, even for fluent Spanish singers like myself," Fonsi told Rolling Stone during an interview released Wednesday. "It's got a lot of lyrics, it's kind of tongue-twisty."

"Despacito," which Bieber performed at the nightclub 1 OAK in New York, has maintained its No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three weeks in a row. It's the first song the 23-year-old has sung in Spanish.

"It's big for Latin music that a global star like Justin Bieber takes the time to do the song, to do it in Spanish," the 39-year-old Fonsi said. "I've done songs in other languages, I know how hard it is."

It seems logical that singers who aren't well-versed in the Spanish language might flub the lyrics to the up-tempo love ballad, especially if they're unsure of the song's translation. So what exactly does "Despacito" mean?

It means slowly.

"I recorded all these little ideas on my phone and I said, 'Hey look, I have this idea to do kind of this fun, up-tempo song, and let's write this real sexy lyric around despacito,' which means slowly. All the things that we're gonna do slowly," Fonsi recently explained to Genius.

On the "Despacito" remix, Bieber starts off singing in English. But as the song continues, he joins in with Fonsi and Reggaeton superstar Daddy Yankee for the chorus, singing," Despacito/Quiero respirar tu cuello despacito/Deja que te diga cosas al oído/Para que te acuerdes si no estás conmigo/Despacito/Quiero desnudarte a besos despacito/Firmo en las paredes de tu laberinto/Y hacer de tu cuerpo todo un manuscrito."

In English, the song's chorus details all the sensual things Fonsi and Bieber want to do slowly, like smelling a person's neck slowly and undressing someone with their kisses:

"I want to smell your neck slowly/Let me whisper things in your ear/So that you'll remember if you're not with me/SlowlyI want to undress you with my kisses, slowly/I sign the walls of your labyrinth/And make your whole body a manuscript."

Later in the song, Bieber joins with rapper Yankee and sings about a blossoming romance developing into something deeper.

"Nos vamos pegando, poquito a poquito/Y es que esa belleza es un rompecabezas/Pero pa' montarlo aquí tengo la pieza/Oye!" he sings, which translates to, "We start sticking, little by little/And such beauty is a prize/But to solive it here I have the piece/Listen."

Check out the full English translation to "Despacito" below, and here for the original lyrics in Spanish.

[Intro: Justin Bieber]

Come on over in my direction

So thankful for that, it's such a blessin', yeah

Turn every situation into heaven, yeah

Oh, you are

My sunrise on the darkest day

Got me feelin' some kind of way

Make me wanna savor every moment slowly, slowly

You fit me, tailor-made love, how you put it on

Got the only key, know how to turn it on

The way you nibble on my ear, the only words I wanna hear

Baby, take it slow so we can last long

[Verse 1: Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee]

Oh, you, you are the magnet and I'm the metal

I keep getting closer and building up the plan

Just thinking about it raises my heartbeat

Oh, yeah

I, I'm already liking you more than usual

All my senses are asking for more

This needs to be taken with no hurry

[Chorus: Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber]

Slowly

I want to smell your neck slowly

Let me whisper things in your ear

So that you'll remember if you're not with me

Slowly

I want to undress you with my kisses, slowly

I sign the walls of your labyrinth

And make your whole body a manuscript

(Hop on, hop on, hop on!

Hop on, hop on!)

[Bridge 1: Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee]

I want to see your hair dance

I want to be your rhythm

And you show my mouth

Your favorite places

(Favorite, favorite, baby)

Let me surpass your danger zones

To make you scream

And you forget your last name

[Verse 2: Daddy Yankee]

If I ask you for a kiss, come, give it to me

I know that you're thinking about it

I've been trying for a while

Baby, this is giving and giving it

You know that your heart with mine makes you go bang-bang

You know that she is looking for my bang-bang

Come, taste from my mouth to see what it tastes like

I want to, I want to, I want to see how much love you can take in

I am not in a hurry, I want to take the trip

Let's start slow, then wild

[Bridge 2: Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber]

Step by step, smooth and gentle

We're sticking together, little by little

When you kiss me with such skill

I see that you're malice with tenderness

Step by step, smooth and gentle

We start sticking, little by little

And such beauty is a puzzle

But to solve it here I have the piece

Listen!

[Chorus: Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber]

Slowly

I want to smell your neck slowly

Let me whisper things in your ear

So that you remember if you're not with me

Slowly

I want to undress you with my kisses, slowly

I sign the walls of your labyrinth

And make your whole body a manuscript

(Hop on, hop on, hop on!

Hop on, hop on!)

[Bridge 1: Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee]

I want to see your hair dance

I want to be your rhythm

And you show my mouth

Your favorite places

(Favorite, favorite, baby)

Let me surpass your danger zones

To make you scream

And you forget your last name

[Verse 3: Luis Fonsi]

Slowly

This is how we do it down in Puerto Rico

I just wanna hear you screaming, "Oh my god!"

I can move forever when it is with you

Dance!

[Bridge 3: Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi & Justin Bieber]

Step by step, smooth and gentle

We're sticking together, little by little

You show my mouth

Your favorite places

(Favorite, favorite, baby)

Step by step, smooth and gentle

We're sticking together, little by little

Until we provoke screams (Fonsi)

And you forget your last name (D.Y.)

Slowly

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Michigan native, Janice Williams is a graduate of Oakland University where she studied journalism and communication. Upon relocating to New ... Read more

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