Stop Rewinding Spanish Songs – Start With This One [De Papel by TINI – Spanish to English lyrics translation]

🎧 De Papel – TINI | Spanish Lyrics That Are Easier to Catch Than You Think

One of the biggest frustrations for Spanish learners isn’t vocabulary — it’s listening.

Native speakers naturally shorten words, blur sounds together, and drop syllables (“pa’” instead of “para”, half-spoken endings, words melting into each other). Songs amplify this even more, which is why many learners feel like Spanish music sounds like one long sentence with no spaces.

That’s what makes TINI’s “De Papel” such a good listening song.

Even though it’s modern, fast-paced, and emotional, the pronunciation is surprisingly clear. The sentences are well-articulated, the rhythm supports the words instead of swallowing them, and the repetition helps your ear lock onto meaning. It’s the kind of song where, as a learner, you think: “Wait… I can actually hear the words.”

Below you’ll find a line-by-line Spanish to English translation, followed by a vocab builder to help you turn listening into real learning.

🎵 De Papel – TINI [Spanish to English Translation]

Ey, pienso en el pasado desde que no estás

Hey, I think about the past since you’re not here

Pienso en el presente por si volverás

I think about the present, in case you’ll come back

Quiero el tiempo regresar

I want time to go back

Quiero volver a empezar, ey

I want to start again, hey

Tantas veces la cagamos, tantas veces lo arreglamos

So many times we messed it up, so many times we fixed it

Hoy pasó otra vez, pero esta vez, no sé, nos alejamos

It happened again today, but this time, I don’t know, we drifted apart

O me llamas tú o te llamo yo, esto no acabó

Either you call me or I call you, this isn’t over

Nadie va a ganar en este juego

Nobody’s going to win this game

Porque así somos tú y yo

Because that’s how you and I are

Vivimos con heridas en la piel

We live with wounds on our skin

Pero no nos terminan de doler

But they never fully hurt

Nos sobran las razones para volvernos a ver

We have more than enough reasons to see each other again

Porque así somos tú y yo

Because that’s how you and I are

Pero al final lo hacemos sin querer

But in the end, we do it without meaning to

¿Será que no nos sabemos querer?

Could it be that we don’t know how to love each other?

Prendiéndonos en fuego cuando somos de papel

Setting ourselves on fire when we’re made of paper

No sé empezar de cero cuando el cero pongo a la derecha

I don’t know how to start from zero when I put the zero on the right

Y mi sospecha es que entre más me quieres, más me echas

And my suspicion is that the more you love me, the more you push me away

Si vos hacés que me vaya, pero hacés que me venga

You make me leave, but you also make me come back

Y no hace falta el alcohol pa’ que tu boca me pre-

And it doesn’t take alcohol for your mouth to—

Prenda por prenda me quité y la puerta la cerré

Piece by piece, I took it off and closed the door

Pa’ que no escuches nada, ahí un reguetón puse play

So you wouldn’t hear anything, I hit play on some reggaeton

Y solo saben las sábanas los besos que tú me das

And only the sheets know the kisses you give me

Te fuiste, pero hoy yo quiero más, baby

You left, but today I want more, baby

Hagamos las paces si te nace

Let’s make peace if you feel like it

Ven a hacerme todo eso que me haces

Come do all that stuff you do to me

Te extraño como siempre

I miss you like always

Volvamos como siempre

Let’s go back like always

Porque así somos tú y yo

Because that’s how you and I are

Vivimos con heridas en la piel

We live with wounds on our skin

Pero no nos terminan de doler

But they never fully hurt

Nos sobran las razones para volvernos a ver

We have more than enough reasons to see each other again

Porque así somos tú y yo

Because that’s how you and I are

Pero al final lo hacemos sin querer

But in the end, we do it without meaning to

¿Será que no nos sabemos querer?

Could it be that we don’t know how to love each other?

Prendiéndonos en fuego cuando somos de papel

Setting ourselves on fire when we’re made of paper

De-de papel

Ma-made of paper

(De papel, de papel) de-de-de papel

(Made of paper, made of paper)

(De papel, de papel) de-de-de papel

(Made of paper, made of paper)

(De papel, de papel) de-de-de papel

(Made of paper, made of paper)

Al fin y al cabo, el amor es una locura

At the end of the day, love is madness

Y enamorarse pareciera que requiere ir en contra del mundo

And falling in love seems to require going against the world

📘 Vocab Builder (Learner-Friendly)

Recommended level: A2–B2

💬 Clear, Everyday Spanish

Spanish	English	Notes
pensar en	to think about	Very common verb + preposition
volver	to return / come back	High-frequency verb
empezar de cero	to start from scratch	Fixed phrase
esto no acabó	this isn’t over	Conversational Spanish
te extraño	I miss you	Clear Latin American usage

💔 Emotional & Idiomatic Language

Spanish	English	Notes
la cagamos	we messed it up	Informal but very common
lo arreglamos	we fixed it	Paired with cagarla
nos alejamos	we drifted apart	Reflexive verb
nos sobran razones	we have more than enough reasons	Idiomatic
sin querer	unintentionally	Useful everyday phrase

🔥 Metaphors & Imagery

Spanish	English	Notes
heridas en la piel	wounds on the skin	Emotional imagery
somos de papel	we’re made of paper	Fragility metaphor
prender fuego	to set on fire	Used figuratively
solo saben las sábanas	only the sheets know	Poetic intimacy

🧠 Grammar Notes

Clear pronunciation despite speed → ideal for listening
Present tense storytelling (natural spoken Spanish)
Repetition helps learners predict meaning
Pa’ = para (introduced gently, not overused)

🌱 Why De Papel Works So Well for Learners

De Papel is proof that you don’t need slow songs to train your ear — you just need clarity. TINI delivers modern Spanish without swallowing the words, making this song a great bridge between classroom Spanish and real listening.

If you’re learning Spanish and want help choosing songs that actually help you understand, or you want guided practice with listening, pronunciation, and real conversation —

📩 You can learn Spanish with a teacher (me!)

Write to effietrumpet19@gmail.com

Because learning Spanish shouldn’t feel like guessing.

It should feel like finally hearing the words. 🎶💛

Until next time, mis amigos!