When Selena Gomez sings in Spanish, it’s always an event. Pair her with Becky G, add benny blanco’s production, and you’ve got Te Olvido [La La] – a catchy cumbia-inspired breakup anthem that feels playful on the surface but carries a clear message underneath: “Choose me completely, or let me move on.” Released today, this collaboration is already generating excitement among fans, and you’re reading one of the first complete English translations online.
If you’re learning Spanish, this song is a goldmine. It uses natural, conversational Spanish, plenty of everyday expressions, and a few pieces of Latin American slang that you’ll hear far beyond music. Let’s translate it line by line and pick up some useful Spanish along the way.
🎵 Official Music Video:
Te Olvido [La La] Lyrics with English Translation
La-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La la-
La la-
Amor mío, ¿qué tienes conmigo?
My love, what’s going on with you and me?
Que no me quieres con nadie
You don’t want me with anyone else…
Pero tampoco contigo
…but you don’t want me with you either.
Dime si somos o no somos
Tell me – are we together or not?
De una vez te lo pido
I’m asking you once and for all.
Y así yo decido si te quiero o te olvido
So I can decide whether I keep loving you or forget you.
Amor, amor, amor mío
My love, my love, my love.
¿Qué tienes conmigo?
What’s going on with you and me?
Que no me quieres con nadie
You don’t want me with anyone else…
Pero tampoco contigo
…but you don’t want me with you either.
Dime si somos o no somos
Tell me – are we together or not?
De una vez te lo pido
I’m asking you once and for all.
Y así yo decido si te quiero o te olvido
So I can decide whether I keep loving you or forget you.
Oh
Oh.
Dime, papi, ¿y tú qué te crees?
Tell me, baby, who do you think you are?
Playin’ nasty, es la última vez
Playing dirty – this is the last time.
Que me caes a mentiras que ya me sé
That you come at me with lies I already know.
Te tomé la mira’
I’ve got my eyes on you.
Tú-ú-ú-ú estás pa’ darle fuego
You’re asking for trouble.
No digo na’, aunque to’ lo veo
I don’t say anything, even though I see everything.
Porque a la mierda yo también juego, bebé
Because I can play dirty too, baby.
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
Cu-cu-cu-cumbia
Cu-cu-cu-cumbia!
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la
Amor mío, ¿qué tienes conmigo?
My love, what’s going on with you and me?
Que no me quieres con nadie
You don’t want me with anyone else…
Pero tampoco contigo
…but you don’t want me with you either.
Dime si somos o no somos
Tell me – are we together or not?
De una vez te lo pido
I’m asking you once and for all.
Y así yo decido si te quiero o te olvido
So I can decide whether I keep loving you or forget you.
Amor, amor, amor mío
My love, my love, my love.
¿Qué tienes conmigo?
What’s going on with you and me?
Que no me quieres con nadie
You don’t want me with anyone else…
Pero tampoco contigo
…but you don’t want me with you either.
Dime si somos o no somos
Tell me – are we together or not?
De una vez te lo pido
I’m asking you once and for all.
Y así yo decido si te quiero o te olvido
So I can decide whether I keep loving you or forget you.
Vocabulary
| Spanish | English | Notes / Usage |
| amor mío | my love | A common term of endearment. |
| de una vez | once and for all | Used to ask for something immediately or decisively. |
| decidir | to decide | A very common everyday verb. |
| olvidar | to forget | The title uses the first person: te olvido – “I forget you.” |
| mentiras | lies | Plural of mentira. |
| la mira | aim, sight | Tomar la mira means to set your sights on someone. |
| darle fuego | to bring the heat | A slang expression meaning to confront, intensify, or “go all in,” depending on context. |
| a la mierda | to hell / screw it | A strong colloquial expression. |
| jugar | to play | Used figuratively here: yo también juego. |
| cumbia | cumbia | A popular Latin American dance and music genre originating in Colombia. |
Grammar
| Grammar Point | Explanation | Example from the Song |
| ¿Qué tienes conmigo? | Literally “What do you have with me?” It means “What’s going on between us?” | ¿Qué tienes conmigo? |
| No… pero tampoco… | A common contrast structure meaning “not… but not… either.” | No me quieres con nadie, pero tampoco contigo. |
| Si… o… | Used to present two possibilities. | Si somos o no somos. |
| De una vez | Idiomatic expression meaning “once and for all” or “already.” | De una vez te lo pido. |
| Te quiero o te olvido | Parallel verb structure using the same object pronoun. | Si te quiero o te olvido. |
| Contractions in songs | Spoken Spanish often drops sounds. | na’ = nada, to’ = todo, pa’ = para. |
Quick Quiz
1. What does
de una vez
mean?
A. Once and for all
B. Sometimes
C. Once a week
D. At once tomorrow
2. In the lyric
“Dime si somos o no somos,”
what is the singer asking?
A. Whether they’re friends
B. Whether they’re together or not
C. Whether they’re leaving
D. Whether they’re dancing
3. What does
na’
stand for?
A. Nadie
B. Nada
C. Nacer
D. Naranja
4. Which expression means
“What’s going on between us?”
A. ¿Qué pasa contigo?
B. ¿Qué tienes conmigo?
C. ¿Cómo estás conmigo?
D. ¿Qué haces conmigo?
5. What does
te olvido
mean?
A. I remember you.
B. I forgive you.
C. I forget you.
D. I miss you.
Answer Key
- A
- B
- B
- B
- C
Final Thoughts
Te Olvido [La La] is a deceptively simple song. Beneath its infectious chorus and cumbia groove is a conversation many people have experienced – someone who doesn’t want to commit but won’t let go either. That’s exactly what makes the lyrics so relatable and, for Spanish learners, so useful. Almost every phrase in the song could naturally come up in a real conversation.
If you want to learn Spanish, I’m a certified C1-level Spanish teacher who can help you learn through real conversations and guide you toward fluency. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to sound more like a native speaker, I’d love to help. Drop a “hola” at effietrumpet19@gmail.com and let’s learn Spanish through conversations, culture, and music together.
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