What does “Ay Vamos” mean? Learn Spanish through one of J Balvin’s biggest reggaeton hits.
Every couple has that one argument they swear is the last… until the next one comes along. That’s the heart of Ay Vamos. Instead of singing about a perfect romance, J Balvin celebrates a relationship that’s messy, frustrating, passionate, and somehow still works.
Released in 2014, the song became one of the tracks that helped take Colombian reggaeton to a global audience. For Spanish learners, it’s even better – packed with everyday Colombian expressions, relationship vocabulary, and conversational Spanish you’ll actually hear outside the classroom.
About the Song
Ay Vamos was one of the breakthrough singles from J Balvin’s album La Familia, earning multiple Latin Grammy nominations and becoming one of the songs that introduced Balvin to an international audience. Its catchy chorus and relatable lyrics made it a favorite across Latin America.
One reason the song feels so authentic is that it doesn’t romanticize love. Instead, it shows a couple who constantly argue, tease each other, get jealous, make up, and simply keep moving forward together. It’s a refreshingly honest take on relationships – and a great source of natural, everyday Spanish.
Listen to the Song
🎵 Official Music Video:
Ay Vamos – Spanish Lyrics with English Translation
Cuando no la llamo
Whenever I don’t call her…
Siempre me hace reclamos
She always complains to me.
Discutimos, peleamos
We argue. We fight.
Pero llego a casa en la noche
But I come home at night…
La molesto y arreglamos
I tease her, and we make up.
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah.
Peleamos, nos arreglamos
We fight, then we make up.
Nos mantenemos en esa pero nos amamos
We keep going through the same thing, but we love each other.
Ay vamos
Well, that’s how we keep going.
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah.
Qué pena me daría
It would make me so sad…
No tenerte en mi vida, vida mía, mami
Not to have you in my life, my love.
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah.
Peleamos, nos arreglamos
We fight, then we make up.
Nos mantenemos en esa pero nos amamos
We keep repeating the same cycle, but we love each other.
Ay vamos
And that’s how it goes.
No importa si estás lejos
It doesn’t matter if you’re far away.
Siempre te siento presente
I always feel like you’re with me.
Y estoy pendiente de ti frecuentemente
And I’m always thinking about you.
Cuando estoy en la calle
When I’m out…
Resolviendo mis problemas
Taking care of my responsibilities.
Es pa’ nuestro futuro
It’s for our future.
Yo no sé por qué me celas
I don’t know why you’re so jealous.
No soy un santo
I’m not a saint.
Tampoco ando en cosas malas
But I’m not doing anything bad either.
Cuando no estoy contigo
When I’m not with you…
Es porque ando con mis panas
It’s because I’m hanging out with my friends.
Somos polos opuestos
We’re complete opposites.
Y por eso nos gustamos
And that’s exactly why we’re attracted to each other.
Qué más le vamos a hacer
What else can we do?
Si así nos enamoramos
That’s simply how we fell in love.
Y ahí vamos
And we keep going.
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah.
Peleamos, nos arreglamos
We fight, then we make up.
Nos mantenemos en esa pero nos amamos
We stay stuck in this cycle, but we love each other.
Ay vamos
That’s how we keep going.
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah.
Qué pena me daría
It would break my heart…
No tenerte en mi vida, vida mía, mami
Not having you in my life, my love.
Todos los días yo la tengo que ver
I have to see her every single day.
Así peleemos primero, mi mujer
Even if we argue first, she’s my woman.
Mami, no me celes tanto
Baby, don’t be so jealous.
Que yo siempre me conmuevo con tu llanto
Because your tears always move me.
Nena, nena, tranquilícese
Baby, baby, calm down.
Que en la calle a nadie besé
I didn’t kiss anyone while I was out.
Yo solo tengo ojos pa’ usted
I only have eyes for you.
Relájate, despreocúpate
Relax. Don’t worry.
Nena, nena, tranquilícese
Baby, baby, calm down.
Que en la calle a nadie besé
I didn’t kiss anyone while I was out.
Yo solo tengo ojos pa’ usted
I only have eyes for you.
Relájate, despreocúpate
Relax. Don’t worry.
Que ahí vamos
We’re doing just fine.
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah.
Peleamos, nos arreglamos
We fight, then we make up.
Nos mantenemos en esa pero nos amamos
We keep repeating the same story, but we love each other.
Ay vamos
And that’s how we keep going.
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah.
Qué pena me daría
It would make me so sad…
No tenerte en mi vida, vida mía, mami
Not having you in my life, my love.
Ay vamos
Let’s keep going.
Nena, nena, tranquilícese
Baby, baby, calm down.
Que en la calle a nadie besé
I didn’t kiss anyone while I was out.
(Producer shout-outs and outro)
Learn Spanish Vocabulary Through Ay Vamos
| Spanish | English | Notes |
| reclamo | complaint | Often used in relationships. |
| pelear | to fight | Can mean argue verbally or fight physically depending on context. |
| arreglarse | to make up | Used after arguments. |
| pendiente de | attentive to, thinking about | A very common everyday expression. |
| celar | to be jealous of | Common throughout Latin America. |
| un santo | a saint | Used to describe someone who is perfectly innocent. |
| pana | friend, buddy | Popular Venezuelan and Colombian slang. |
| polos opuestos | opposites | Equivalent to “opposites attract.” |
| conmover | to move emotionally | Often used when something touches your heart. |
| llanto | crying, tears | From the verb llorar. |
| despreocuparse | to stop worrying | A useful reflexive verb. |
Learn Spanish Grammar Through Ay Vamos
| Grammar Point | Example | Explanation |
| Cuando + present | Cuando no la llamo… | Used for habitual actions. |
| Nos + reflexive verb | Nos arreglamos. | Means “we make up.” |
| Hay que / Tener que | La tengo que ver. | Expresses obligation: “I have to…” |
| Por eso | Por eso nos gustamos. | Means “that’s why.” |
| Solo + verb | Solo tengo ojos pa’ usted. | A common way to emphasize exclusivity. |
Spanish Expressions & Colombian Slang You Learned from Ay Vamos
- Ay vamos – Literally “there we go,” but here it means “that’s how we keep going” or “we’re making it work despite everything.” It’s the emotional core of the song.
- Nos mantenemos en esa – A Colombian expression meaning “we keep going through the same situation.”
- Estar pendiente de alguien – To think about someone, care for them, or keep an eye on them.
- Andar con mis panas – To hang out with your friends. Panas is one of the most common Colombian and Venezuelan words for “friends.”
- Tengo ojos pa’ usted – Literally “I have eyes only for you.” It’s the Spanish equivalent of saying someone is the only person you’re interested in romantically.
Quick Spanish Quiz
1. What does
pana
mean in Colombian Spanish?
A. Neighbor
B. Friend
C. Cousin
D. Stranger
2. Which expression means
“to make up after an argument”
?
A. Estar pendiente
B. Ponerse bravo
C. Arreglarse
D. Reclamar
3. What does
nos mantenemos en esa
imply?
A. We’re moving house.
B. We keep going through the same situation.
C. We’re lost.
D. We’re waiting outside.
4. What does
yo solo tengo ojos pa’ usted
mean?
A. I can’t see well.
B. I’m watching you.
C. I only have eyes for you.
D. I’m looking for you.
5. In the song,
“cuando no la llamo”
refers to:
A. A future action.
B. A one-time event.
C. A habitual situation.
D. A command.
Answers
- B
- C
- B
- C
- C
Final Thoughts – Learn Spanish Through Music
One reason Ay Vamos has remained one of J Balvin’s most beloved songs is its honesty. It doesn’t describe a fairy-tale romance – it describes a real one, where arguments, jealousy, apologies, and laughter all coexist. That authenticity is exactly why the lyrics feel so conversational and why they’re so valuable for Spanish learners.
If you’re learning Spanish, songs like this expose you to the language people actually speak – from Colombian slang like pana to everyday expressions like estar pendiente de and arreglarse. Those are the phrases that make you sound natural.
I’m a certified C1-level Spanish teacher, and I help learners build confidence through music, films, books, and real conversations rather than memorizing endless grammar rules. If you’d like to learn Spanish, request a song translation, or simply say ”¡Hola!”, I’d love to hear from you.
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