What is the english translation of Daddy Yankee's Gasolina?  Its
Spanish but its Puerto Rican slang too.  There are hundreds of people
online trying to figure out the lyrics in english.

Hello franchise-ga,

Here's your translation to English of the song. Being a native Spanish
speaker, I might have lacked some good American Slang words for a more
accurate translation, but I think I did it well enough. If you know
some Spanish, you'll see that I did not a literal translation. For
example "gata" is literally a female cat, but in this context it is
the Puerto Rican slang word translatable as "babe". Particularly
"gasolina", that literally "gasoline", here means alcohol, most likely
rum, or maybe also drugs in general.

I got the Spanish version from myorin-ga's comment's link
http://www.metrolyrics.com/lyrics/671473233/Daddy_Yankee/Gasolina, and
also used some help from a few Puerto Rican Slang glossaries:
http://www.jergasdehablahispana.org/ptorico.htm
http://lsantos2000.tripod.com/jergas/puertorico.htm
http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Castle/1496/dicc.html#indice
http://cai.bc.inter.edu/Ciber-Info/Diccionarios/voces.htm

I hope this meets your expectation:

Whos this? Da - ddy Yan- kee !   =   Who's this? Daddy Yankee!

sumale mambo pa' que mis gatas prendan los motores,   =   Ad up mambo
so my babes turn on the engines

sumale el mambo pa' que mis gatas prendan los motores,   =   Ad up
mambo so my babes turn on the engines

sumale el mambo pa' que mis gatas prendan los motores,   =   Ad up
mambo so my babes turn on the engines

Que se preparen que lo que viene es pa que le den, Duro!   =   Be them
ready to catch what's coming, Hard!

Mamita yo se que tu no te me va quitar(duro!)   =   Honey I now you're
not gonna go away from me

Lo que me gusta es que tu te dejas llevar (duro!!)   =   What I like
is that you like to be taken away (hard!)

todo los weekenes ella sale a vacilar (duro!!)   =   Every weekend she
goes out to have fun (hard!)

mi gata no para de janguiar porque   =   My babe doesn't stop from
hanging out because

A ella le gusta la gasolina (dame mas gasolina!)   =   She likes
gasoline (give me more gasoline!)

Como le encanta la gasolina (dame mas gasolina)    =   How she adores
gasoline! (give me more gasoline)


Ella prende las turbinas,   =   She turns on the turbines

No discrimina,   =   She makes no distinctions

No se pierde ni un party de marquesina,   =   She misses no fancy party

Se acicala hazta pa' la esquina,   =   She dresses up even to walk to
the next street

Luce tan bien que hasta la sombra le combina,   =   She looks so good
that even her shadow fits her

Asesina, me domina,   =   She's a killer, she governs me

janguea en carro, motoras y limosina,   =   Hangs out in cars,
motorbikes and limousines

Llena su tanque de adrenalina,   =   Fills up her tank with adrenaline

Cuando escucha el reggaeton en la bocina.   =   When she listens the
reggaeton in the speaker


A ella le gusta la gasolina (dame mas gasolina!)   =   She likes
gasoline (give me more gasoline!)

Como le encanta la gasolina (dame mas gasolina!)    =   How she adores gasoline!


(yo!)Aqui yo soy de los mejores   =   I! Here i'm one of the best

No te me ajores   =   Take it easy

En la pista nos llaman "Los Matadores"   =   On the dance floor they
call us "the killers"

Tu haces que cualquiera se enamore   =   You make anyone fall in love

Cuando bailas al ritmo de los tambores   =   When you dance to the rhythm of drums

esto va pa'las gatas de to'colores   =   This goes for the babes of all colors

Para la mayores, pa' la menores   =   For the older, for the younger

Para las que son mas zorras que los cazadores   =   For those who are
"more foxes" (quicker) than the hunters

Pa' la mujeres que no apagan su motores   =   For women who don't turn
off their engines


Tenemo' tu y yo algo pendiente,   =   You and i we have something pending

Tu me debes algo y lo sabes,   =   You owe me something and you know it

Conmigo ella se pierde,   =   With me she gets lost

No le rinde cuentas a nadie    =   She gives accounts to no one

sumale el mambo pa' que mis gatas prendan los motores,   =   Ad up
mambo so my babes turn on the engines

sumale el mambo pa' que mis gatas prendan los motores,   =   Ad up
mambo so my babes turn on the engines

sumale el mambo pa' que mis gatas prendan los motores,   =   Ad up
mambo so my babes turn on the engines

Que se preparen que lo que viene es pa que le den, Duro!   =   Be them
ready to catch what's coming, Hard!

Mamita yo se que tu no teme va a quitar (duro!)   =   Honey I now
you're not gonna go away from me

Lo que me gusta es que tu te dejas llevar (duro!)   =   What I like is
that you like to be taken away (hard!)

todos los weekenes ella sale a vacilar (duro!)   =   Every weekend she
goes out to have fun (hard!)

mi gata no para de janguear porque   =   My babe doesn't stop from
hanging out because


A ella le gusta la gasolina (dame mas gasolina!!)   =   She likes
gasoline (give me more gasoline!)

Como le encanta la gasolina (dame mas gasolina!!)   =   How she adores
gasoline! (give me more gasoline)

---

Clarification of Answer by guillermo-ga on 15 Apr 2005 19:11 PDT

Hello franchise-ga,

Thank you, for the rating and comment.

Best,

Guillermo

Now that's what I'm talking about.  This is a good translation.  Thanks GA.

Scroll down the page of this site: 
http://www.metrolyrics.com/lyrics/671473233/Daddy_Yankee/Gasolina
And at least you will find a version of the lyrics, or this one, a
different version:
http://www.metrolyrics.com/lyrics/379479362/Daddy_Yankee/Gasolina_(Remix)

Those are just from the first of 11,000 sites out there.  Note:  not
?Daddy Yankee?s ?? with  ???s?

Thanks, but those are spanish versions.  I went with google answers
because its a Puerto Rican slang version of spanish and many spanish
speakers have no idea what he's talking about.  I haven't found any
puerto rican sites that care to translate into english.  So I'm hoping
this will solve the big problem, then I'll post the lyrics for all the
world to see.

I'm from Chile and I saw the lyrics of the song...

I just can say that is an very ordinary song, from the lower
lifestyles of Puerto Rico I guess.

Yeah, its Reggaeton.  As I understand its about street life and
personal life of some younger Puerto Ricans.

It's about how girls he has sex with like his sperm.

lol just stating the truth

Hi,all! I think the translation is really good. I would like to add
that the slang used such as "le gusta la gasolina", "no se pierde ni
un baile the marquesina", "hasta la sombra le combina", "se azicata
hasta pa ir a la esquina," etc. are very  old Puertorrican
expressions. I grew up at the time when they were very popular, and
they where used to make "fun" (a good/humorous way) of people (men and
women)..LOL. That's what makes the lyric so "pegajosa" among people of
ages. ENJOY IT!!!

ooops..I forgot...culturally, the phrase "le gusta la gasolina" means
that the person likes to go driving around in a car with a boyfriend
or friends (gasolina=car)! It does not have anything to do with
alcohol or drugs!

Hello oderflaus-ga,

Thanks for praising my translation. About the expression "le gusta la
gasolina" I didn't know that meaning (I'm native Spanish speaker but
not Puertorican), and it's quite likely the meaning here, given the
context of the lyrics. However, the word "gasolina" at present is
actually used as slang word for "ron" (rum), as you can check at the
webpage "Voces de la juventud de Puerto Rico"
(http://cai.bc.inter.edu/Ciber-Info/Diccionarios/voces.htm ). I think
it could also be a word game playing with both meanings.
Guillermo

great!

ella le gusta la gasolina
translates into slang
as
a girl who likes fast cars

best translation suggestions yet online...thanks!  I had heard also it
was puerto rican slang for girls that going riding in cars.

Agreeing with Jabroni181-ga, I think it sounds like an extended metaphor.

But maybe Oderflaus-ga can tell us that nothing like that could have
occurred to young Puerto Rican men.

i think that the song is talking about sex and how much she likes it
even though it could also be inturpreted as cars as well

"gasolina" in the context of the song actually stands for cum, or
ejaculate, sperm etc...

this is absolutely what it stands for, I asked a DJ at the coco bongo
this past march...

Well, well, well. This is the most commented question I've ever answered, I guess.

Now, thinking about all your interesting contributions, I'd say that
what's obvious is that the song describes the ambience of people who
like go having fun through the night: from a disco to a party in
someone's place (where an occasional bed may became another source of
fun), and then again to a pub or whatever, riding fast cars or
motorbikes... In other words, a mixture of music, speed, alcohol and
sex. The sensation I take from the lyrics is the one you can feel in
that kind of situation, the vertigo of that mixture. Thus, I think
that the word "gasoline" is used here taking profit of all of its
possible connotations, i.e., speed, alcohol and sex, not limited to
one of them.

That was very well put, Guillermo-ga, and sort of the proper thing to
say on the eve of Sunday.  ;)   I wonder if your translation had gone
straight to sexual connotations whether there would have comments from
denying that interpretation.
Entertaining place, GA!

Thanks Myorin-ga (Aahhh, sorry, i'm just waking up from my Saturday
night gasoline party...;-))

You can bet there would have been denying comments on a
straightforward sexual interpretation!!!

Entertaining place GA, indeed!

even though i do agree with you guillermo-ga...i cant help but say
that not every-thing has to deal with music,speed,alcohol and sex.
even though im not puerto rican. i do have a right to state what i
think. this is just you stating that u think that he wrote this song
for this reason and no other.people have different feelings towards
this kind of stuff. i think that you should re-read what you write an
think about what your saying before you send it in because of the fact
that spanish people are not the only ethic back round that listen to
this tpye of music. this is stating that rap is stating the same thing
just in a slang point of view. everybody goes through this no matter
what race they are or where they grew up. you may think people like
you have it hard well do some research on different countreis and then
geet back to me.

Hi Tinkerbell561,

Thanks for commenting on this question I answered. I kind of can't
reach to get your point, since I happen to agree with most of what you
say; let's check it:
~ "not every-thing has to deal with music,speed,alcohol and sex"... agree;
~ " even though im not puerto rican. i do have a right to state what i
think"... agree;
~ "this is just you stating that u think that he wrote this song for
this reason and no other"... not really... Actually, I have no idea
why the author wrote that song for or what he meant, all I did was
translating it sticking to the original as much as possible, and then
formulated hypothesis on what the metaphors actually mean, as did
everyone who commented on it in this thread;
~ "people have different feelings towards this kind of stuff"... agree;
~ "i think that you should re-read what you write an think about what
your saying before you send it in because of the fact that spanish
people are not the only ethic back round that listen to this tpye of
music"... here's when I start not to get your point. I'm an Argentine,
I live in Argentina, and if I lived in US I'd be "Hispanic", what is
how Spanish speakers ?typically Latin Americans- are called in US.
Since I listen to nearly any music from anywhere, I'm not a bit
surprised that "spanish people are not the only ethic back round that
listen to this tpye of music", I never expected they were... As you
very appropriately stated for yourself, I also have the right to state
what I think, but I'm not sure whether I was clear enough since I
suspect that you might have not understood what I meant;
~ "this is stating that rap is stating the same thing just in a slang
point of view"... agree;
~ "everybody goes through this no matter what race they are or where
they grew up"... absolutely agree;
~ "you may think people like you have it hard"... here I'm completely
puzzled... what do you mean by "people like me"? do you identify any
kind of people in particular that you suppose I belong to? why do you
say that I may think that people like those you suppose I'm alike
"have it hard"? what do you mean by that in any case? Truly, I'm
completely lost on this one...
~ "well do some research on different countreis and then geet back to
me"... I can't see why I'd need to do so; while I don't think anyone
could ever comprehend the complex variety of the world, I've had mi
slice of intercultural experience, including some years abroad.
However, since you addressed to me, I do get back to you as a matter
of courtesy.

Regards,

Guillermo

Guillermo-ga,

I too wondered which of your statements sparked Tinkerbell561-ga's
comment, and also could not recognize any.  Maybe comments by everyone
but you were meant. ??

regards, Myoarin

Thanks, Myorin. Unless we're missing something, it must be like you
said, or some other misunderstanding. We'll see.
Regards,

Guillermo

Hmmm, 

I think tinkerbell missed some of the translation.  

I was the one who paid to have this song translated and I don't see
how it could have been done more thouroughly or more objectively.

Thanks again Guillermo.

Thank *you* again, Franchise-ga :)

i tihnk what gagaxoxo said bout meaning cum is right..

The translation above is wrong.  This song is diry, and all those
girls out there singing it need to realize it, you better know what
you are saying.
"A ella le gusta la gasolina "
In puerto rico "gasolina" means the same thing that skeet means in the U.S.  
The correct translation is 
"The/This girl likes to be cum on"
Once you understand this line you can figure out the rest of the song. 
Pretty much the girl goes out and her dancing gets him excited and he
cums on her and she likes it.
There you go, beware of what you are singing.

Don't get me wrong, I love the song, its got great sound, I don't like
the lyrics, but whatever. I wanted to state the above translation
because I just think before all these people go singing the song all
over town they need to know what they are singing.

Hello Virginiagirl-ga,

As it's been stated through several comments, the meaning you suggest
for the lyrics is possible as one among others, and they may all
coexist with no contradiction, because the intention could be to play
with the several slang meanings of "gasolina" in Puerto Rico. I chose
to translate it literally as "gasoline", clarifying its slang meaning
"rum", and gave a source to support it. Sexual and car-speed
interpretations provided in comments are also welcome, but rather than
displacing each other, I think all the interpretations add up to the
general meaning: a girl having fun --the wild way if you want... So
there's no "wrong" here. Instead, you can find divergent opinions. For
instance, the following is part of one I found in a forum about the
song at Reggaeton.Info (http://www.reggaeton.info/ ): "Something
that's bugging me is that people are interpreting "Gasolina" as if he
were talking about sex, but "gasolina" in Puerto Rico means that the
girl likes to go to parties and get drunk etc..." We can't tell
whether this opinion or yours is correct, but I'm inclined to think
that both are partially true: lyrics often take profit from the
*polysemy* of language --its capacity of referring to different
meanings at one time.

Cheers,

Guillermo-ga

guillermo - interesting website, thanks, and yes, I agree that the
numerous meanings to a word help make music exciting, interesting, and
multidimensional.  I received my translation of the song while talking
with a few different DJs in the D.C. area. One of them brought up how
funny it was to see preppy girls driving around and singing this song,
and that these girls should know the definition.  The conversation
went from there. Anyway, yeah, well done.

I`m Puerto Rican... but you never exactly know what it means, because
songs have double meanings sometimes and junk.

Thanks Dexteroscar-ga, that's precisely my point.

Guillermo

THE "translasition" it wrong. PISTA dose not mean dance floor it means
RACE TRACK. PENDIENTE

"pista"   race track or dance floor, either way it fits in perfectly
with the rest of the double entendres.

Hello Meianoite-ga,

(Just curious: Brazilian, Portuguese, Angolese...?)

You are right, in Spanish "pista" means "race track" --after that, for
example in my country -Argentina- people who like cars and speed are
popularly called "pisteros".

And you're also wrong, because "pista" does mean "dance floor" too.
Thus, while one of the interpretations of the lyrics refers to "gustar
la gasolina" as "liking speed", the precise context in which the word
pista is used within the song refers to a dancing situation:

"En la pista nos llaman "Los Matadores"   =   On the dance floor they
call us "the killers"

"Tu haces que cualquiera se enamore   =   You make anyone fall in love

"Cuando bailas al ritmo de los tambores   =   When you dance to the
rhythm of drums"

Therefore, in this case "pista" is far more likely to stand for "dance
floor" than "race track".

Regards,

Guillermo

Good observation Myorin.
Guillermo

Guillermo,
The guilty party always returns to the scene of the crime, you Latin
lover with three lovely daughters.  What ever happened to the guy who
wanted waitresses in the gulf area?  Don't bother to answer, just a
comment to show appreciation for your answers.
Myoarin

Wow Guillermo,

Did you ever think it would lead to all this?

Franchise

Myorin: I'm starting to think that I talk too much ;-))

Franchise: No, I didn't. I'm really proud of this thread, it must be
among the most commented! :) I know the merit is not mine, but
Gasolina's ;-))

Wow...what a song...I'm not spanish at all, I know a little bit from
the spanish course I took in grade 10/last year...but that's amazing
how one song can have like 3 different meanings...it would be neat to
hear what the person/people who wrote this song really meant, and what
their thoughts are on our opinions. Also, now that I know what this
means, I'm going to have a great laugh at all of my friends that were
attempting (and failing miserably) at singing the song. I also met a
girl from Spain that could sing the intro perfectly, although most of
you guys can probably sing it perfect I thought it was amazing (is it
like rap in english than?). Anywho, thank you very much for the
translation Guillermo. I appretiate the time you took to translate it
and to reply to everyone's comments.
Thanks again,
- Brittany O'Halloran
Ontario, Canada

Thank *you* Brittany, for your appreciation of my work.

Guillermo

to my understanding the song was basically saying the girl is the car
and he is the gas pump so basically its talking about sex!thats what i
understood

Interesting interpretation, Mamacita! It makes a nice metaphore for sex.

Guillermo

Good Lord Guillermo, 

Will it ever stop?

Do I get a prize or something for having requested such a popularly view thread?

Franchise,
No prize, but lots of appreciation, but I want to share in it for
chancing to be the person to post the text ...;)
Guillermo is taking a vacation from looking for world class Canadian
University faculties.
Myoarin

there is nothing to debate about. the song is simple. on the
outside/literal/innocent meaning, the song speaks about cars (like
what you can see in the music video). but if u understand and analyze
fully, it talks about sex. the makers of the song are just hitting two
birds in one stone.

Wow! Just a few days without looking at this thread, and it keeps
growing! Franchise, I wonder the same! Myoarin is right about the
price and about the appreciation. However, if people keeps posting
maybe it'll make it to the Guinness Book of Records ;-)

By the way, Cleaner47-ga, I think the authors did want to "hit two
birds in one stone"...or more than two, if we've got to believe to all
the commenters here :-)

Guillermo,
Do you let your ...
No, I was about to ask a personal family question ....  ;)
Cheers, Myoarin

LOL Problem is... they don't ask for permission... ;) But fortunately,
they don't understand Puerto Rican... I hope... LOL

Thank you for the new word to use POLYSEMY and for the entertaining
discussion here...I was intrigued by a Spanish teacher who
emphatically said that the lyrics to Gasolina were "not appropriate to
use in school" and found this mild translation, along with the myriad
of other interpretations, satisfied my curiosity...and besides, I
thought another comment on this thread might be amusing ;-)

The interest on this thread keeps surprising me. Thank you
Esstwobee-ga for your comment -- at least it amused *me*! ;)

Hi I'm not Hispanic at all, so this was really interesting to
read...I've been looking for a good translation and this is the best
I've found so far, so thanks for all your effort! I'm actually Italian
(but I live in Australia) so I understood about 3 words of the whole
song myself but I can finally put an end to the ongoing debate with my
sister about the song's translation. Regardless of the meaning anyway,
the song is great to dance to. Thanks again ;D

Love this song...it totally jazzes me up just for the beat!!  But, I
was very interested in the translation...I checked with some Spanish
and Puerto Rican speaking friends and they feel your translation is
pretty accurate.

I do want to add my two cents about what "Gasonlina" means to
me...because after all it is very subjective....I think its
Adrenaline...a zest for life...adventure that is contagious...like the
music is her gasoline/adrenaline...and i think that the way they dance
makes everyone want to have a little of that energy (sexual or not)

just my thoughts

You call it adrenaline,
They call it gasoline, 
But we all know that
It's something in between
Two person best unseen,
When they're doing that,
which we all think they mean.

Ha Ha Ha - Dear Myoarin, you may very well compose your own song ;D

Thanks Blackenvy and Xtremeteri for your comments. This thread still
keeps amusing me!!

Guillermo

duro says you've made our day, how intersting the internet is these
days ey! Im full of gasoline! I keep my engines on!how
rude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! there are 3
girls commenting here! how extrodinary!
how much adrenaline do u have? xxx

o_O I was quite suprised to find the meaning out to this... this is
the first time I have seen the transalations... its quite amuzing
trying to figure out all the possible meanings to this song, my
teachers never asked what this song ment when I sang it on Friday they
all just looked at me funny, like when you say something or do
something strange around a dog and their head turns well thats exactly
what it was like.

Hola a todos.... I am a Spanish teacher... and this song is all about
how you interpert it... for the most part... and I hate to say... the
sexual inuendos are there however I can see where EVERYONE is coming
from... but in actuality to see what the intent of the song is... just
watch the music video...

Impressive responses.  I am Puerto Rican, and let me first say,
excellent translation, and great feedback all around.  I have to let
all know, however, from a PR perspective, the translation and innuendo
is clear.  There is no question (or other level of debate) in my
circle of friends regarding what "le gusta la gasolina" means.  Quite
simply, it is that the girl likes the ejaculation.  I'm sure in
different countries it may mean different things, but in PR, the slang
is clear.  :)

Unbelievable!! Almost one year and this thread is still alive! I'm a
PRican Spanish Teacher in FL and I have Daddy Yankee's CD and I played
it to my students. They were asking me what was the meaning of
gasolina and I told them that it was "when girls want to have fun", no
matter if it was drinking, dancing, having sex or partying. Guillermo,
I'm using your translation for my class (they are high-schoolers, u
know what I'm saying!)
We, puertoricans, talk in a certain way, like any other people who
have their slang (or broken spanish). It makes us unique. The purpose
of the song is to entertain people of all ages (you should see my mom,
68, making fun of the perreo, lol)
Regarding a comment like "people like you"... All I can say it's that
we should have more people like you in the planet, very well-educated,
with a great sense of humor and super-extra intelligent as you are!
Keep up the good work, Guillermo, I want to be like you when I grow
up, lol!
PS. Why don't you translate "Rakata"? Lol, my students are asking for
that one too and also for "Rompe"... well, Rakata is just a sound, so
the ball is rolling!!!

You're right, Borikua Teacher, neither I can believe the permanence of this thread!

What can I say of your extremely praising comment !? I'm most grateful
and honored that you use this translation with your students :)

Also Boricuatink, Fetterita, Emiliex3 and Duro, thanks for your comments.

I'm very proud of this question that brought so much fun and
interesting comments among quite a few people. Unfortunately, all
questions in Google Answers are closed to further comments after one
year since posted -- and that period is about to expire with this one.
Anyway, it's been fun enough all this time! :D

Again, thanks to Franchise who asked this question in the first time!

Guillermo

Someone told me that 'gasolina' is Italian slang for sperm... I'm not
sure how true that is but it kinda makes sense...

My wife has been taking Italian for years, but I don't think I can ask
her for confirmation on that, besides, a glance at Italian slang
websites doesn't find "gasolina".  Gasoline is "benzina" in Italian,
but it doesn't seem to have any slang meaning.