Albanian to English

[Demetra]

Originally Posted by Balkaneuro

Çou mor Rexho dil te lama,

In an Albanian wedding the krushqi are the people who come to the guy and then they go get the bride at her house, there made up of a bunch of close relatives, a band and a religious affiliate. I hope that makes sense.

This is a folk song about a story in which Rexho a very young man, was getting ready for his wedding and he died the day of his wedding because he had an accident with a horse and he stepped on him i think and choked him somehow. So it is supposed to be very sad and sorrowful.

Our wedding have quite the same tradition.
Do you know where i can get this song,not singed by Shpati,but someone else...maybe it will sounds more autentic.i am a singer ana want to learn it to sing for my albanian kolegues.
I just love that song...i can`t explain.
Thank you for everything.

[Balkaneuro]

no problem shpat kasapi actually sings this song very well, here are a few more singers, valentina kenxhi(really old version), valbona mema has a really good version.

[Demetra]

My husband oficially told me that i am crazy.I have already sing that song all day...very loud:0
I think i will have some problems with finding another version.For now result is=0...

[Balkaneuro]

well if it's any help, i found the versions from youtube, just put the singers name that i sent you and search

[Demetra]

Yes here in Bg we say...are you in love,or are you out of your mind(lost)...or both.I looked for mp3,but dont think for youtube.

[cortom]

It's almost Valentine, and this song is one of THE most beautiful lovesongs I have ever heard. I tried to translate the text myself. That way you only have to correct the mistakes I made. I hope that I don't make too much of a fool of myself.

Babeta:
Degjo moj zemër edhe nëse vdes
. Listen, my sweetheart, if I should die
E jotja jam e jotja do të mbes
. I am yours, and yours I will remain
Kur të kesh tjetrën nganjëherë dhe më kujto
. When, at times, you would have another, think of me
S'ka gjë dhe pse ti nuk më do oh ohhh
. I don't care why you don't love me(?)


Rati:
Degjo moj zemër edhe nëse vdes
. Listen, my sweetheart, if I should die
I joti jam i joti unë do mbes
. I am yours, and yours I want to stay
Kur tjesh pa mu nganjëherë dhe me kujto
. When, at times, you should be (alone) without me, think of me
Sepse kjo zemër ty të do oh ohhhhhhh
. Because this heart loves you

Babeta:
E ëmbël si karamelë isha unë për ty o xhan
. Sweet as candy I was to you, o darling
Fjalët e zemrës i harrove se as vdekja nuk na ndan
. (??)You may forget our love-talk(??) for even death does not seperate us
Jeta ime, vdekja ime unë pa ty jo nuk jetoj
. My life, my death, No, I'm not alive without you.
Frymën e fundit ta dhurova se të dashuroj
. (My) last breath I would give to you, for I love you

Rati:
E ëmbël si karamelë ishe ti për mu o xhan
. Sweet as candy You were to me, o darling
Fjalët e zemrës i harrova se as vdekja nuk na ndan
. (??)I may forget our love-talk(??) for even death does not seperate us
Jeta ime, vdekja ime asnjëherë jo nuk t’harroj
. My life, my death, no never do I forget you
Frymën e fundit ta dhurova se të dashuroj
. (My) last breath I would give to you, for I love you

Babeta:
Këto që them jane fjalë të vërteta
. What I say is the truth (lit.: are words of truth)
Pa ty i dashur nuk më duhet jeta
. Without you, my love, I shouldn't live
Do vij një ditë kur për mua do të qash
. Comes a day when you would cry for me
Si një lot në sy do të më mbash ah ahhh
. As a tear in (your) eye will you keep me
. (e.g.: the tears in your eyes will make you think of me)

Rati:
Këto që thua jane fjalë të vërteta
. What you say is the truth
Pa ty e dashur nuk më duhet jeta
. Without you, my love, I shouldn't live
Do vij një ditë kur per ty unë do të qaj
. Comes a day when I should cry for you
Si një lot në sy unë do të mbaj ahhhhh ahhhh
. As a tear in (my) eye I will keep you with me

Babeta:
E ëmbël si karamelë isha unë per ty o xhan
Fjalët e zemrës i harrove se as vdekja nuk na ndan
Jeta ime, vdekja ime unë pa ty jo nuk jetoj
Frymën e fundit ta dhurova se të dashuroj

Rati:
E ëmbël si karamelë ishe ti per mu o xhan
Fjalët e zemrës i harrova se as vdekja nuk na ndan
Jeta ime, vdekja ime asnjëherë jo nuk t’harroj
Frymën e fundit ta dhurova se të dashuroj

I am especially confused by the fourth line (S'ka gjë ...) and by those lines starting with 'Fjalët zemra ...'. I'm wondering too what the 'Jeta ime, vdekja ime' is trying to convey. Is this a way of saying: 'you are everything to me'?

Thanks, Balkaneuro AND Korcare, for all those detailed explanations. Teuta's song is great.

[Balkaneuro]

Babeta:
Degjo moj zemër edhe nëse vdes
. Listen, my sweetheart, if I should die
E jotja jam e jotja do të mbes
. I am yours, and yours I will remain
Kur të kesh tjetrën nganjëherë dhe më kujto
. When, at times, you would have another, think of me
S'ka gjë dhe pse ti nuk më do oh ohhh
. I don't care why you don't love me(?)
------------It's nothing, even since you don't love me
s'ka gje is like saying "no big deal" like if someone says thanks you can say s'ka gje in return

Rati:
Degjo moj zemër edhe nëse vdes
. Listen, my sweetheart, if I should die
I joti jam i joti unë do mbes
. I am yours, and yours I want to stay
Kur tjesh pa mu nganjëherë dhe me kujto
. When, at times, you should be (alone) without me, think of me
Sepse kjo zemër ty të do oh ohhhhhhh
. Because this heart loves you

Babeta:
E ëmbël si karamelë isha unë për ty o xhan
. Sweet as candy I was to you, o darling
Fjalët e zemrës i harrove se as vdekja nuk na ndan
. (??)You may forget our love-talk(??) for even death does not seperate us
---------You forgot the words of my heart
Jeta ime, vdekja ime unë pa ty jo nuk jetoj
. My life, my death, No, I'm not alive without you.
---------------- No, i will not live without you.
Frymën e fundit ta dhurova se të dashuroj
. (My) last breath I would give to you, for I love you

Rati:
E ëmbël si karamelë ishe ti për mu o xhan
. Sweet as candy You were to me, o darling
Fjalët e zemrës i harrova se as vdekja nuk na ndan
. (??)I may forget our love-talk(??) for even death does not seperate us
--------I forgot the words of our hearts
Jeta ime, vdekja ime asnjëherë jo nuk t’harroj
. My life, my death, no never do I forget you
Frymën e fundit ta dhurova se të dashuroj
. (My) last breath I would give to you, for I love you

Babeta:
Këto që them jane fjalë të vërteta
. What I say is the truth (lit.: are words of truth)
Pa ty i dashur nuk më duhet jeta
. Without you, my love, I shouldn't live
---------------------I don't need to live/ I don't need a life
Do vij një ditë kur për mua do të qash
. Comes a day when you would cry for me
------There will come a day when you will cry for me
Si një lot në sy do të më mbash ah ahhh
. As a tear in (your) eye will you keep me
. (e.g.: the tears in your eyes will make you think of me)

Rati:
Këto që thua jane fjalë të vërteta
. What you say is the truth
Pa ty e dashur nuk më duhet jeta
. Without you, my love, I shouldn't live
Do vij një ditë kur per ty unë do të qaj
. Comes a day when I should cry for you
Si një lot në sy unë do të mbaj ahhhhh ahhhh
. As a tear in (my) eye I will keep you with me

Babeta:
E ëmbël si karamelë isha unë per ty o xhan
Fjalët e zemrës i harrove se as vdekja nuk na ndan
Jeta ime, vdekja ime unë pa ty jo nuk jetoj
Frymën e fundit ta dhurova se të dashuroj

Rati:
E ëmbël si karamelë ishe ti per mu o xhan
Fjalët e zemrës i harrova se as vdekja nuk na ndan
Jeta ime, vdekja ime asnjëherë jo nuk t’harroj
Frymën e fundit ta dhurova se të dashuroj

I am especially confused by the fourth line (S'ka gjë ...) and by those lines starting with 'Fjalët zemra ...'. I'm wondering too what the 'Jeta ime, vdekja ime' is trying to convey. Is this a way of saying: 'you are everything to me'?

---------jeta ime, vdekja ime, like even til the day of my death i won't forget you

Thanks, Balkaneuro AND Korcare, for all those detailed explanations. Teuta's song is great.

This translation was VERY impressive, very well done Congratulations! Keep up the great work

[cortom]

@Balkaneuro: I'm flattered, thanks.

Still puzzled by these lines:

Fjalët e zemrës i harrove se as vdekja nuk na ndan
---------You forgot the words of my heart for even death does not seperate us

What's the meaning of this sentence? Why should he have forgotten the words of her heart if they are so in love? Any opinion to offer on that?

I just love this song. Especially the tears-part. Impossible to sing anything like this in Dutch, or English for that part. It just would ring false, if you understand what I mean.

[Balkaneuro]

Fjalët e zemrës i harrove se as vdekja nuk na ndan
This sentence also looked quite off to me too:S
... I just listened to the song and i THINK, if i'm not mistaken that the lyrics are actually
Fjalet e zemres s'i harrove
which means
you didn't forget the words of the heart, because even death does not seperate us.
si means didn't, for example if you say "nuk e pranon" and "s'e pranon" the first meaning "you do not accept(it)" "you don't accept(it)"
i think this makes more sense, because it is saying that they still haven't forgot how their heart feels about the other, and that not even death will take these feelings from their heart.
i hope that's correct and answers your question!

[cortom]

Yes, yes! That's it, now it makes sense! The fine distinction in meaning between 'you do not accept' and 'you don't accept' is a complete mystery to me, but I'm totally satisfied about the lyrics of 'Si karamelë'.

Some months ago I started a website introducing Albanian music to Dutch speaking people. (They haven't got a clue! Yet.) 'Si karamelë' is one of the songs I wrote about. Must publish a correction immediately...

[Vajzemalsore]

So I was recently listening to Soni's Do Te Vij again and watched the video on Youtube. I got the lyrics a while ago and I was wondering is she actually saying "you will come" when she says Do Te Vij or is she saying "I will come"

I thought that if it was "you will come" she would say: "Do Ti Vijesh" i guess I'm a little confused.

[Balkaneuro]

you are absolutely correct vajze malesore! however, in a lot of albanian songs these days, an excessive amount of slang words are used, and more specifically words are used wrong grammatically so they rhyme... at least that's what i think, but this is done in many songs in other languages as well. "do te vij" means "i will come" however, "do te vijë" means he/she will come also "do te vijësh" can also be used. Aside from all that, i should have explained the text more, i think she means "i will come, So That, you can take me as your bride." i hope that clears up the confusion

[cortom]

Eight months ago, this was one of the very first Albanian songs that I heard, and I was deeply impressed. It was all new and exciting and beautiful. At the time I couldn't even discern the seperate words she sang. I only heard lalala. It's a little bit better by now, but I still would like to understand the lyrics better.

Nora Istrefi - Pse te dua
=================

sa shpejt kaluan ato ditë kur në të dy ishim një fjalë
. how fast these days have passed when the two of us were (of) one word
. (i.e. when we understood each other well)
tash ke harruar se një vajzë per ty nder gjet në shtrat me mall
. now you have forgotten that a girl (??) in bed longs for you

sa shumë te deshta
. how much I loved you
s´këtë gjë më mirë vetëm zoti e di
. is a thing only God really knows
. (? does this sentence start with a negation??? [s' = not?])
ndonëse unë deshta e ndjej as vet
. even though I (love? to feel? self?)
te me braktisesh ti
. you abandoned me

dhe qaja une me lot
. Tears I cried
ngushëlloja vetëm kot
. I was beyond consolation (I was desperate?)

o pse të du
. why I love you
nuk e kuptoj
. I do not understand
ti i lumtur plagë sheroj
. (?? happy - wound - heal)
. (this line is THE big mystery in this song. The lyrics I found on internet
. had 'plak' in stead of plagë, which is even more incomprehensible.)
o pse të du
. oh, why do I love you?
o pse të pres
. oh why do I wait for you?
shumë më mirë është që unë të vdes
. much better would it be for me if I should die

si më harrove dhe shkatërove gjith atë lumturi mesnesh
. as you forgot me, you destroyed all happiness (atë?? meshnesh??)

ti më tradhëtove unë po qaj e ti më një tjetër po qesh
. you betrayed me, I cry, while you laugh (are merry) with someone else

[sa shumë të deshta
s´këtë gjë më mirë vetëm zoti e di
... etc.]

[Balkaneuro]

these lyrics have too many errors, i tried to fix them

sa shpejt kaluan ato dite kur ne te dy kishim ber fjal
----------how fast those days passed when the two of us had given our word

tash ke harruar se nje vajze per ty digjet ne strat me mall
-----------now you have forgotten, that a girl burns in bed from longing(for you)

sa shumë te deshta
--------i loved you so much

këtë gjë më mirë vetëm zoti e di
-------only God knows this best

ndonese une heshta e ndjeja se do me
-----although i was quiet, i felt that you would

braktisesh ti
----abandon me

dhe qaja une me lot
--------i cried (with) tears

ngushëlloja vetëm kot
------ i consoled for nothing

o pse te dua
-------oh why do i love you

nuk e kuptoj
----------- i do not understand

ti i lumtur une plage sheroj
-------you are happy, and i am (still) healing wounds

o pse te dua
---------- oh why do i love you

o pse te pres
--------o why do i wait for you

shum me mire eshte qe une te vdes
--------it's much better for me to die

si me harrove dhe shkaterove gjith ate lumturi mesnesh
------- how did you forget me, and destroy all the happiness between us
(mes - between, ne - us)

ti me tradhetove, une po qaj, e ti me nje tjeter po qesh
--------you betrayed me, i cry, while you laugh (are happy) with someone else

[Vajzemalsore]

Yes it did clear it up thanks. grew up hearing the albanian language all the time and i still find it so hard to understand it all. there's so much to it, so much to learn, but I have found that your help with the translations has benefited me alot so thank you

[Balkaneuro]

no problem, I am glad my translation skills have helped you learn the albanian language better you have learned a lot, keep it up

[cortom]

Originally Posted by Balkaneuro

these lyrics have too many errors, i tried to fix them [...]

Thanks again. When I look at the corrections you made, some of it seems so evident. Like that missing 'unë' in 'ti i lumtur ...'. But I have to face it: one missing or miss-spelled word is enough for me - more often than not - to loose track of the meaning of a sentence. Do you know of any other website (besides this one) where they publish (more or less correct) Albanian songlyrics?

How would you say 'I was consoled...' in Albanian?

[Balkaneuro]

i can't believe that those lyrics came from teksteshqip, this website is usually very reliable! It is very difficult to find albanian lyrics, usually you can only find them on blogspots or fan pages, which there aren't many of. if i happen to find any i will post them, also if anyone else knows other website for albanian lyrics please post as well!

[cortom]

It's only a few sentences, but most of the words I cannot even find in a dictionary. And the ones I do find don't seem to make any sense. I really need help.

Nexhat & Remzie Osmani - Oj nane

Mori nane e zeza nane e
m'kan ra plumbat ne xhamadan e

m'kan ran plumbat oj nanë
ne xhamdan e
per kete jete oj nan
sun m'kan lane

te lutem nane o bre
mem tregu e sa do te mbajsh
oj nan zi o per mue

sa do te mbajsh oj nan
zi o per mu

sa te jete jeta bir
me jetu e

sa te jete jeta me jetu
del pranvera qyqja me knu e

del pranvera qyqja me knu
shkon e zeza nane me i nimu e

i nimon nana, rremat ni peme
o qyqja nana o per djalin tem
qyqja nana per djal o te ri

lave nanen bir me dur n'gji
lave nanen o me dur ne gji
sa te jete jeta bir me te mbajt zi
web:www.teksteshqip.com

I'm not even sure about the correct title. Usually I find 'Oj nane', but I have seen it written as 'Moj nane' too.

@Balkaneuro: one last question about Nora Istrefi's song. Could it be 'ngushëlloja veten kot' (In vain I consoled myself) in stead of 'ngushëlloja vetëm kot'? I'm often confused about 'veten' (which I take to mean 'self') and 'vetëm' (which I think means 'alone/only/...').

[Vajzemalsore]

I just wanted to share this song with everyone..you should youtube it if you havent heard it, its beautiful and the words are nice. I tried translating it (yikes) but I think its hard to translate these exact words she used to english, because doing so doesnt really make sense or sound as nice as it does in albanian....

Balkaneuro, please feel free to correct any of it because I know that theres a section that I just couldnt grasp. =)

SONI MALAJ-TE DUA TY

tek ty jeton shpirt dashuria , tek buzët e tua gjeta jete
With you lives my spirit my love, with your lips i found life
kur me prek te them te dua, janë te mia buzët e tua
When you touch me, you say I love you, they are mine those lips of yours
merre qiellin, ta kam falur, me merr
(dont know how to translate this)

ti je bota, ti je dielli, ti je deti ti je qielli,ti je ai, te dua ty!
You are the world, you are the sun, you are the sea you are the sky, i love you
Te
je gjysma ime ne ketë jete, gjithçka qe kam'
Your my other half in this life, everything I have
Nese njeri me nuk do jem, me shkruaj dhe nentoke, e jotja jam
If we are not alive anymore, write me even underground, I am yours
Nga një oqean qe na ndan, tek unë je sot nëse një dite qielli do te qaj
although theres the ocean that seperates us, with you I am today if one day the sky splits
dielli do te dijë te ngrohe
the sun will know and warm us

(the lyrics then repeat)

[Balkaneuro]

SONI MALAJ-TE DUA TY

tek ty jeton shpirt dashuria , tek buzët e tua gjeta jete
With you lives my spirit my love, with your lips i found life
kur me prek te them te dua, janë te mia buzët e tua
When you touch me, you say i love you, they are mine those lips of yours
te them te dua --- I say i love you
merre qiellin, ta kam falur, me merr
take the skies/heavens i have given them to you, take me
te kam falur - is a difficult saying to explain it means like i allow

ti je bota, ti je dielli, ti je deti ti je qielli,ti je ai, te dua ty!
You are the world, you are the sun, you are the sea you are the sky, i love you
ti je ai -- you are him -- like "your the guy" i love
je gjysma ime ne ketë jete, gjithçka qe kam'
Your my other half in this life, everything I have
Nese njeri me nuk do jem, me shkruaj dhe nentoke, e jotja jam
If we are not alive anymore, write me even underground, I am yours
Nga një oqean qe na ndan, tek unë je sot nëse një dite qielli do te qaj
although theres the ocean that seperates us, with you I am today if one day the sky splits
dielli do te dijë te ngrohe
the sun will know and warm us


Vajze malesore! wow, you did an awesome job, bravo urime this song is beautiful in albanian , it is probably one of the most romantic songs i've heard, just the way everything is phrased. You did very well!

[Balkaneuro]

this is sung in the Kosovar dialect "Gheg" so i will do my best!

Moj nane
O mother

Mori nane e zeza nane e
o mother, darkened mother
m'kan ra plumbat ne xhamadan e
bullets have hit my vest
xhamadan is a traditional vest that's usually embroidered in soemway
this is supposed to be that he's greiving "i have been shot" it's very emotional but my translation seems to lack emotion in english sorry

xhamadani
the vest
m'kan ran plumbat oj nanë
they have shot me o mother
ne xhamdan e
on my vest
per kete jete oj nan
for this life o mother
sun m'kan lane
they have left me

te lutem nane o bre
i beg you mother
bre - is like a slang word meaning like "man!"
if you want to be very casual you can end your sentence in bre, to a male or moj/mori to a female, but some may be offended

mem tregu e sa do te mbajsh
tell me how much longer will you withstand
oj nan zi o per mue
o darkened mother, for me
this is saying like you have been through so much, how much more will you endure, o mother your life is darkened from these occurances

when a close family member dies, the women of the family and men in occurances "mbajne zi" which means that they greive their lost one, for years and years, this means they usually do not go out, go to family occasions and weddings, so they practically just greive.
sa do te mbajsh oj nan
how long will o mother
zi o per mu
will you grieve for me
sa te jete jeta bir
as long as life shall be o my only one
me jetu e
for me to live

sa te jete jeta me jetu
as long as life shall be lived
del pranvera qyqja me knu e
spring arrives, .......... (i just don't know what 'qyqja' is! and i think knu means sing)
shkon e zeza nane me i nimu e
darkened mother goes out and helps
i nimon nana, rremat ni peme
mother helps, she plants a plant
o qyqja nana o per djalin tem
..................... o for my son
qyqja nana per djal o te ri
......................o for my the new boy
lave nanen bir me dur n'gji
...............................
lave nanen o me dur ne gji
...............................
sa te jete jeta bir me te mbajt zi
as long as life for me shall be i will grieve for you

some parts i didn't translate because i don't know how to phrase them, so i don't want to supply you with an incorrect translation, since we now know my weak spot is translating this dialect! i shall learn it better!

P.S i believe your correct about nora's, good job on catching that!

I'm off to celebrate the independence of Kosova!

[cortom]

@vajzemalsore: Beautifull! Trust those Albanians, they really know how to write a love song! I already knew 'Te dua ty', but now I listen to it with new ears so to speak. Although I must say that I don't like the video.

@Balkaneuro: you sure make a lot of effort to make the meaning come through. Don't worry about lack of emotion: the song has emotion to spare. The video tells the story well, I knew what the song was about, but now it really comes to life. And what are those Ghegs waiting for to join this forum?

Btw, shouldn't we apply for a seperate Albanian subforum?