“Do you understand any of the words?” my wife asked me as Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio sang at halftime of Super Bowl LX.
Not many.
She was surprised.
I’ve been speaking and listening to Spanish for longer than Bad Bunny has been alive, so why couldn’t I understand most of what he was singing?
I’m not familiar with any of his songs.
He’s almost half my age.
Man, his songs are fast, really fast.
I don’t understand a lot of rap lyrics in English.
Here are few words Bad Bunny shouted out I did get and that can help you with your Spanish pronunciation.
Channel your inner SlowMo instant replay and say these words in ENGLISH.
CHEE-leh
otter-hen-TEEN-ah
ooh-do-goo-EYE
pod-ah-goo-EYE
bo-LEAVE-YAH
pwetter-toe-DEE-koh
Go back and say them a bit faster, again in English.
Good job! You’re really sounding more like Bad Bunny when he names these countries:
Chile
Argentina
Uruguay
Paraguay
Bolivia
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Bonus points on that last one if you can roll the R in Rico, something I couldn’t do when I first started learning Spanish. You know, ten years before Mr. Bunny’s parents were married.
You don’t have to get it 100% right. Show the effort. Ask for help.
I’m a recovering perfectionist, and I’m hear to listen.