Children’s nursery rhymes are a wonderful way to bond with your child. They are perfect for sharing and encouraging a second language and also for parents who may feel shy about singing to their child.
We are excited to have this first guest post in our Children’s Rhymes From Around The World Series contributed by Linda Lopez-Stone. Her blog, Hispanic Mama, Empowering Through Heritage And Language, can be found at the links below.
My favorite time of the year in Ecuador is winter. This is the season when families visit the beach and kids spend more time playing outdoors since schools are closed. Because of the country’s location, winters in the coastal area of Ecuador are hot and rainy.
I remember how the rain felt as the perfect combination for those hot afternoons of outdoor play with the kids of the neighborhood. As soon as we started feeling the first drops of water, we would sing with joy: “¡ Que llueva! ¡ Que llueva!” (Let it rain! Let it rain!)
The rain was also very welcomed by the farmers. It meant that their cosechas (crops) were going to be lucrative. This was especially important for a country where a considerable portion of its economy was dependent on agriculture. I bet the farmers were also singing with excitement: “¡ Que llueva! ¡ Que llueva!”
Although I do not live in Ecuador anymore, I still get excited when I see the first signs of the rain. It symbolizes the joy of my childhood and reminds me of the hope of many people in Ecuador. The rain would always make me happy!
Que Llueva – Spanish Lyrics
¡ Que llueva! ¡ Que llueva!
El quetzal está en la cueva.
¡ Qué llueva! ¡ Qué llueva!
El quetzal está en la cueva.
Los pajaritos cantan
Las nubes se levantan.
Que sí, que no
Que caiga un chaparrón.
Let it Rain – English Lyrics
Let it rain! Let it rain!
The Quetzal is in the cave.
Let it rain! Let it rain!
The Quetzal is in the cave
The little birds are singing
The clouds rise up.
Oh yes, oh no
Let there be a downpour
Oh yes, oh no
Let there be a downpour
Here’s a version of Que Llueva that adds 5 extra verses. It starts with the quetzal bird in the cave and then adds verses with a condor, a turtle, a snake, a llama and a deer! The repetition is wonderful for learning the song and building vocabulary in Spanish.
- Linda López-Stone Linda is a Latina millennial mom and a bilingual writer sharing stories about bicultural and bilingual life in Raleigh, NC. Discover her blog at: http://hispanicmama.com/
Links and Resources
Que Llueve – Sheet Music From Mama Lisa’s World (a slightly different version of the song) http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=557
