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“Waka Waka (Esto es África)” meaning

Shakira · 2010 · 🇨🇴 Colombia · Level A2

The 2010 World Cup song in its Spanish version: short lines, repeated, easy to sing along.

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What the song is about

“Waka Waka (Esto es África)” was the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, recorded by Shakira in English and Spanish. It's a pep talk: you've trained, the pressure is on, keep your eyes on the goal, get up when you fall — this is your moment.

Its chorus borrows from a Cameroonian soldiers' song, “Zangalewa”, and the music is built on African rhythms and guitar. The Spanish version is one of the best-known Spanish songs on the planet, and its lines are short and repeated, perfect for a first sing-along.

Listen for the commands: Spanish uses the imperative a lot in sport and in songs like this — get up, go, keep going, feel it. It's a quick way to learn how Spanish tells someone what to do.

Slang and key words

The slang and key words to know before you listen. Words with an arrow have their own slang page.

Learn Spanish with “Waka Waka (Esto es África)”

Level A2 · Short, repeated chorus

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