Ya Gotta Have FAITH = You Have Got to Have FAITH

Ya Gotta Have FAITH = You Have Got To Have Faith = Tienes que tener fe.

 This song is another great example of connected speech, spoken English as it is pronounced naturally.   "Ya gotta" is a very common expression which is really "You have got to" which is equivalent to "You have to"  or  "Tienes que" in Spanish.   One important thing to remember if you use the expressions "gotta"(got to), "hafta"(have to), "wanna"(want to), "gonna"(going to), etc.  is that you should NOT say "I´m gonna to go." 

Some other interesting vocabulary words and expressions you can learn from this song include:

I guess = creo que/supongo que.  "Guess"  is literally translated as "adivinar" or "acertar" but it is also used a lot as an introductory phrase when you are not 100% sure of something or are giving your opinion like in the example:  

"I guess you´re tired after such a hard day." 

Supongo que estás / creo que estás / estarás cansado después de un día tan duro. 

nice = agradable, bueno, atractivo, and many, many more.  It works describing people, objects, situations, etc., a nice car, a nice house, a nice song, a nice dress.

give away = regalar.   This does NOT mean to give someone a gift/present in the normal sense of a birthday, Christmas, etc.   It is used, for example, when you have something that you don´t want or need, like some old books, that you give away to friends or to a charity organization.   Another way "give away" is used is when businesses give away free gifts as a promotion.   These are two of the most common uses of "give away" but check your dictionary and you´ll find even more different meanings. 

can´t help + gerund = can´t stop myself from + gerund = no puedo evitar.  For example,  I can´t help feeling nervous before taking an exam. Here is one of the most famous songs that uses this expression.

 

Faith by George Michael

Well I guess it would be nice

Bueno, creo que sería un placer
If I could touch your body

Si yo pudiera tocar tu cuerpo,
I know not everybody

Yo sé que no todo el mundo
Has got a body like you, uhh

Tiene un cuerpo como el tuyo.  

 

But I've gotta think twice

Pero tengo que pensarlo muy bien
Before I give my heart away

Antes de darte mi corazón.
And I know all the games you play

Y conozco todos los juegos a los que juegas
Because I play them too

Porque los juego también. 

Oh but I

Ah pero yo
Need some time off from that emotion

Necesito un descanso de esa emoción
Time to pick my heart up off the floor

Tiempo para recoger mi corazón del suelo
Oh when that love comes down

Y cuando ese amor se viene abajo
Without devotion

Sin devoción.
Well it takes a strong man, baby

Bueno, esto requiere un hombre fuerte
But I'm showing you the door

Así que ahí tienes la puerta.  

 

'Cause I gotta have faith

Porque tengo que tener fe.
I gotta have faith

Tengo que tener fe.
Because I gotta have faith faith

Porque tengo que tener fe, fe, fe.
I gotta have faith, faith, faith

Tengo que tener fe, fe, fe.

 

Baby

Cariño
I know you're asking me to stay

Sé que me estás pidiendo que me quede.
Say please, please, please, don't go away

Dices, por favor, por favor, por favor, no te marches.
You say I'm giving you the blues

Tú dices que te pongo triste

 
Maybe

Quizás
You mean every word you say

Tú eres sincero con cada palabra que dices
Can't help but think of yesterday

No puedo evitar pensar en el ayer
And another who tied me down to the lover boy rules

Y otra que me ató a las reglas del chico enamorado

 

Before this river

Antes de que este río
Becomes an ocean

Se convierta en océano.
Before you throw my heart back on the floor

Antes de que tu vuelvas a tirar mi corazón al suelo
Oh baby I´d reconsider

Ah cariño yo reconsidería
My foolish notion

Mi idea absurda
Well I need someone to hold me

Bueno, necesito alguien que me abrace
But I´ll wait for something more

Pero esperaré hasta que encuentre algo mejor

Yes I´ve gotta have faith

Sí  tengo que tener fe.
Uhh, I gotta have faith

Uhh,  tengo que tener fe.
Because I gotta have faith faith, faith

Porque tengo que tener fe, fe, fe.
I gotta have faith, faith, faith

Tengo que tener fe, fe, fe.

Notes on this song:
The video starts with the church music because "faith" is usually a word that is closely associated with the church and religion.   Here, however, it is the idea of having faith that the future will be OK and that the person in the song shouldn´t just go with the first person they meet but instead (sino) wait and have faith that they will find a better partner (pareja)  in the future.    I think that a lot of people are in bad relationships because they decide to stay with someone not because that person is their soulmate (media naranja) but instead (sino) because they are afraid of being alone and not finding someone else.    Here is a good example of a pop song that actually has thoughtful lyrics if you take the time to listen and understand them.   Personally I like the fact that this song reminds me not to worry too much about the future.   I just need to think about the here and now and trust that the future will be OK.