Argentine National Anthem

The lyrics of the Himno Nacional Argentino (the national anthem of Argentina) were written by Vicente López y Planes, and the music was composed by Blas Parera. This song was adopted as the national anthem on May 11, 1813, three years before the formal declaration of independence from Spain. May 11 is therefore Anthem Day in Argentina.

Modern Version

The following is the modern version, adopted in 1900, without the vivid attacks against Spain.

Spanish lyrics English translation IPA transcription
Oíd, mortales, el grito sagrado:

"¡Libertad, libertad, libertad!"
Oíd el ruido de rotas cadenas,
ved en trono a la noble igualdad.

Ya su trono dignísimo abrieron
las Provincias Unidas del Sud
y los libres del mundo responden:
"Al gran pueblo argentino, ¡salud!
Al gran pueblo argentino, ¡salud!"
Y los libres del mundo responden:
"Al gran pueblo argentino, ¡salud!" Estribillo
Sean eternos los laureles
que supimos conseguir,
que supimos conseguir.
Coronados de gloria vivamos...
¡o juremos con gloria morir!,
¡o juremos con gloria morir!,
¡o juremos con gloria morir!

Hear mortals, the sacred cry:

"Liberty, liberty, liberty!"
Hear the noise of broken chains,
see enthroned the noble Equality.

To his dignified throne open

the United Provinces of the South
And the free people of the world reply:
"To the great Argentinian people, salute!"
"To the great Argentinian people, salute!"
And the free people of the world reply:
"To the great Argentinian people, salute!"
Chorus
May the laurels be eternal
that we knew how to win,
that we knew how to win.
Let us live crowned with glory...
or swear with glory to die!
Or swear with glory to die!
Or swear with glory to die!

[o.ɪð mo.ɾta.les el ɣɾi.to sa.ɣɾa.ðo]
[li.βeɾ.tað li.βeɾ.tað li.βeɾ.tað]
[oɪð el ɾui.ðo ðe ɾo.taɦ ka.ðe.nas]
[βeð en tɾo.no a la no.ble i.ɣual.dað]
 
[ʃa su tɾo.no dig.ni.si.mo a.bɾi.e.ɾon]
[laɦ pɾo.βin.sias u.ni.ðaɦ ðel suð]
[i loɦ liβ.ɾeɦ ðel mun.do reh.pon.den]
[al ɣɾan pueb.lo aɾ.ɣen.ti.no sa.luð]
[al ɣɾan pueb.lo aɾ.ɣen.ti.no sa.luð]
[i loɦ liβ.ɾeɦ ðel mun.do reh.pon.den
[al ɣɾan pueb.lo aɾ.ɣen.ti.no sa.luð]
[i loɦ liβ.ɾeɦ ðel mun.do reh.pon.den
[al ɣɾan pueb.lo aɾ.ɣen.ti.no sa.luð]
 
[sean e.teɾ.noɦ loɦ lau.re.les]
[ke su.pi.moɦ kon.se.ɣiɾ]
[ke su.pi.moɦ kon.se.ɣiɾ]
[ko.ɾo.na.ðoɦ ðe glo.ɾi.a βi.βa.mos]
[o xu.ɾe.moɦ kon glo.ɾia mo.ɾiɾ]
[o xu.ɾe.moɦ kon glo.ɾia mo.ɾiɾ]
[o xu.ɾe.moɦ kon glo.ɾia mo.ɾiɾ]


2008 comprehensive translation, adapted for the tune
Same meaning, somehow more positive

O'Hear Mortals these sacred words...
We Are Free!, We Are Free!, We Are Free!
O'Hear the sounds of broken old chains,
See enthroned our great noble Flag!
Her glorious passage was for us unveiled,
By The United Provinces of the South.
And the world's free men now respond...
The Great Argentine people: We Greet!
The Great Argentine people: We Greet!
And the world's free men now respond...
The Great Argentine people: We Greet!
And the world's free men now respond...
The Great Argentine people: We Greet!

Chorus

May these Laurels be eternal,
Well we knew how to fetch them.
Well we knew how to fetch them.
Let us all live crowned with Glory,
Or full with Glory, let's swear to die.
Full with Glory, let's swear to die.
Full with Glory, let's swear to die.
|}

Original version

The original version, Marcha Patriótica, is as follows:

Spanish lyrics English translation
Oíd, mortales, el grito sagrado:

Libertad, libertad, libertad.
Oíd el ruido de rotas cadenas,
Ved en trono a la noble igualdad.
Se levanta a la faz de la Tierra
una nueva y gloriosa Nación,
coronada su sien de laureles,
y a sus plantas rendido un león.

Mortals! Hear the sacred cry:

Freedom, freedom, freedom!
Hear the noise of broken chains,
see noble Equality enthroned.
Rises to the heights of the Earth
a new and glorious nation,
its head crowned with laurels,
and at her feet lying a Lion.

Coro

Sean eternos los laureles,
que supimos conseguir.
Coronados de gloria vivamos...
o juremos con gloria morir.

Chorus

May the laurels be eternal,
that we knew how to win.
Let us live crowned with glory...
or swear to die gloriously.

De los nuevos campeones los rostros

Marte mismo parece animar
la grandeza se anida en sus pechos:
a su marcha todo hacen temblar.
Se conmueven del Inca las tumbas,
y en sus huesos revive el ardor,
lo que va renovando a sus hijos
de la Patria el antiguo esplendor.

From the new Champions their faces

Mars himself seems to encourage
Greatness nestles in their bodies:
at their march they make everything tremble.
The dead Inca are shaken,
and in their bones the ardour revives
which renews their children
of the Motherland the ancient splendour.

Pero sierras y muros se sienten

retumbar con horrible fragor:
todo el país se conturba por gritos
de venganza, de guerra y furor.
En los fieros tiranos la envidia
escupió su pestífera hiel;
su estandarte sangriento levantan
provocando a la lid más cruel.

Mountain ranges and walls are felt

to resound with horrible din:
the whole country is disturbed by cries
of revenge, of war and rage.
In the fiery tyrants the envy
spit the pestipherous bile;
their bloody standard they rise
provoking the most cruel combat.

¿No los véis sobre México y Quito

arrojarse con saña tenaz
y cuál lloran, bañados en sangre,
Potosí, Cochabamba y La Paz?
¿No los véis sobre el triste Caracas
luto y llantos y muerte esparcir?
¿No los véis devorando cual fieras
todo pueblo que logran rendir?

Don't you see them over Mexico and Quito

throwing themselves with tenacious viciousness?
And who they cry, bathed in blood,
Potosí, Cochabamba and La Paz?
Don't you see them over sad Caracas
spreading mourning and weeping?
Don't you see them devouring as wild animals
all people who surrender to them?

A vosotros se atreve, argentinos,

el orgullo del vil invasor;
vuestros campos ya pisa contando
tantas glorias hollar vencedor.
Más los bravos, que unidos juraron
su feliz libertad sostener,
a estos tigres sedientos de sangre
fuertes pechos sabrán oponer.

To you it dares, Argentinians,

the pride of the vile invader;
your fields it steps on, retelling
so many glories as winner.
But the brave ones, that united swore
their merry freedom to sustain,
to those blood-thirsty tigers
bold breasts they will know to oppose.

El valiente argentino a las armas

corre ardiendo con brío y valor,
el clarín de la guerra, cual trueno,
en los campos del Sud resonó.
Buenos Ayres se opone a la frente
de los pueblos de la ínclita unión,
y con brazos robustos desgarran
al ibérico altivo león.

The valiant Argentinian to arms

runs burning with determination and bravery,
the war bugler, as thunder,
in the fields of the South resounds.
Buenos Ayres opposes, leading
the people of the illustrious Union,
and with robust arms they tear
the arrogant Iberian lion.

San José, San Lorenzo, Suipacha,
ambas Piedras, Salta y Tucumán,
La Colonia y las mismas murallas
del tirano en la Banda Oriental.
Son letreros eternos que dicen:
aquí el brazo argentino triunfó,
aquí el fiero opresor de la Patria
su cerviz orgullosa dobló.
San José, San Lorenzo, Suipacha,

both Piedras, Salta and Tucumán,
La Colonia and the same walls
of the tyrant in the Banda Oriental.
They are eternal signboards they say:
here the Argentinian arm found triumph,
here the fierce oppressor of the Motherland
his proud cervix bent.

La victoria al guerrero argentino

con sus alas brillante cubrió,
y azorado a su vista el tirano
con infamia a la fuga se dio.
Sus banderas, sus armas se rinden
por trofeos a la libertad,
y sobre alas de gloria alza el pueblo
trono digno a su gran majestad.

Victory to the Argentine warrior

covered with its brilliant wings,
and embarrassed at this view the tyrant
with infamy took to flight.
Its flags, its arms surrender
as trophies to freedom,
and above wings of glory the people rise
the worthy throne of their great majesty.

Desde un polo hasta el otro resuena

de la fama el sonoro clarín,
y de América el nombre enseñando
les repite: "¡Mortales, oíd!:
ya su trono dignísimo abrieron
las Provincias Unidas del Sud".
Y los libres del mundo responden:
"Al gran pueblo argentino, ¡salud!

From one pole to the other resounds

the fame of the sonorous bugler,
and of America the name showing
they repeat "Mortals, hear:
The United Provinces of the South
have now displayed their most honorable throne".
And the free people of the world reply:
"We salute the great people of Argentina!"

Sean eternos los laureles

que supimos conseguir.
Coronados de gloria vivamos...
¡o juremos con gloria morir!

May the laurels be eternal,

that we knew how to win.
Let us live crowned with glory...
or swear to die gloriously!

Argentine National Anthem Media

References