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The 'A Portuguesa!' - The Portuguese National Anthem
The "A Portuguesa" is the national anthem of Portugal. It originated from the 19th-century Portuguese republican movement, which opposed the lavish lifestyle of the monarchy.
The song's origins and the animosity of the lyrics were directed towards the British, following the Portuguese nobility's concession of significant land rights in Africa in 1890, an event known as the Pink Map. The lyrics of the third verse include lines such as "echo of an insult" and "against the insults of fate," reflecting the national sentiment of the 1890s.
There were many variations of the song, and surprisingly, the tune, tempo, and even the lyrics were not formalised until 1957.
The Portuguese National Anthem features a rousing chorus of "As armas! As armas!" (To arms! To arms!) and is passionately sung by the Portuguese during every sporting event.
An English Translation of the Portuguese National Anthem
The following section translates the lyrics to the "A Portuguesa":
Verse 1
Hero'is do mar, nobre povo, [Heroes of the sea, noble people,]
Nac,a~o valente, imortal [valiant and immortal nation,]
Levantai hoje de novo, [rise up today once more,]
O esplendor de Portugal [the splendour of Portugal]
Entre as brumas da memo'ria, [from out of the mists of memory,]
O' pa'tria sente-se a voz [oh homeland, we hear the voices]
Dos teus egre'gios avo's [of your illustrious ancestors]
Que ha'-de guiar-te `a vito'ria. [that shall lead you on to victory!]
CHORUS
`As armas! `As armas! [To arms! To arms!]
Sobre a terra e sobre o mar! [On land and sea!]
`As armas! `As armas! [To arms! To arms!]
Pela Pa'tria lutar! [To fight for our homeland!]
Old line - now removed from the Chorus
(Old line - Contra os bretões marchar, marchar!)*
(old Line - Against the British we march, we march!)*
Verse 2
Desfralda a invicta bandeira [Unfurl the unconquerable flag]
`A luz viva do teu ce'u [In the bright light of your sky!]
Brade a Europa `a terra inteira [Proclaim to Europe and the entire world]
Portugal na~o pereceu! [that Portugal has not perished.]
Beija o solo teu jucundo [Your happy land is kissed]
O oceano a rujir d'amor [by the ocean roaring with love]
E o teu brac, o vencedor [and your conquering arm]
deu mundos novos ao Mundo! [has given new worlds to the world!]
CHORUS
`As armas! `As armas! [To arms! To arms!]
Sobre a terra e sobre o mar! [On land and sea!]
`As armas! `As armas! [To arms! To arms!]
Pela Pa'tria lutar! [To fight for our homeland!]
Verse 3
Saudai o sol que desponta [Hail the rising sun]
Sobre um ridente porvir; [On a smiling future]
Seja o eco d'uma afronta [Let the echo of an insult]
o sinal de ressurgir. [the signal for our revival.]
Raios d'essa aurora forte [rays of that strong dawn]
Sa~o como beijos de ma~e [are like a mother's kisses]
que nos guardam, nos sustem, [that protect us and support us]
contra as inju'rias da sorte. [against the insults of fate.]
CHORUS
`As armas! `As armas! [To arms! To arms!]
Sobre a terra e sobre o mar! [On land and sea!]
`As armas! `As armas! [To arms! To arms!]
Pela Pa'tria lutar! [To fight for our homeland!]
The original final section of the chorus was "Contra os bretões marchar, marchar!" - Against the British - we march, we march! This original section expressed the outrage of the Portuguese over the Africa land demands enforced by the British, but this line was altered at the turn of the century.
History of "A Portuguesa" – The Portuguese National Anthem
The Portuguese National anthem was originally written in 1890 by the Republican movement of Portugal, who were disgusted at the way the Portuguese royal family had agreed to British demands over land rights in Africa (known as the Pink Map)
The British had demanded vast areas of Portugal's African colonies in Mozambique and Angola, and the anthem encouraged Portugal's workers and armies to rebel and fight the British. Hence, the undiplomatic 5th line of the original A Portuguesa.
The song still echoes the original intent, the verses and especially the chorus speak of a call to arms, while the third verse speaks of "insults" and "embarrassment", which is how the Portuguese viewed the British ultimatum of 1890.
The song evolved soon after into a protest song not just against the loss of lands but against the monarchy itself. This change of focus caused the national anthem to be banned from being sung in public from 1892. An act of defiance by signing the A Portuguesa was severely punished with conspirators sent off to the harsh African colonies or long spells in jail.
It only became acceptable to sign after Portugal became a republic in 1902.
In 1957, a standardised version of the song was proposed because, previously, there were versions with different words, tunes, and tempos. To decide on the official words and tune, a commission was created, and the official A Portuguesa was agreed on 16 July 1957, which has remained the Portuguese National Anthem to this day.
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If you've enjoyed our content, we'd like to ask for your support.
The internet landscape has changed, and small independent publishers like us face increasing challenges. Search engines now prioritize advertising over organic content, reducing our traffic, while AI systems increasingly copy our original work without attribution.
To help support us, please consider bookmarking our website for easy access. If you find an article useful, we encourage you to share it with friends or on social media. Equally, if you notice anything outdated or incorrect, please let us know so we can promptly address it.
We're always open to collaborating with brands, bloggers, and SEO/PR agencies who value independent creators. If you'd like to work with us or offer support, please reach out at: [email protected]
Thank you for being part of our community and helping us continue to provide valuable content in an increasingly challenging digital environment.