In this post: Discover 15 authentic Spanish lullabies that Latina mamás sing to their little ones.
One of the ways that Latina mamás show our love for our little ones is to sing them canciones de cuna, sometimes called nanas, or lullabies – the same Spanish lullabies that our mamás and abuelas sang to us when we were pequeñitos!
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For parents that want to provide comprehensive Spanish education at home, your best bet is to begin with our Llamitas Spanish Curriculum.
Rooted in the Hispanic culture, it has a range of beautiful and authentic children’s songs, including lullabies such as Arrorró mi niño (Family unit), La lechuza (Forest unit), Rema, rema, rema tu bote (Transport unit) and Estrellita ¿dónde estás? (Space unit). Los Pollitos is also included in our collection of canciones infantiles (children’s songs).
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How Spanish lullabies have been passed down for generations
Most of the best-known Spanish lullabies that are sung across Spanish-speaking Latin America are variations on old lullabies imported from Spain.
There are also many variations of the same tune with different lyrics, such as the popular Arrorró mi niño, Duérmete mi niño, and Señora Santana, which are all sung to the same tune.
Another popular Spanish lullaby with many variations is A la Nanita Nana, which is sometimes sung with different lyrics as Ea la Nana. Many of us can remember our mamás and abuelas stringing together the many variations of these popular lyrics as they lovingly rocked and sang us or our babies to sleep.
While most canciones de cuna that are popular in Latin America today derive from songs that originated in Spain and have somehow been modified, our list of nanas also includes a few gems that are specific to certain cultures and regions.
For example, the AfroCuban lullaby Drume Negrita, which has been recorded by various artists, is sung in the dialect spoken by the Lucumí people of Cuba, who were among the nation’s freed slaves. Because of this, certain lyrics in the song are pronounced differently, such as “drume” instead of “duerme.” Speakers of this dialect also drop many of the consonants at the end of certain words.
Some of our Spanish lullabies are translations of well-known lullabies in English such as Estrellita ¿dónde estás? and El gato y el violín . Others are sung to universal tunes, such as Duerme bien, which is set to the music of Brahms’ famous lullaby.
Why it’s important to sing Spanish lullabies to your bilingual baby
It’s hard to underestimate the importance of passing down oral traditions such as lullabies, because these songs carry the legacy of so many generations across different countries.
Lullabies are associated with love, with the safety and security of home, with the warmth of la familia. There is something almost awe-inspiring in watching an infant or toddler fall asleep peacefully as their parent or caregiver sings a sweet sleepy song to them.
Spanish lullabies constitute an important part of Hispanic oral history and exemplify the ways in which oral traditions can actually remain alive even after being several generations removed from their roots.
Related post: Latin American and Spanish Folk tales for Kids
Our Top 15 Traditional Spanish Lullabies
We’ve put together a list of our favorite Spanish lullabies, with links to videos, as well as lyrics and their English translations.
Arrorró mi niño
Arrorró mi niño,
Arrorró mi sol,
Arrorró pedazo
de mi corazón.
Este niño lindo
se quiere dormir
y el pícaro sueño
no quiere venir.
Este lindo niño
se quiere dormir…
cierra los ojitos
y los vuelve a abrir.
Sleep my baby
Sleep my sunshine
Sleep little piece
of my heart.
This beautiful baby
Wants to go to sleep
But naught sleep
Doesn’t want to come.
This beautiful baby
Wants to go to sleep
He closes his little eyes
And opens them again.
Duérmete mi niño
Duérmete mi niño, duérmete mi amor
duérmete pedazo de mi corazón.
Esta niña linda que nació de día
quiere que la lleven a la dulcería.
Este niño lindo que nació de noche
quiere que lo lleve a pasear en coche.
Duérmete mi niño, duérmete mi amor
duérmete pedazo de mi corazón.
Sleep my child, sleep my love
Sleep little piece of my heart
This beautiful baby who was born by day
Wants to be taken to the bakery.
This beautiful baby who was born at night
Wants to go out for a stroll in his carriage
Sleep my child, sleep my love
Sleep little piece of my heart.
Señora Santa Ana
Señora Santa Ana
¿Por qué llora el niño?
Por una manzana que se le ha perdido
Yo le daré una
Yo le daré dos
Una para el niño
Y otra para vos
Yo no quiero una
Yo no quiero dos
Yo quiero la mía
Que se me perdió
Yo le daré una
Yo le daré dos
Una para el niño
Y otra para vos
Mrs. Santana
Why is the baby crying?
Because of an apple that he has lost.
I will give him one
I will give him two
One for the baby
And one for you.
I don’t want one
I don’t want two
I want mine
That I lost.
I will give him one
I will give him two
One for the baby
And one for you.
La Lechuza
La lechuza la lechuza
Hace shhh, hace shhh
Todos calladitos como la lechuza
Hacen shhh hacen shhh
The owl, the owl
Says shhh, says shhh
All quiet like the owl
Saying shhh saying shhh
Calla Pequeño
Duerme pequeño
No tengas temor
Mamá te va a buscar
Un ruiseñor
Si su canto no te suena plasentero
Mamá te comprara un sonajero
Y si el sonajero no suena bien
Mamá te mecera en un va y ven.
Y si te cansas en esta occasión
Mamá te va a buscar un acordeón
Cuando el acordeón ya no se escuche
Papá traerá un perrito de peluche
Y si el perrito no sabe ladrar
Un carro y un chupete te va a comprar
Y si no quieres carro ni el chupete
Papá te traerá un lindo juguete
Duermete pequeño no tengas temor
Mamá te canta una nana con amor
A la rorro niño a la rorro ya
Hush little baby
Don’t be afraid
Mama’s going to find you
A Mockingbird
If its song does not sound nice
Mama’s going to buy you a wind chime
And if the wind chime doesn’t sound nice
Mama’s going to rock you back and forth
And if you get tired on that occasion
Mama’s going to find you an accordion
When the accordion can no longer be heard
Daddy will bring a stuffed dog
And if the dog doesn’t know how to bark
A car and a pacifier he’ll buy for you
And if you don’t want a car or a pacifier
Daddy will bring you a nice toy
Sleep little baby don’t be afraid
Mama’s singing you a lullaby with love
Sleep now baby, sleep now
Drume Negrita
En su cuna ya no pué dormí
La negrita Lucumí…
Mamá a la negrita
Se le salen los pies de la cunita
Y la Negra Mercé
Ya no sabe que hacé…
Tú drume negrita
Que yo va a comprá nueva cunita
Que tenga capité
Y también cascabél
Si te drumes yo te voy a comprar
Un melon bien colorao
Si no drumes yo te traigo un babalao
Que da pau pau
Tú drume negrita…
In her bed she can no longer sleep
The little black Lucumí baby
Sleep my black baby girl
And I will buy for you a new crib
That will have a canopy and also a bell
If you sleep, I will bring you a very red melon
If you don’t sleep, I will bring a babalao
That will spank you
A la Nanita Nana
A la nanita nana, nanita ella, nanita ella
Mi niño tiene sueño, bendito sea, bendito sea.
A la nanita nana, nanita ella, nanita ella
Mi niño tiene sueño, bendito sea, bendito sea.
Fuentecita que corre clara y sonora
Ruiseñor que en la selva cantando llora
Calla mientras la cuna se balancea
A la nanita nana, nanita ella.
Oh, lullaby lullaby, that lullaby, that lullaby
My baby is feeling sleepy, blessed be, blessed be
Oh, lullaby lullaby, that lullaby, that lullaby.
Stream that flows clear and loud
Mockingbird that in the jungle cries with his song
Hush while the cradle rocks
Oh, lullaby lullaby, that lullaby, that lullaby
Ea la Nana
Pajarito que cantas en la laguna
No despiertes al niño que está en la cuna.
Ea la nana, ea la nana
Duérmete lucerito de la mañana.
A dormir va la rosa de los rosales
A dormir va mi niño por que ya es tarde.
Ea la nana, ea la nana
Duérmete lucerito de la mañana.
Pajarito que cantas junto a la fuente
Cállate que mi niño no se despierte.
Ea la nana, ea la nana
Duérmete lucerito de la mañana.
Little bird that sings in the lagoon
Don’t awaken the baby that’s in the crib
Oh, the lullaby Oh, the lullaby
Sleep little morning star
The rose of the rose garden is going to sleep
My baby is going to sleep because it’s late
Oh, the lullaby Oh, the lullaby
Sleep little morning star
Little bird that sings in the spring
Hush so that my baby will not wake up.
Oh, the lullaby Oh, the lullaby
Sleep little morning star
Los Pollitos
There are many lively versions of this classic Spanish nursery rhyme, but our favorite lullaby version is sung by José- Luis Orozco.
Los pollitos dicen
Pío, pío, pío
Cuando tienen hambre
Cuando tienen frío
La Gallina busca
El maíz y el trigo
Les da la comida
Y les presta abrigo
Bajo sus dos alas
Acurrucaditos
Hasta el otro día
Duermen los pollitos
The little chicks say
pío pío pío
When they’re hungry
When they’re cold
The Hen finds
Corn and wheat
Gives them their food
And keeps them warm
Beneath her two wings
Snuggled up
Until the next day
The little chicks sleep
Estrellita ¿dónde estás?
Estrellita ¿dónde estás?
Me pregunto qué serás.
En cielo y en el mar
un diamante de verdad.
Estrellita ¿dónde estás?
Me pregunto qué serás.
Little Star, where are you?
I ask myself what you are
In the sky and in the sea
A real diamond
Little Star, where are you?
I ask myself what you are
Pin Pon
Pin Pon es un muñeco
muy guapo y de cartón
se lava la carita
con agua y con jabón.
Pin Pon siempre se peina
con peine de marfil
y aunque se hace tirones
no llora ni hace así: “¡ay!”
Pin Pon dame la mano
con un fuerte apretón
que quiero ser tu amigo
Pin Pon, Pin Pon, Pin Pon.
Pin Pon is a handsome doll
Made out of cardboard
He washes his little face
With water and soap.
Pin Pon always combs his hair
With an ivory comb
And even if he pulls on it
He doesn’t cry or say “ouch”.
Pin Pon give me your hand
With a tight squeeze
I want to be your friend
Pin Pon, Pin Pon, Pin Pon.
Duerme ya Dulce Bien
Duerme ya, dulce bien
Mi capullo de nardo.
Despacito duermete
como la abeja en la flor.
Duerme ya, dulce bien
Duerme ya, dulce amor
Dulces sueños tendrás
al oir mi canción.
Go to sleep, my sweet love
My tuberose bud
Sleep slowly
Like the bee in the flower.
Go to sleep, my sweet love
Go to sleep, my sweet love
Sweet dreams you’ll have
Upon hearing my song.
El gato y el violin
Tirintintín el gato y el violin
La vaca la luna saltó
El perrito rió cuando la vió
Y la cuchara con el plato huyó
Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle
The cow jumped over the moon
The little dog laughed when he saw it
And the spoon ran away with the plate.
Rema rema rema tu barco
Vamos a navegar
Rema rema rema tu bote
Feliz feliz feliz feliz
La vida es para soñar.
Rema rema rema tu bote
Vamos a navegar
Si ves un cocodrilo
No pares de gritar.
Rema rema rema tu bote
Vamos a navegar
Feliz feliz feliz feliz
La vida es para soñar.
Row, row, row your boat
Let’s navigate
Happy, happy, happy, happy
Life is for dreaming.
Row, row, row your boat
Let’s navigate
If you see a crocodile
Don’t stop screaming.
Row, row, row your boat
Let’s navigate
Happy, happy, happy, happy
Life is for dreaming.
Tengo una muñeca vestida de azul
Tengo una muñeca vestida de azul
Zapaticos blancos delantal de tul
La lleve a paseo y se me constipo
La tengo en la cama con mucho dolor
Esta mañanita me dijo el doctor
Que le dé jarabe con un tenedor
I have a doll dressed in blue
White shoes, apron made of tulle
I took her out and she got sick
I have her in bed with a lot of pain
This morning the doctor told me
To give her syrup with a spoon
More Spanish Resources for Babies and Toddlers
To further enhance your child’s Spanish education, check out our blog filled with plenty of Spanish language resources for babies and toddlers.
And check out our other music related posts to help your child incorporate their use of Spanish songs into their everyday life!
Musical Spanish Books for Toddlers
Canciones Infantiles on YouTube
Maya is an artist and freelance writer from Cuba who has worked in Art Education, Language Education, Simultaneous Interpretation, Subtitling, and Literary Translations. She is also a Mom and Abuela, committed to providing resources for homeschooling parents (such as her own daughter!) and to all who value the conservation of her beautiful, native Spanish language.