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"Sabor a Mí" is the title of a song in Spanish.

http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/l/los_panchos/sabor_a_mi.html

Usually, sabor is a noun. But in this context, it seems to be used more like a verb. Can it be (roughly) translated as "savor me"?

Another translation I used, that people liked because it was "hard-hitting" (and sexy), was "come on to me."

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    "Sabor" is definitely not used as a verb on that song title. Nov 16, 2011 at 15:26
  • @Juan: As well as telling us what it isn't can you also tell us what it is? Nov 16, 2011 at 15:43
  • Yes. It is a noun. Nov 16, 2011 at 15:50
  • Beatiful song...taste of me Nov 18, 2013 at 18:12
  • I think I was confused by the context of all the other verbs in the lyrics, and therefore took sabor as a verb: Tanto tiempo DISFRUTAMOS de este amor nuestras almas se ACERCARON tanto a as que yo guardo tu sabor pero tu LLEVAS tambien SABOR a mi. Si NEGARAS mi presencia ...
    – Tom Au
    Nov 18, 2013 at 19:23

7 Answers 7

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I would say that the translation could be "a taste of me". I don't see that "sabor" is used as a verb there, it is used as a noun.

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    +1, though I'd traslate the title (alone) as "Taste of me". It's indeed used as a noun, as in the phrase "that left me a bad taste in the mouth".
    – leonbloy
    Nov 16, 2011 at 15:28
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    A taste of me probably would leave a bad taste in the mouth.
    – Richard
    Nov 16, 2011 at 15:30
  • I agree that in the context of the song it is a noun. Feb 10, 2020 at 2:16
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The complete sentence is "En la boca llevarás sabor a mí", so it definitely is "You will keep in your mouth a taste of me".

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I must disagree, it doesn't reflect quantity. "Y en tu boca llevarás sabor a mí" in the context of the song is a mock that no matter what happened, despite not being together or as much as time passed, her "flavour" will remain in his mouth, making a double meaning statement. Which implies that he can never erase what happened and comparing the memories of their encounters to the after taste you have after eating food.

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How about...In your lips, you will always carry the essence of me. "Boca" is O.K. in Spanish but in translating it, it becomes too anatomical and less romantic so leave it at the lips and voila!

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I think the closest English word to "sabor" is "savor", since it has the same etymology (Latin "sabor, meaning "taste" - https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sapor#Descendants).

I think "savor of me" sounds a bit less unusual in English than "taste of me", which sounds a bit "flat". That being said, I agree with the others above that neither "taste of me" or "savor of me" is idiomatic as a romantic expression in English.

Here's my best effort on the last verse (with a little help from Google Translate):

A thousand years or more will pass, Our love fade in eternity, Yet even there as here, Your lips savor of me.

(That's not a 100% precise translation, but at least it keeps the rhyme scheme, even if the meter is not ideal.)

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  • Now that I am looking at another Spanish dictionary, it looks like "sabor" can also be translated as "spice", so maybe that is a better translation in a romantic context than simply "taste" (which seems flat and literal) or even "flavor" or "savor". I think "essence" is probably not ideal, since it is a looser translation - "essence" is a more abstract word, and loses part of the metaphor from the song of the "kiss" that the lovers have shared. Feb 10, 2020 at 2:18
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I would translate this into his essence, his presence, his being. You can't translate this literally.

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    Another answer gives the context in which the phrase occurs which seems to indicate your translations are a bit off the mark.
    – mdewey
    Mar 15, 2022 at 16:38
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Sabor A Mi...a favorite of mine. The simple translation is that the woman will always remember his scent, his embrace, and she will "taste" him forever. She will feel him whether near or far. He doesn't own her but in one way he does, by telling her that he will linger on with her. It's a very symbolic song and most beautiful.

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