¿Qué si he de triunfar?

Question

What does „he” mean in this lyrics:

Que si he de triunfar

Mi orgullo aferrado

Hi, welcome to the forum! - rac1, Jan 8, 2013

Maestro, not sure if qué had an accent before. If que has an accent then the whole phrase changes to What if I were to be triumphant. Please confirm. - francobollo, Jan 8, 2013

I found the text, Franco, it's written without any helpful accents.. At least on the internet. - annierats, Jan 8, 2013

Answer 1

I have found the text. Maybe it is ' Qué sí, ..??' ( with comma!)

"No Importa La Distancia"

Una vez sone Que en algun lugar

Yo podria ser alguien Si lograse amar

Y tambien sone Que si he de triunfar

Mi orgullo aferrado Tendre que superar

Un dia llegare No importa la distancia

El rumbo encontrare Y tendre valor

Paso a paso ire Y persistire

A cualquier distancia

Yo el amor alcanzare

Una vez te vi

Era todo irreal Y aunque fuese un sueno

Te sentia junto a mi

Se que estas ahi Que te encontrare

Aunque tarde una vida

Yo jamas renunciare

Un dia llegare...

Mas alla de toda gloria

Del orgullo y el valor

El poder de un heroe

Esta en su corazon

Un dia llegare No importa la distancia

Junto a ti estare Con tu resplandor

Paso a paso ire Y persistire

A cualquier distancia

Yo tu vida y tu amor tendre

Y también soñé que si he de triunfar ... And I also dreamed that if I am/were to be triumphant/successful - francobollo, Jan 8, 2013

or If I were to succeed (to make it more succint) - francobollo, Jan 8, 2013

Great job finding those lyrics, Annie! - francobollo, Jan 8, 2013

It was el Señor Google, actually, but it helps alot, to se what the context is.. - annierats, Jan 8, 2013

Thanks! - annierats, Jan 8, 2013

Answer 2

He comes from the verb haber, such as He leído el períodico dos veces.

But in this case, it is being used in a figurative sense meaning If I am to win or If I were to be triumphant or If I were to succeed.

Note: I am assuming there is no accent over the i on si, which means if.

If there were an accent over the i in the word sí (meaning yes), then the phrase would mean I will definitely be triumphant or victorious (but for some reason I think this was not the intended meaning).

Answer 3

I just talked to my spanish profesor and she said its something like "If I was to succeed." I guess more literally translated could be, "If I am to have success." Thats my take on it.

Your Spanish teacher is correct. - francobollo, Jan 8, 2013

Answer 4

I think it is like the general command "Hay que...." when something needs to be done but you are not saying who should do it. For a review of this, see lesson 1.13

Hay que fregar los platos.

Someone needs to wash the plates.

I would translate Que si he de triunfar into "I really must triumph" or "I really need to triumph"

I could be wrong, though. See what others say.

Answer 5

"HE" mean affirmation of the he must triumph