Song lyric- another meaning?

Question

"Estoy desde otro lugar" is in the Kevin Karla y La Banda Spanish version of HELLO (by Adele)

Does it mean "I am somewhere else."?

Estoy = I am (location & feelings) Desde = from, since Otro Lugar = another place

"I am from another place."??? But that would use "Soy"

What am I missing?

Here is the whole chorus

Estoy desde otro lugar Debí llamar una vez más Y decir lo siento por todo lo que hice mal Cuando llamo entiendo que en casa no estás

Estoy desde otro lugar Al menos lo quien intentar Al decir lo siento tú corazón yo quebré. Está claro entiendo pero ya no lo haré nunca más

Hello Lulu, welcome to the SpanishDict forum :) Please also add your level of ability in Spanish and English to your profile, thank you :) - FELIZ77, May 2, 2016

I am making a video with English subtitles. So when they say "Estoy desde otro lugar" , should I put "I am someplace else" ? - spanishlulu2002, May 4, 2016

Answer 1

At times, estar is used where normally one would use ser, in order to indicate a state that is not the natural condition of the situation in question.

Eg, I have seen está muy joven to mean you someone who seems young for their age, está alto for a child that seems taller than expected, etc.

So, I would have wondered if this is means:

I’m in the state of being from another (perhaps even figurative) place.

From what I can tell it is an interpretation of the Adele lyrics Hello from the other side and Hello from the outside.

So maybe it is simply using estar as a location in a more poetic sense- I am not absolutely sure, and post this only to engender more discussion.

Bosque, I wonder if it could even mean I am in a dfferent place mentally/emotionally to where you are ie not on the same page ! ??? - FELIZ77, May 2, 2016

That is what I was wondering as well. :) - bosquederoble, May 2, 2016

Or from where I was before? :) - bosquederoble, May 2, 2016

Either these words are wrong eg Spanglish, or perhaps more likely an idiomatic way of expressing something in Spanish that I have never encountered before! ;) - FELIZ77, May 2, 2016

I will agree with your post on correct grammar. This is not something I would have used, but a native speaker did, it is in well published lyrics. So we are left trying to understand it. - bosquederoble, May 2, 2016

I like your answer, being dead is defenitly a different state so that tallies. - annierats, May 3, 2016

Answer 2

Try this version, it becomes more clear..Hola desde el mas allá.

versión Spanglish

It's quite interesting actually, it's estar muerto, so estoy desde otro lugar??? Natives, please, this is a questioning sort of answer.

Estoy de acuerdo contigo, Annie. Creo que la pobre está muert, está hablando desde el "más allá." - Daniela2041, May 3, 2016

typo--"muerta" - Daniela2041, May 3, 2016

Yes, so, Dani, then you might well use estar_ - annierats, May 3, 2016

Answer 3

Hello Lulu,

Welcome to the SpanishDict forum

You asked/said:

"Estoy desde otro lugar" is in the Kevin Karla y La Banda Spanish version of HELLO (by Adele) Does it mean "I am somewhere else."? Estoy = I am (location & feelings) Desde = from, since Otro Lugar = another place "I am from another place."??? But that would use "Soy" What am I missing?

Soy de España /Mexico = I am from Spain/Mexico

No soy de aquí = I am not from (around) here

Location: (Use the verb: estar)

I am here = Estoy aquí. I am in Barranquila = Estoy en Barranquilla (Colombia)

Origen: (Yes, you would use the verb ser)

Soy de aquí = I am from here, Soy de Argentina = I am from Argentina

Estoy en otro lugar = I am in a different place (literally)

Soy de otro lugar (I am from a different place)

I do not know why they have used estoy here in the sentence you first mentioned, it would seem wrong to me in this context unless they are meaning something else (different) I would say: Soy de otro lugar = I am from another place. Perhaps somebody else could shed sme light on this!

By the way, you cannot (it is not adviseable to) translate word for word between languages, especially when trying to make sense of (understand) lyrics! When you post lyrics please try to include more of the context, ie: a whole verse

I hope this helps

You're right, and songs are very difficult. - annierats, May 2, 2016

Thank you very much for your comment, Annie ;) - FELIZ77, May 2, 2016

Answer 4

Poetic license anyone?

Exactamente, mi amor. - Daniela2041, May 3, 2016

Where ya been, Dani? I've missed you. Hope it's all good. ;-) - Winkfish, May 3, 2016