En Swasa Kaatre
From En Swasa Kaatre · 1999
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- M. G. Sreekumar, K. S. Chithra
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- En Swasa Kaatre1999
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| En swasa kaatrae swasa kaatrae neeyadi | You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl. |
| En swasa kaatrae swasa kaatrae neeyadi | You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl. |
| Un ninaivugal en swasa manadhu ennadi | What is this mind of mine, filled with memories of your breath? |
| Naan paadum paattae panneer ootrae neeyadi | You are the song I sing, a fountain of rosewater, girl. |
| Male | |
| Mudhal mudhal vandha kaadhal mayakkam | The trance of love that arrived for the very first time, |
| Moochu kuzhalgalin vaasal adaikkum | Blocks the threshold of my windpipe. |
| Kaigal theendumaa…kangal kaanumaa…kaadhal thondrumaa | Will hands touch... will eyes see... will love be born? |
| En swasa kaatrae swasa kaatrae neeyadi | You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl. |
| Male | |
| Idhayathai thirudi konden | I stole the heart, |
| Enn uyirinai tholaithuvitten | I lost my soul. |
| Idhayathai thirudi konden | I stole the heart, |
| Enn uyirinai tholaithuvitten | I lost my soul. |
| Tholaindhadhai adaiyavae marumurai kaanbenaa | Will I see you again to regain what was lost? |
| Female | |
| Aaahhhaaaaaaa..lalalalalaaaaa… | [Vocalizing] |
| Lalalalaaaalaaaalalalalah ah ah ah ah… | [Vocalizing] |
| Male | |
| En swasa kaatrae swasa kaatrae neeyadi | You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl. |
| En swasa kaatrae swasa kaatrae neeyadi | You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl. |
| Un ninaivugal en swasa manadhu ennadi | What is this mind of mine, filled with memories of your breath? |
| Naan paadum paattae panneer ootrae neeyadi | You are the song I sing, a fountain of rosewater, girl. |
| Male | |
| Mudhal mudhal vandha kaadhal mayakkam | The trance of love that arrived for the very first time, |
| Moochu kuzhalgalin vaasal adaikkum | Blocks the threshold of my windpipe. |
| Kaigal theendumaa…kangal kaanumaa…kaadhal thondrumaa | Will hands touch... will eyes see... will love be born? |
| En swasa kaatrae swasa kaatrae neeyadi | You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl. |
| Female | |
| Mmmmmm……aaaaa….. | [Vocalizing] |
| Aaaaaaaa……..aaaaaa…….aaaaaaa…..aaa.. | [Vocalizing] |
என் சுவாசக்
காற்றே சுவாசக் காற்றே
நீயடி என் சுவாசக்
காற்றே சுவாசக் காற்றே
நீயடி உன் நினைவுகள்
என் சுவாசமானது என்னடி
நான் பாடும் பாட்டே பன்னீர்
ஊற்றே நீயடி
You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl.
You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl.
What is this mind of mine, filled with memories of your breath?
You are the song I sing, a fountain of rosewater, girl.
முதல் முதல்
வந்த காதல் மயக்கம்
மூச்சுக் குழல்களின்
வாசல் அடைக்கும்
கைகள் தீண்டுமா
கண்கள் காணுமா
காதல் தோன்றுமா
என் சுவாசக் காற்றே
சுவாசக் காற்றே நீயடி
The trance of love that arrived for the very first time,
Blocks the threshold of my windpipe.
Will hands touch... will eyes see... will love be born?
You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl.
இதயத்தைத்
திருடிக் கொண்டேன்
என் உயிரினைத்
தொலைத்துவிட்டேன்
இதயத்தைத் திருடிக்
கொண்டேன் என் உயிரினைத்
தொலைத்துவிட்டேன்
தொலைந்ததை அடையவே
மறுமுறை காண்பேனா
I stole the heart,
I lost my soul.
I stole the heart,
I lost my soul.
Will I see you again to regain what was lost?
.............................
[Vocalizing]
[Vocalizing]
என் சுவாசக்
காற்றே சுவாசக் காற்றே
நீயடி என் சுவாசக்
காற்றே சுவாசக் காற்றே
நீயடி உன் நினைவுகள்
என் சுவாசமானது என்னடி
நான் பாடும் பாட்டே பன்னீர்
ஊற்றே நீயடி
You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl.
You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl.
What is this mind of mine, filled with memories of your breath?
You are the song I sing, a fountain of rosewater, girl.
முதல் முதல்
வந்த காதல் மயக்கம்
மூச்சுக் குழல்களின்
வாசல் அடைக்கும்
கைகள் தீண்டுமா
கண்கள் காணுமா
காதல் தோன்றுமா
என் சுவாசக் காற்றே
சுவாசக் காற்றே நீயடி
The trance of love that arrived for the very first time,
Blocks the threshold of my windpipe.
Will hands touch... will eyes see... will love be born?
You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl.
ம்ம்ம்ம்ம்ம்
ஆஆஆஆ ஆஆஆஆ
ஆஆஆஆ ஆஆஆஆ
ஆஆஆஆ
[Vocalizing]
[Vocalizing]
En swasa kaatrae swasa kaatrae neeyadi
You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl.
En swasa kaatrae swasa kaatrae neeyadi
You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl.
Un ninaivugal en swasa manadhu ennadi
What is this mind of mine, filled with memories of your breath?
Naan paadum paattae panneer ootrae neeyadi
You are the song I sing, a fountain of rosewater, girl.
Mudhal mudhal vandha kaadhal mayakkam
The trance of love that arrived for the very first time,
Moochu kuzhalgalin vaasal adaikkum
Blocks the threshold of my windpipe.
Kaigal theendumaa…kangal kaanumaa…kaadhal thondrumaa
Will hands touch... will eyes see... will love be born?
En swasa kaatrae swasa kaatrae neeyadi
You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl.
Idhayathai thirudi konden
I stole the heart,
Enn uyirinai tholaithuvitten
I lost my soul.
Idhayathai thirudi konden
I stole the heart,
Enn uyirinai tholaithuvitten
I lost my soul.
Tholaindhadhai adaiyavae marumurai kaanbenaa
Will I see you again to regain what was lost?
Aaahhhaaaaaaa..lalalalalaaaaa…
[Vocalizing]
Lalalalaaaalaaaalalalalah ah ah ah ah…
[Vocalizing]
En swasa kaatrae swasa kaatrae neeyadi
You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl.
En swasa kaatrae swasa kaatrae neeyadi
You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl.
Un ninaivugal en swasa manadhu ennadi
What is this mind of mine, filled with memories of your breath?
Naan paadum paattae panneer ootrae neeyadi
You are the song I sing, a fountain of rosewater, girl.
Mudhal mudhal vandha kaadhal mayakkam
The trance of love that arrived for the very first time,
Moochu kuzhalgalin vaasal adaikkum
Blocks the threshold of my windpipe.
Kaigal theendumaa…kangal kaanumaa…kaadhal thondrumaa
Will hands touch... will eyes see... will love be born?
En swasa kaatrae swasa kaatrae neeyadi
You are my breathing air, my breathing air, girl.
Mmmmmm……aaaaa…..
[Vocalizing]
Aaaaaaaa……..aaaaaa…….aaaaaaa…..aaa..
[Vocalizing]
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'En Swasa Kaatre' expresses the breathless intensity and overwhelming trance of falling deeply in love for the first time. The protagonist elevates the beloved to the status of vital air, stating that their very survival and thought processes depend entirely on her presence and memory. The lyrics colorfully portray love as both a soothing fountain of rosewater and a breathtaking condition that literally chokes the airwaves in awe. The singer grapples with losing their soul to love and desperately wonders if they will ever meet again to feel whole once more.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“En swasa kaatrae swasa kaatrae neeyadi”
Compares the beloved directly to essential breath ('swasa kaatrae') and a refreshing spray of rosewater ('panneer ootrae').
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)
“Moochu kuzhalgalin vaasal adaikkum”
Exaggerates the overwhelming feeling of love by describing it as literally blocking the air passages/windpipes.
Alliteration / Initial Consonance (Monaai)
“Mudhal mudhal vandha kaadhal mayakkam”
Repetition of the 'M' sound across words ('Mudhal', 'mayakkam', 'Moochu') creating a rhythmic flow.
Rhyme / Internal Rhyme (Iyaibu)
“Kaigal theendumaa…kangal kaanumaa…kaadhal thondrumaa”
Symmetrical end-rhymes ('theendumaa', 'kaanumaa', 'thondrumaa') emphasizing questioning and yearning.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song 'En Swasa Kaatre' was composed by A. R. Rahman for the 1999 romantic drama of the same title, directed by K. S. Ravi. The track features vocals by M. G. Sreekumar and K. S. Chithra, with evocative lyrics penned by Vairamuthu. Rahman's orchestration famously blends traditional Indian melodies with lush, sweeping Western symphonic arrangements.
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