Que Sera, Sera: Translation & Meaning
We’ve all heard the popular saying ‘Que sera, sera,’ but where does it come from? In this lesson, we will take a look at the phrase’s origin, translation and meaning.
Background Information
No doubt we’ve all heard the popular song ‘Que Sera, Sera’. The song has been recorded dozens of times by dozens of singers. Perhaps the most popular version was the one created by songwriters Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for Alfred Hitchcock’s 1956 film, The Man Who Knew Too Much. This version was sung by Doris Day, who went on to record the song for Columbia Records. It became a massive hit. She also used it as her theme song in her television comedy, The Doris Day Show.
Que Sera, Sera Singer Doris Day
Doris Day
What Does ‘Que Sera, Sera’ Mean?
Okay, so what does que sera, sera mean? Let’s take a look at the chorus from the song and we will see that the translation is actually right there in the second line.
‘Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future’s not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be’
So, que sera, sera means ‘whatever will be, will be’. Let’s take a look at the first set of verses in the song to get a better idea of the deeper meaning behind the phrase.
‘When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother
What will I be
Will I be pretty?
Will I be rich?
Here’s what she said to me’
We get a really good sense of the meaning of que sera, sera from these lines of the song. The little girl wants to know what is going to happen to her in the future. She wonders if she will be rich and pretty. Then in the chorus, her mother tells her that whatever is going to happen is going to happen. If it’s meant to be, then it’s meant to be, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
The phrase is used today as a way of expressing acceptance in something that you can no longer control, as in, ‘I’ve done all that I can and I can’t go back and change anything now.’ Let’s say you were running for class president. You ran your campaign and you already gave your speech, and now your classmates are in the process of voting. That would be a ‘que sera, sera’ situation. There’s no longer a need to worry, because the future is the future. If you were meant to be class president, then you will be class president.
Looking for a Similar Assignment? Order now and Get 10% Discount! Use Coupon Code “Newclient”
The post Que Sera, Sera: Translation & Meaning appeared first on Superb Professors.
For any questions, feedback, or comments, we have an ethical customer support team that is always waiting on the line for your inquiries.