What does the Pokemon Theme Song say in your language?

[Des Teto]

The Original Theme Song:

Spoiler

I wanna be the very best
Like no one ever was
To catch them is my real test
To train them is my cause

I will travel across the land
Searching far and wide
Each Pokémon to understand
The power that's inside

Pokémon (Gotta catch 'em all), it's you and me
I know it's my destiny
(Pokémon!)
Oh, you're my best friend
In a world we must defend
Pokémon (Gotta catch 'em all), a heart so true
Our courage will pull us through
You teach me, and I'll teach you
Po-ké-mon!
(Gotta catch 'em all!)
Gotta catch 'em all!

Every challenge along the way
With courage I will face
I will battle every day
To claim my rightful place

Come with me, the time is right
There's no better team,
Arm in arm, we'll win the fight
It's always been our dream

 

These lyrics rings a bell, right? I bet you can hear the melody just fine. The truth is many of us knew this song by heart years before learning English. When I discovered the original song years later, I started to analyse the original lyrics. I couldn't prevent myself to compare them with the lyrics I knew so much. I liked the way ideas and messages were transposed in my language. Translating a song is an interesting exercise. You have to keep the sense of the lyrics while making them sound right. Choices had to me made. In a result, while some sentences were deleted, new punchlines came up. I think it's interesting to know what translators across the world came up with. 

 

So, here is the thing. What are the lyrics in your language? And what would be their literal translation in English? Of course, it won't rhyme. But I am really wondering how the values of friendship, adventure or challenge were implemented in our childhood song.

 

According to Bulbapedia, this song has been translated to Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (both Portugal and Brazil), Russian, Spanish (both Latin America and Spain), Swedish and Turkish. Maybe there's more, I don't know.

 

P.S.: One thing that did surprised me is that this song is not Japanese. However, the original singer Jason Paige sung a Japanese version. And it's, dare I say, a fan-tastic performance. It's not the full song tho.

Spoiler

 

 

[Siragon]

Seems like an interesting topic, let's try this !

 

Original song in French :

Spoiler

Un jour je serai le meilleur dresseur

Je me battrai sans répit

Je ferai tout pour être vainqueur

Et gagner les défis

 

Je parcourrai la Terre entière

Traquant avec espoir

Les Pokémon et leurs mystères

Le secret de leurs pouvoirs

 

Pokémon (Attrapez-les tous)

C'est notre histoire

Ensemble pour la victoire

Pokémon

Rien ne nous arrêtera

Notre amitié triomphera

Pokémon (Attrapez-les tous)

Même à notre âge

Un voyage d'apprentissage

Ça demande du courage

Po-ké-mon !

(Attrapez-les tous)

Attrapez-les tous !

 

Rien ni personne sur mon chemin

Ne pourra me briser

Car pour accomplir mon destin

Je suis déterminé

 

Quand il faudra passer à l'action

Nos amis seront là

Et tous ensemble nous gagnerons

Le dernier des combats !

 

 

And as for the litteral translation :

Spoiler

One day i'll be the best trainer

I'll fight without rest

I'll do anything to be the winner

And win the trials

 

I'll travel the whole Earth

Tracking with hope

The pokémon and their mysteries

The secret of their powers

 

Pokémon (gotta catch them all)

It's our story

Together for the victory

Pokémon

Nothing will stop us

Our friendship will prevail

Pokémon (gotta catch them all)

Even at our age

A learning journey

It demands some bravery

Po-ké-mon !

(gotta catch them all)

Gotta catch them all !

 

Nothing nor anybody on my way

Will be able to break me

For to accomplish my destiny

I am determined

 

When it'll be time to act

Our friends will be there

And together we will win

The last of the fights !

 

 

And just for the ears :

Spoiler

 

 

 

Now that i take a deeper look at the lyrics, it's funny how there's so much use of the future in this version. Don't know what could be said about this fact though.