A Portuguesa (pron. IPA /ɐ puɾ.tu.'ɣe.zɐ/) is the national anthem of Portugal. It was written by Henrique Lopes de Mendonça (lyrics) and Alfredo Keil (music) after the nationalist resurgence provoked by the British Ultimatum (for Portuguese troops to vacate the territory between Angola and Mozambique), was adopted as a Republican anthem and, finally, by the new Portuguese Republic in 1910 as the national anthem, replacing "O Hino da Carta", the last anthem of the Constitutional Monarchy in Portugal.
The title A Portuguesa means "the Portuguese (song)" — the Portuguese word for "song", canção, being feminine — just as La Marseillaise, the national anthem of France, is "the song of Marseille" and the Belgian anthem, The Brabançonne is "the song of Brabant."
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Lyrics
The song consists of the first stanza from Mendonça's poem followed by a chorus. The second and third verses below were part of the poem, but are not included in the anthem. The fifth line of the chorus: "Contra os canhões marchar, marchar" (Against the cannons march, march!) is an alteration of the original "Contra os bretões marchar, marchar" (Against the Britons march, march!).
Portuguese lyrics
I
Heróis do mar, nobre povo,
Nação valente e imortal,
Levantai hoje de novo
O esplendor de Portugal!
Entre as brumas da memória,
Ó Pátria sente-se a voz
Dos teus egrégios avós,
Que há-de guiar-te à vitória!
Chorus
Às armas, às armas!
Sobre a terra, sobre o mar,
Às armas, às armas!
Pela Pátria lutar
Contra os canhões marchar, marchar!
II
Desfralda a invicta Bandeira,
À luz viva do teu céu!
Brade a Europa à terra inteira:
Portugal não pereceu
Beija o solo teu jucundo
O Oceano, a rugir d'amor,
E teu braço vencedor
Deu mundos novos ao Mundo!
Chorus
III
Saudai o Sol que desponta
Sobre um ridente porvir;
Seja o eco de uma afronta
O sinal do ressurgir.
Raios dessa aurora forte
São como beijos de mãe,
Que nos guardam, nos sustêm,
Contra as injúrias da sorte.
Chorus
Approximate English translation
I
Heroes of the sea, noble people,
Valiant and immortal nation,
Arise today once more
The splendour of Portugal.
From out of the mists of memory,
Oh Homeland, the voices are felt
Of your great forefathers
That shall lead you on to victory!
Chorus
To arms, to arms
Over land, over sea!
To arms, to arms
To fight for the Homeland!
Against the cannons, we march, we march!
II
Hoist the unconquerable Flag,
In the living light of your sky!
Europe cries out to the all of the land:
Portugal has not perished
Kiss the soil jolly of yours
The Ocean, roaring of love,
And your winning arm
Gave new worlds to the World!
Chorus
III
Salute the Sun that rises
Over a smiling future;
Let the echo of an offense
Be the sign for resurrection.
Rays of that strong dawn
Are as mother kisses,
That keep us, sustain us,
Against the injuries of luck.
Chorus
