Back to all translations
App is best experienced on desktop or tablet.
Translations are AI-generated and unedited. AI can make mistakes. When in doubt, trust someone who speaks the language.
Translations are AI-generated and unedited. AI can make mistakes. When in doubt, trust someone who speaks the language.
Verse 1
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Saguquka sathi 'bheka' | We turned/grooved and said 'look' | Xhosa - 'Saguquka' means 'we turned around/changed' but idiomatically refers to dancing/grooving to the music. 'Sathi' = we said, 'bheka' = look. |
| Nants' iPata Pata | Here is the Pata Pata / This is the Pata Pata | Xhosa - 'Nants(i)' means 'here it is' or 'this is.' 'Pata Pata' means 'touch touch' in Xhosa and refers to both the dance and the touching/patting movement in the dance. |
| Saguquka sathi 'bheka' | We turned/grooved and said 'look' | Xhosa - Repetition for emphasis and rhythm. |
| Nants' iPata Pata | Here is the Pata Pata / This is the Pata Pata | Xhosa |
Chorus
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yiyo mama, yiyo mama | That's it, mama / That's the one, mama | Xhosa - 'Yiyo' means 'that's the one' or 'that's it' - an exclamation of approval and encouragement. |
| Nants' iPata Pata | Here is the Pata Pata | Xhosa |
| Yiyo mama, yiyo mama | That's it, mama / That's the one, mama | Xhosa |
| Nants' iPata Pata | Here is the Pata Pata | Xhosa |
Bridge 1 (Spoken)
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pata Pata is the name of a dance | Pata Pata is the name of a dance | English - Explanation of the dance for international audiences. This spoken section was added for the 1967 U.S. release. |
| We do down Johannesburg way | We do down Johannesburg way | English - References the township shebeens (informal bars) of Johannesburg where this dance style was popular in the 1950s. |
| And everybody starts to move | And everybody starts to move | English |
| As soon as Pata Pata starts to play | As soon as Pata Pata starts to play | English |
Verse 2
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Saguquka sathi 'bheka' | We turned/grooved and said 'look' | Xhosa - Returns to the Xhosa lyrics after the English explanation. |
| Nants' iPata Pata | Here is the Pata Pata | Xhosa |
| Saguquka sathi 'bheka' | We turned/grooved and said 'look' | Xhosa |
| Nants' iPata Pata | Here is the Pata Pata | Xhosa |
Chorus
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yiyo mama, yiyo mama | That's it, mama / That's the one, mama | Xhosa |
| Nants' iPata Pata | Here is the Pata Pata | Xhosa |
| Yiyo mama, yiyo mama | That's it, mama / That's the one, mama | Xhosa |
| Nants' iPata Pata | Here is the Pata Pata | Xhosa |
Bridge 2 (Spoken)
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Every Friday and Saturday night | Every Friday and Saturday night | English - Describes the weekly dance gatherings in the townships. |
| It's Pata Pata time | It's Pata Pata time | English |
| The dance keeps going all night long | The dance keeps going all night long | English - Captures the all-night party culture of the shebeens. |
| Till the morning sun begins to shine | Till the morning sun begins to shine | English |
Verse 3
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Saguquka sathi 'bheka' | We turned/grooved and said 'look' | Xhosa - Final return to the main dance refrain. |
| Nants' iPata Pata | Here is the Pata Pata | Xhosa |
| Saguquka sathi 'bheka' | We turned/grooved and said 'look' | Xhosa |
| Nants' iPata Pata | Here is the Pata Pata | Xhosa |
Final Chorus
| Original | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yiyo mama, yiyo mama | That's it, mama / That's the one, mama | Xhosa |
| Nants' iPata Pata | Here is the Pata Pata | Xhosa |
| Yiyo mama, yiyo mama | That's it, mama / That's the one, mama | Xhosa - The song typically fades out on this encouraging refrain, celebrating the dance. |
| Nants' iPata Pata | Here is the Pata Pata | Xhosa |