15 Celia Cruz Quotes for Daily Affirmations

If you are looking for inspiring phrases, here are 17 Celia Cruz quotes you can’t miss!

These famous Celia Cruz quotes are in Spanish with their translation in English. Some are about her work, some are about her homeland and many are about her unique point of view on life.

Get inspired by a woman who brought the power of her voice and jovial personality into thousands of homes worldwide. These unique Spanish quotes by the Queen of Salsa will start your day with a boost of positivity and a healthy helping of Spanish before it’s even time for breakfast.

Let’s see them in action!

Table of Contents:

• 17 Inspiring Celia Cruz Quotes
• Learn the Language of Celia Cruz

17 Inspiring Celia Cruz Quotes

Celia Cruz was born in Havana, Cuba in a poor neighborhood with a thriving musical culture. A local contest propelled her artistic career. 

Fidel Castro barred her from returning to Cuba after she went on tour across North America. 

She shared the stage with Tito Puente and other stars, made 23 gold albums and won multiple Grammys. Cruz is remembered for her flamboyant attire, doing what she did best on stage, and amazing everyone with her music.  

Recommended reading: How Celia Cruz Became the “Queen of Salsa”

Her Most Famous Quote

1. ¡Azúcar!

Sugar!

This is the quintessential Celia Cruz quote and trademark. 

Sugar is one of the prime exports of her native Cuba. It’s also a way of saying “put some sugar in your life” to give it some flavor. 

According to an interview with Billboard, her use of this term started in Miami, where a waiter asked Celia if she wanted her coffee with sugar or not. She responded: 

Chico, eres cubano. ¿Cómo puedes siquiera preguntar eso? ¡Con azúcar! 
Boy, you are Cuban. How can you even ask that? With sugar!

See also: 13 Classic Hispanic Songs You Should Know To Feel Native

Celia Cruz Quotes About Cuba

2. ¿Volver? ¡Ojalá, ojalá Dios me dé vida para volver a mi tierra!Return? I hope, I hope God gives me life to return to my land!

As an immigrant, Celia left everything she knew behind to start from scratch. This quote expresses her desire to return to her homeland, Cuba.

Check out: Learn Spanish Online with These 15 Spanish Children’s Books

Humorous Celia Cruz Quotes 

3. Quien crea que he muerto está equivocado. ¡A mí me han raptado los monos del zoológico!

Whoever thinks I’m dead is wrong. The monkeys from the zoo have kidnapped me!

In other words: I will live forever. This fun Celia Cruz quote tells us about her sense of humor and her desire to live. 

4. Mi inglés no es muy guapo. 

My English is not very good-looking.

This is a valuable lesson for someone learning a new language. It doesn’t need to be perfect in terms of grammar or pronunciation. The more mistakes you make, the more you learn. 

Continue reading: 10 Famous Afro-Latino Singers and Celebrities You Can’t Miss

Celia Cruz Quotes About Life

5. No te aflijas chico, ¡vive tu vida con sabor!

Don’t worry boy, live your life with flavor!

This Celia Cruz quote is the spicy version of “don’t worry, be happy.” It tells us to never find life soothing or comfortable, give it rhythm and flavor; otherwise, it’s not worth living. 

This quote is from the book Mujeres bacanas latinas. Si ellas pudieron, nosotras también. (Cool Latin Women: If They Could, So Can We).

Celia Cruz Quotes About Herself 

6. Nunca hablo sobre mi edad, pero yo nací cantando. Mi mamá, Catalina, me dijo que cuando tenía 9 o 10 meses de edad, me levantaba en medio de la noche, a las 2 o 3 de la madrugada cantando. Esta muchachita va a trabajar de noche, decía. Pues la viejita no se equivocó. 

I never talk about age, but I was born singing. My mother, Catalina, told me that at 9 or 10 months of age I’d wake up in the middle of the night, 2 or 3 in the morning, singing. That little girl is going to work at night, she said. Well, the little old lady wasn’t wrong. 

This Celia Cruz quote reminds you to take whatever it is that makes you happy and stick to it. Don’t let go of your dreams! 

See also: 10 Female Hispanic Singers Who Conquered the World

7. Yo soy la nieta negra de Cristóbal Colón.

I am the black granddaughter of Christopher Columbus.

There are many ways to interpret this Celia Cruz quote. Was she referring to the fact that she conquered the world with her music? 

Did she mean she was a mix of many cultures? Was she saying she was the impersonation of the crossing and mixing of different societies and traditions when she left Cuba and headed to the United States?

Celia Cruz Quotes About Her Work

8. No quiero que muera mi salsa.

I don’t want my salsa to die. 

Even after her death, the spirit of Celia Cruz lives through her music and legacy. Live so that “your salsa” doesn’t die, either!

Hand-picked for you: The 10 Most Popular Salsa Songs That Are Perfect for Learning Spanish

9. Mi vida es cantar. No planeo retirarme. Planeo morir en un escenario. Puedo tener dolor de cabeza pero cuando llega el momento de cantar y subo al escenario, ya no hay dolor de cabeza.

My life is singing. I don’t plan on retiring. I plan to die on a stage. I can have a headache, but when it’s time to sing and I step on that stage, there is no more headache.

This quote is the definition of “do not live to work, work to live” and “those who love their jobs don’t have to work a day in their lives.” 

This Celia Cruz quote teaches us to follow our calling and become great at what we love so we don’t ever have to retire. 

10. Cuando la gente me escucha cantar, quiero que sean felices, felices, felices. No quiero que piensen cuando no hay dinero o cuando hay peleas en casa. Mi mensaje siempre es felicidad, happiness.

When people hear me sing, I want them to be happy, happy, happy. I don’t want them thinking about when there’s not any money, or when there’s fighting at home. My message is always felicidad, happiness.

This Celia Cruz quote from a 1981 interview with the New York Times reminds you to seize the moment and let go of the rest. Living here and now helps you cultivate happiness. 

Check out: 10 Children’s Books That Celebrate Hispanic Heritage

11. Me encanta vivir en el escenario. Sin eso, me moriría.

I love living on that stage. Without that, I’d die. 

Loving what you do makes you wake up with energy every morning and keeps you going!

See also: Celia Cruz: 10 Eternal Songs

Celia Cruz Quotes from Songs

12. La oportunidad de llegar, tú verás si te montas en ella. Agárrate fuerte y ya no te sueltes.

When opportunity presents itself grab it. Hold on tight and don’t let go.

13. No es que recuerde, sino que no olvido, eso es el perdón, recordar sin dolor.

Forgiving is not forgetting. Forgiving is remembering without pain.

This Celia Cruz quote is great advice. You don’t need to forget, but do forgive. Otherwise, you’re hurting yourself. Make this your new life motto!

Related reading: Celia Cruz Biography

14. Si quieres llegar primero, mejor se corre despacio. Disfruta bien de la vida, cariño, aunque tomando medidas, azuca’.

If you want to get there first, you better run slowly. Enjoy life well, honey, although taking measures, sugar.

This is from the song, La negra tiene tumbao. What it tells us is that if you want to get there first, do not hurry, but rather run slowly. That way you can enjoy the path and take measures. Those who are cautious and patient get to the finish line first. 

Continue reading: 30 Spanish Song Quotes That Will Brighten Your Day

15. La vida es un carnaval.

Life is a carnival.

This is not just a Celia Cruz quote, but an entire song that teaches listeners practical lessons. Let this joyful song infect you with passion and happiness. It’s a classic at Latin American weddings, New Year’s parties, and other celebrations.

Learn the Language of Celia Cruz

Let these Celia Cruz quotes inspire you to learn Spanish. It’s a brilliant idea, after all. Did you know there are more than 580 million Spanish speakers in the world? And that it’s the official language in 22 countries? 

Imagine how your life will improve by learning Spanish. You can travel easier to most of Latin America and some places in Europe. Also, you will be able to connect better with more people—potentially 580 million. 

What’s more, you can land a cooler job. Two of the five fastest-growing occupations are interpreter and translator. And you could earn up to $125,000 USD extra just by knowing a second language, according to The Economist.

But where to start? If you’re looking for a method that can speed your learning process and for individualized, flexible, online sessions, Homeschool Spanish Academy is the best option! Become part of our community of 24,000 monthly enrolled students who trust our 10 years of experience. 

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Nicole Canún

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

Blogger, content creator, and marketer. Proudly Mexican. Been to 30 countries. I love learning from different cultures and trying their cuisines. Obsessed with Asia. Fluent in Spanish and English, not so much in French.

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