All Too Well – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift
• Album: Red (Taylor's Version)

Lyrics & Translation

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
disposition /ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən/ B2	noun - a person's inherent qualities of mind and character.
gaze /ɡeɪz/ B2	noun - a steady intent look. verb - to look steadily and intently, especially in admiration, surprise, or thought.
patriarchy /ˈpeɪtriˌɑːrki/ C1	noun - a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.
shame /ʃeɪm/ B1	noun - a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.
lifeless /ˈlaɪfləs/ B2	adjective - without life; inanimate or dead.
enthralled /ɪnˈθrɔːld/ B2	adjective - captivated or fascinated.
selfish /ˈselfɪʃ/ B1	adjective - (of a person, action, or motive) lacking consideration for others; concerned primarily with one's own personal profit or pleasure.
oath /oʊθ/ B2	noun - a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one's future action or behavior.
sacred /ˈseɪkrɪd/ B2	adjective - connected with God or a god or dedicated to a religious purpose and so deserving veneration. (In the lyrics, often used metaphorically for something deeply cherished and protected).
masterpiece /ˈmæstərˌpiːs/ B2	noun - a work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship.
crumpled /ˈkrʌmpəld/ B2	adjective - crushed or wrinkled.
double-cross /ˌdʌbl ˈkrɔːs/ B2	verb - to cheat or betray (someone with whom one is supposedly cooperating). noun - an act of cheating or betraying someone with whom one is supposedly cooperating.
needy /ˈniːdi/ B2	adjective - (of a person) wanting or needing a lot of attention, affection, or reassurance, especially because of a lack of confidence.
weeping /ˈwiːpɪŋ/ B2	verb - shedding tears, typically as a sign of distress, pain, or sorrow.
self-effacing /ˌself ɪˈfeɪsɪŋ/ C1	adjective - not claiming attention for oneself; modest.
paralyzed /ˈpærəlaɪzd/ B2	adjective - (of a person or part of the body) affected with paralysis. (In the lyrics, used metaphorically for being unable to act or function due to strong emotion).
innocence /ˈɪnəsəns/ B2	noun - the state, quality, or fact of being innocent of a crime or wrongdoing. (In the lyrics, implies a state of purity or naivety).
maim /meɪm/ C1	verb - wound or injure (a person or animal) so that part of the body is permanently damaged. (In the lyrics, used metaphorically for severe emotional damage).
barren /ˈbærən/ C1	adjective - (of land) too poor to produce much or any vegetation. (In the lyrics, used metaphorically to describe a cold, empty, or unproductive environment/feeling).
glisten /ˈɡlɪsən/ B2	verb - (of something wet or oily) shine with a sparkling light.

Key Grammar Structures

• And you've still got it in your drawer even now

  ➔ Present Perfect with "still"

  ➔ The present perfect ("you've still got") is used here to emphasize an action or state that started in the past and continues to be true up to the present moment, reinforced by "even now".

• You taught me 'bout your past, thinkin' your future was me

  ➔ Present Participle as an adverbial phrase / Informal contraction

  ➔ "thinkin'" (thinking) is a present participle used here to describe the manner or circumstance of the main action (teaching). It acts as an adverbial phrase. The "'bout" is an informal contraction of "about."

• You never called it what it was til we were dead and gone and buried

  ➔ "Until" clause / Idiomatic expression (Past state)

  ➔ The phrase "til we were dead and gone and buried" uses "til" (until) to indicate a point in time or condition when the main action (calling it what it was) finally happened (or failed to happen). "dead and gone and buried" is an idiomatic way to emphasize finality or a complete end.

• I think you're making yourself feel that way

  ➔ Causative "make" + Reflexive pronoun + Base form verb

  ➔ The structure "make someone do something" is a causative construction, meaning to cause or force someone to do something. Here, "making yourself feel" means you are causing yourself to feel a certain way.

• You said if we had been closer in age, maybe it would have been fine

  ➔ Third Conditional (Past Unreal Conditional)

  ➔ The third conditional ("if we had been... it would have been") is used to talk about a hypothetical situation in the past that did not happen, and its imagined result in the past. It expresses regret or a missed opportunity.

• A never-needy, ever lovely jewel whose shine reflects on you

  ➔ Compound adjectives / Relative pronoun "whose"

  ➔ "never-needy" and "ever lovely" are compound adjectives that describe the "jewel." "whose shine" is a relative clause using "whose" to show possession (the shine of the jewel).

• It's like I'm paralyzed by it

  ➔ Passive voice with "by" agent / Simile ("It's like...")

  ➔ The passive voice "I'm paralyzed by it" emphasizes the state of being affected rather than the one performing the action. "by it" indicates the agent causing the paralysis. "It's like..." introduces a simile.

• But your lovers stay my age

  ➔ Simple Present for a general truth/recurrent action

  ➔ The simple present tense "stay" is used here to describe a recurring pattern or a general truth about the person's behavior (the ex-partner always dates people around the singer's age).

• I'm a soldier who's returning half her weight

  ➔ Relative Clause / Metaphor

  ➔ "who's returning half her weight" is a relative clause providing more information about the "soldier." The entire phrase is a metaphor for someone who has gone through a difficult experience and is left emotionally or physically diminished.

• Just between us, did the love affair maim you too?

  ➔ Idiomatic phrase / Strong verb choice

  ➔ "Just between us" is an idiomatic phrase meaning "in confidence" or "secretly." The verb "maim" is a strong verb, typically meaning to severely injure, used here metaphorically to convey deep emotional harm.

• I remember it all too well

  ➔ Intensifier "too well" / Adverbial phrase

  ➔ The phrase "all too well" acts as an intensifier, meaning that something is remembered vividly and perhaps painfully, more than desired. It emphasizes the depth of the memory.