All You Need Is Love – English Lyrics

• By: The Beatles
• Album: Yellow Submarine

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on your English learning journey with The Beatles' iconic anthem, "All You Need Is Love." The song's deliberately straightforward and repetitive lyrics offer a fantastic opportunity for beginners to learn and practice basic English vocabulary and sentence construction. Its powerful and universally understood message of love, originally broadcast to millions across the globe, makes it a uniquely special and uplifting song to learn and sing.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection verb - to feel deep affection for someone
do /duː/ A1	verb - to perform an action
sing /sɪŋ/ A1	verb - to make musical sounds with the voice
say /seɪ/ A1	verb - to utter words
learn /lɜːrn/ A1	verb - to gain knowledge or skill
play /pleɪ/ A1	verb - to engage in an activity for enjoyment verb - to perform music
game /ɡeɪm/ A2	noun - an activity engaged in for diversion or amusement
make /meɪk/ A1	verb - to create or construct something
save /seɪv/ A2	verb - to rescue from danger or harm
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence
need /niːd/ A1	verb - require (something) because it is essential or very important noun - a thing that is necessary or desirable.
know /noʊ/ A1	verb - to be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information
see /siː/ A1	verb - to perceive with the eyes
meant /mɛnt/ B1	verb - intended to mean or refer to (something particular)
together /təˈɡɛðər/ A1	adverb - in or into one place or group

Key Grammar Structures

• There's nothing you can do that can't be done

  ➔ Double Negative (informal)

  ➔ This sentence uses a double negative: "nothing" and "can't". While grammatically questionable in formal writing, it's common in informal speech and song lyrics for emphasis. It essentially means 'Everything is possible'.

• Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game

  ➔ Ellipsis (omission of words)

  ➔ The word "that" is omitted: "Nothing you can say *that* you can't say...". This is a common stylistic choice in lyrics and informal speech.

• Nothing you can know that isn't known

  ➔ Passive voice

  ➔ The phrase "that isn't known" is in the passive voice. The active form would be something like 'that someone doesn't know'. It's used here to emphasize the action (knowing) rather than the actor.

• There's nowhere you can be That isn't where you're meant to be

  ➔ Relative Clauses and Subjunctive Mood (implied)

  ➔ "That isn't where you're meant to be" contains a relative clause. It also subtly implies the subjunctive mood (or a sense of destiny/fate), as 'meant to be' suggests a predetermined state.

• All you need is love, love

  ➔ Repetition for emphasis

  ➔ The repetition of "love" is used for emphasis and memorability, making the message more impactful.