Apologize – English Lyrics

• By: Timbaland, OneRepublic
• Album: King Stays King

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into 'Apologize,' a poignant collaboration between Timbaland and OneRepublic, to explore the emotional depth of English lyrics. This global hit offers a masterclass in conveying heartbreak and resilience through its powerful chorus and relatable themes of past relationships and self-respect, making it a compelling song for language learners to unpack nuanced expressions and emotional vocabulary.

[English]

(ay, ay, ay)

(ay, ay, ay)

♪ I'm holding on your rope

♪ Got me ten feet off the ground

♪ And I'm hearing what you say

♪ But I can't just make a sound

(ay, ay, ay)

♪ You tell me that you need me

♪ Then you go and cut me down

♪ But wait

♪ You tell me that you're sorry

♪ Didn't think I'd turn around

♪ And say

♪ That it's too late to apologize

♪ It's too late

(ay, ay, ay)

♪ I said it's too late to apologize

♪ It's too late

(ay, ay, ay)

♪ Oh

♪ Oh, oh

(ay, ay, ay)

♪ Take another chance

♪ Take a fall, take a shot for you

♪ Oh, I need you like a heart needs a beat

♪ But it's nothing new

♪ Yeah, yeah

♪ I loved you with a fire

♪ And now it's turning blue

♪ And you say

♪ Sorry like the angel

♪ Heaven let me think was you

♪ But I'm afraid

♪ It's too late to apologize

♪ It's too late

(ay, ay, ay)

♪ I said, it's too late to apologize

♪ It's too late

(ay, ay, ay)

♪ Whoa, oh

(ay, ay, ay)

(ay, ay, ay)

♪ It's too late to apologize

♪ It's too late

(ay, ay, ay)

♪ I said, it's too late to apologize

♪ It's too late

(ay, ay, ay)

♪ I said, it's too late to apologize

♪ Yeah

(ay, ay, ay)

♪ I said, it's too late to apologize

♪ Yeah

♪ I'm holding on your rope

♪ Got me ten feet

♪ Off

♪ The ground

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hold /hoʊld/ A1	verb - to grasp or support with one's hands
ground /ɡraʊnd/ A1	noun - the solid surface of the earth
say /seɪ/ A1	verb - to utter words
need /niːd/ A1	verb - require (something) because it is essential or very important
sorry /ˈsɒri/ A2	adjective - feeling or expressing regret or sympathy
turn /tɜːrn/ A2	verb - move in a circular direction
late /leɪt/ A2	adjective - after the expected or usual time
apologize /əˈpɒlədʒaɪz/ B1	verb - express regret for something done wrong
chance /tʃæns/ B1	noun - a possibility of something happening
fall /fɔːl/ B1	verb - to drop down noun - the act of falling
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - a hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system by rhythmic contraction and dilation
beat /biːt/ A2	noun - a regular rhythmic sound verb - to strike repeatedly
new /njuː/ A1	adjective - recently made, discovered, or experienced
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - to have a strong affection for someone
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A2	noun - combustion or burning
blue /bluː/ A1	adjective - of a colour like that of a clear unclouded sky in the daytime
angel /ˈeɪndʒəl/ B1	noun - a spiritual being believed to act as a messenger of God
heaven /ˈhevən/ B1	noun - a place regarded in various religions as the abode of God (or gods) and the angels
afraid /əˈfreɪd/ A2	adjective - feeling fear or anxiety

Key Grammar Structures

• I'm holding on your rope

  ➔ Present Continuous Tense

  ➔ The present continuous tense describes an action happening now or around now. Here, "holding on" indicates the speaker is currently in the act of holding onto the rope.

• Got me ten feet off the ground

  ➔ Causative "get" + Object + Past Participle

  ➔ "Got me ten feet off the ground" means something/someone made the speaker ten feet off the ground. The structure emphasizes the result of an action performed by someone else.

• But I can't just make a sound

  ➔ Modal Verb "can't" + Base Form of Verb

  ➔ "Can't" expresses inability. Here, the speaker is unable to make a sound.

• Didn't think I'd turn around

  ➔ Conditional in the Past (implied)

  ➔ This implies a past conditional situation. The full sentence could be something like, "I didn't think I would turn around *if you apologized*." It suggests surprise at the change in the speaker's behavior.

• It's too late to apologize

  ➔ "Too + adjective + to + infinitive"

  ➔ This structure indicates that something is impossible or impractical. In this case, it's impossible/impractical to apologize because the opportunity has passed.

• Take another chance

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The imperative mood expresses a command or request. "Take another chance" is a direct instruction.

• Oh, I need you like a heart needs a beat

  ➔ Simile (using "like")

  ➔ This sentence uses a simile to illustrate the speaker's strong need for the other person. The comparison highlights how essential the other person is to the speaker's well-being, just as a heartbeat is essential to life.

• And now it's turning blue

  ➔ Present Continuous with 'turning' (indicating a change)

  ➔ The present continuous here, with the verb "turning", indicates a process of change. The fire, previously bright, is now diminishing and losing its intensity.