...Baby One More Time – English Lyrics

• By: Britney Spears

Lyrics & Translation

Learning English with '...Baby One More Time' is a fantastic way to engage with a piece of pop culture history. The song's lyrics, while seemingly simple, offer a great opportunity to understand colloquialisms and the nuances of language, as seen in the famous 'hit me' line. Its straightforward narrative of teenage heartbreak and longing makes the vocabulary and emotional expression easy to follow. What makes this song special for learners is its iconic status and the story behind its creation, providing a rich context that makes language learning both fun and memorable.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
baby /ˈbeɪ.bi/ A1	noun - a very young child
know /noʊ/ A1	verb - to have information in your mind
right /raɪt/ A1	adjective - correct or good
show /ʃoʊ/ A2	verb - to let someone see something
want /wɒnt/ A1	verb - to have a desire for something
need /niːd/ A1	verb - to require something
loneliness /ˈloʊn.li.nəs/ B2	noun - the state of being lonely; sadness because one has no friends or company
killing /ˈkɪlɪŋ/ B1	verb - to cause the death of a person, animal, or plant
confess /kənˈfes/ B2	verb - to admit that you have done something wrong
believe /bɪˈliːv/ A2	verb - to think that something is true
lose /luːz/ A2	verb - to not be able to find something
mind /maɪnd/ A2	noun - the part of you that thinks, feels, and remembers things
give /ɡɪv/ A1	verb - to offer something to someone
sign /saɪn/ A2	noun - a symbol or signal
breathe /briːð/ B1	verb - to take air into your lungs and let it out
blinded /ˈblaɪndɪd/ B2	adjective - unable to see
planned /plænd/ A2	verb - decided on or arranged in advance

Key Grammar Structures

• Oh baby, baby, how was I supposed to know

  ➔ Modal verb "was supposed to" + infinitive

  ➔ "Was supposed to know" expresses an expectation or obligation in the past that wasn't met. It implies the speaker didn't know something they were expected to know or should have known.

• I shouldn't have let you go

  ➔ Modal verb "shouldn't have" + past participle

  ➔ "Shouldn't have let" expresses regret about a past action. It indicates the speaker believes it was a mistake to let the person go.

• My loneliness is killing me

  ➔ Present continuous tense expressing strong emotion

  ➔ The use of the present continuous "is killing" emphasizes the ongoing and intense nature of the speaker's loneliness.

• I must confess I still believe

  ➔ Modal verb "must" indicating strong conviction

  ➔ "Must confess" implies a strong inner compulsion or need to reveal something, further strengthened by "still believe" showing unwavering faith.

• When I'm not with you I lose my mind

  ➔ Conditional clause with "when" indicating a direct consequence

  ➔ "When" acts as a conditional conjunction showing that being apart has the direct and immediate result of losing one's mind.

• Give me a sign

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The imperative mood is used to give a direct command or request.

• Hit me, baby, one more time

  ➔ Imperative mood with specific word choice for effect

  ➔ The seemingly violent imperative "Hit me" is understood metaphorically. In the context of the song, it expresses a desperate plea for renewed emotional contact or attention, despite its potentially aggressive literal meaning.