Beginner – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: AKB48
• Album: 18thシングル

Lyrics & Translation

Learning Japanese through AKB48's "Beginner" offers a unique opportunity to engage with strong, empowering language. The song's lyrics, which encourage listeners to cast off their burdens and start anew, are delivered with an intensity that makes the vocabulary and expressions memorable. It's a fantastic way to learn motivational phrases and understand a more assertive side of Japanese lyrical expression, all wrapped in a powerful dance beat.

[English]

Stand in your position

Set!

All the experience and knowledge you had until yesterday are just baggage.

The wind always blows by as usual,

leaving nothing behind.

Find a new path!

Don't spread out someone else's map!

When you lift your lowered eyes,

to zero,

Are we dreaming yet?

Do you believe in the future?

Fearless,

Unaware of our limits,

Still reckless,

Are we dreaming now?

Like children, completely pure...

Break the chains of control,

Tear them apart!

Change your mind

It's okay not to know everything.

Beginner!

Fail,

Are we truly alive?

Do we want to live for tomorrow?

Pretending to understand,

Faking knowledge,

Dreaming again after a long time...

Are we dreaming now?

Like children, completely pure...

Break the chains of control,

If you can't do anything right,

So what if you can't do it yet? We’re still young.

Can't do everything now, can't do it right away,

That's why we still have potential.

The rain has stopped,

The wind has stopped,

A new light is shining for the first time.

Now is the time.

[Japanese]

In your position

set!

昨日までの経験とか

知識なんか荷物なだけ

風はいつも通りすぎて

後に何も残さないよ

新しい道を探せ！

他人(ひと)の地図を広げるな！

伏せた目を上げた時に

0(ゼロ)に

僕らは夢見てるか？

未来を信じているか？

怖いもの知らず

身の程知らず

無鉄砲なまま

今　僕らは夢見てるか？

子どものようにまっさらに･･･

支配された鎖は引きちぎろう

Change your mind

何も知らなくていい

Beginner！

失敗して

僕らは生きているか?

明日を生きていたいか？

わかったふりして

知ったかぶりで

夢も久しぶり

今　僕らは夢見てるか？

子どものようにまっさらに･･･

支配された鎖は引きちぎろう

何もできない　ちゃんとできない

それがどうした? 僕らは若いんだ

何もできない　すぐにできない

だから僕らに可能性があるんだ

雨は止んだ

風は止んだ

見たことのない光が差すよ

今が時だ

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
experience /ɪkˈspɪərɪəns/ B1	noun - practical contact with and observation of facts or events
knowledge /ˈnɒlɪdʒ/ B1	noun - facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education
path /pæθ/ A2	noun - a way or track laid down for walking or made by continual treading
dream /driːm/ B1	noun - a series of images, thoughts, or feelings during sleep verb - to experience dreams during sleep
trust /trʌst/ B2	noun - firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something verb - to believe in the reliability or truth of someone or something
fear /fɪər/ B2	noun - an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous verb - to be afraid of someone or something
chain /tʃeɪn/ B2	noun - a series of connected links used for fastening or securing something verb - to connect or secure with a chain
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - to separate into pieces by force
shine /ʃaɪn/ B2	verb - to emit light or glow
possibility /pɒsɪˈbɪlɪti/ C1	noun - a chance that something may happen
potential /pəˈtɛnʃəl/ C1	noun - the possibility of becoming something in the future adjective - having the capacity to develop or become something
shine /ʃaɪn/ B2	verb - to emit light or glow

Key Grammar Structures

• Vて form + いる / いる (いる) indicates continuous or ongoing actions.

  ➔ Vて form + いる / いる indicates continuous or ongoing actions.

  ➔ Used in lines like "支配された鎖は引きちぎろう" to suggest a continued state or an ongoing action after a change.

• ば conditional + か (ka) to express possibility or uncertainty.

  ➔ Conditional + か (ka) expresses possibility or uncertainty.

  ➔ In "僕らは夢見てるか？" (Are we dreaming?), the か adds uncertainty or a question about possibility.

• Na adjective + なる to become or turn into an adjective state.

  ➔ Na-adjective + なる expresses becoming or turning into a certain state.

  ➔ In "未来を信じているか？" (Do you believe in the future?), the なる form is not used, but the concept of changing states is implied in expressions like "引きちぎろう" (tear apart).

• Imperative form + しよう to suggest a suggestion or volition.

  ➔ Imperative form + しよう to suggest a suggestion or volition.

  ➔ In "引きちぎろう" (let's tear apart), the volitional form しよう is used to suggest taking action.

• Causative form + させる to make or let someone do something.

  ➔ Causative form + させる to make or let someone do something.

  ➔ Though not explicitly in the lyrics, the concept appears in expressions like "支配された鎖は引きちぎろう" where an implied causative action is suggested as breaking free.

• Expressing desire + たい (tai) with a verb to say 'want to do'.

  ➔ Expressing desire + たい (tai) with a verb to say 'want to do'.

  ➔ Used in "未来を信じているか？" not directly, but the overall theme of aspiration connects to expressions of desire like "夢見てるか？"—implying wanting or aspiring.