Boyfriend – English Lyrics

• By: Selena Gomez
• Album: Rare

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the nuances of desire and independence in Selena Gomez's "Boyfriend." This electropop song offers a great opportunity to learn conversational English phrases related to dating and relationships, all set to a catchy beat. Its clever lyrics distinguish between wanting and needing love, making it a special and empowering anthem for anyone navigating the complexities of modern romance.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
boyfriend /ˈbɔɪˌfrɛnd/ A2	noun - a male romantic partner
want /wɒnt/ A1	verb - to desire or wish for something
need /niːd/ A1	verb - to require something because it is essential noun - something that is required
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a deep affection or strong feeling of attachment verb - to feel deep affection for someone or something
hit /hɪt/ A2	verb - to strike something or someone noun - a successful or popular item (e.g., a hit song)
try /traɪ/ A1	verb - to attempt to do something
cut /kʌt/ A2	verb - to slice or divide with a sharp instrument noun - an incision or a reduction
find /faɪnd/ A2	verb - to discover or locate something
wrong /rɒŋ/ A2	adjective - not correct or true; mistaken
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - of high quality or satisfactory
friend /frɛnd/ A1	noun - a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection
phone /foʊn/ A2	noun - a telephone device verb - to call someone on the telephone
line /laɪn/ B1	noun - a long narrow mark or stroke; a queue
difference /ˈdɪfərəns/ B2	noun - the way in which two or more things are not the same
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise
restless /ˈrɛstlɪs/ B2	adjective - unable to rest or relax; uneasy
dead /dɛd/ A2	adjective - no longer alive
ends /ɛndz/ B1	noun - the final parts of something; terminations

Key Grammar Structures

• I WANT A BOYFRIEND

  ➔ Simple Present Tense - Expressing a general desire.

  ➔ The use of the simple present 'want' indicates a continuous desire. The capitalization emphasizes the intensity of the feeling.

• I BEEN UP ALL NIGHT

  ➔ Non-standard Past Participle - Colloquial use of 'been' instead of 'have been'.

  ➔ This is a common feature of informal speech and song lyrics. It's grammatically incorrect in formal writing but adds a conversational tone. The phrase indicates prolonged wakefulness.

• THERES A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WANT AND A NEED

  ➔ Noun Clauses - 'Between a want and a need' functions as the object of the preposition 'between'.

  ➔ The sentence highlights a philosophical distinction. The use of 'there's' is a contraction of 'there is'.

• I KEEP FINDING WRONG ONES

  ➔ Present Continuous with 'Keep' - 'Keep + -ing' emphasizes the repetitive nature of the action.

  ➔ The structure 'keep + verb-ing' indicates that the action of finding the wrong people happens repeatedly. 'Wrong ones' is a pronoun substitution for 'wrong people'.