Butterfly – English Lyrics

• By: Kehlani
• Album: While We Wait

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Know we're scared of us

What this might become

Ain't no goin' back no more, no more

We're in the same bed

Can I lay your way?

Let's fill up this space with us

Butterfly

You make me feel brand new

Oh, I feel it comin', got a rush like I'm runnin'

No longer lookin' for somethin'

Oh, I feel it comin', got a rush like I'm runnin'

No longer lookin' for somethin'

So you seem to think you're invisible

You're so far from silhouette

You tell on yourself between every word

And leave all this room for me

Butterfly, yeah

I miss feelin' for you

Oh, I feel it comin', got a rush like I'm runnin'

No longer lookin' for somethin'

Oh, I feel it comin', got a rush like I'm runnin'

No longer lookin' for somethin'

You speak in dictionaries

While fearing less than over understand

Virgo moon, I'm so used to your dance

Tongue too swole to comprehend

I see you duck and dodge at every bend

Afraid to play your card, be forced to show your hand

I hope you take from this that it'll make you no less of a man

To break your walls and simply grab my hand

Love shouldn't be contraband

It shouldn't treble on your confidence

Shouldn't be seen as less than compliments

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ A2	noun - a colourful insect with large wings
scared /skɛrd/ A2	adjective - feeling fear; frightened
become /bɪˈkʌm/ B1	verb - to begin to be; to turn into
bed /bɛd/ A1	noun - a piece of furniture for sleeping
fill /fɪl/ A2	verb - to make something full
space /speɪs/ B1	noun - an area that is empty or available
rush /rʌʃ/ B1	noun - a sudden quick movement or surge verb - to move quickly or hurriedly
invisible /ɪnˈvɪzɪbəl/ B2	adjective - unable to be seen
silhouette /ˌsɪl.uˈɛt/ C1	noun - the dark outline or shape of something against a brighter background
word /wɜːrd/ A1	noun - a single unit of language that carries meaning
room /ruːm/ A1	noun - an enclosed space within a building
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - deep affection or strong emotional attachment verb - to feel deep affection for someone
confidence /ˈkɒnfɪdəns/ B2	noun - belief in one's own abilities or qualities
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - to separate into pieces or interrupt noun - a short period of rest or interruption
grab /ɡræb/ B1	verb - to take hold of quickly
walls /wɔːlz/ B1	noun - vertical structures that enclose a space
dance /dæns/ A2	noun - a series of rhythmic movements usually to music verb - to move rhythmically to music
comprehend /ˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnd/ C1	verb - to understand fully
duck /dʌk/ B1	verb - to lower the head or body quickly noun - a waterbird with a broad bill
dodge /dɒdʒ/ B2	verb - to avoid something by a sudden movement

Key Grammar Structures

• Know we're scared of us

  ➔ Present simple tense with subject 'we'

  ➔ The verb 'know' is in the present simple tense, indicating a habitual or general truth. Here, it expresses a recurring feeling of fear.

• Ain't no goin' back no more, no more

  ➔ Double negative with contraction

  ➔ The use of 'ain't' and 'no more' twice emphasizes the finality of the decision. Note: In formal English, double negatives are avoided, but they are common in colloquial speech.

• Can I lay your way?

  ➔ Modal verb for permission

  ➔ The modal verb 'can' is used to politely ask for permission to do something, in this case, 'lay your way'.

• You make me feel brand new

  ➔ Causative structure with 'make'

  ➔ The verb 'make' is used in a causative sense, indicating that the subject ('you') causes the object ('me') to feel brand new.

• No longer lookin' for somethin'

  ➔ Present continuous with negative

  ➔ The phrase uses the present continuous tense ('lookin'') with a negative ('no longer'), indicating a change in a current situation or state.

• You speak in dictionaries

  ➔ Metaphorical expression

  ➔ The phrase 'speak in dictionaries' is a metaphor, suggesting that the person speaks in a very formal or precise manner, as if reading from a dictionary.

• Afraid to play your card, be forced to show your hand

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ The infinitive 'to play' and 'to show' are used to express purpose or result, indicating why the person is afraid.

• Love shouldn't be contraband

  ➔ Modal verb for advice or suggestion

  ➔ The modal verb 'shouldn't' is used to give advice or make a suggestion, in this case, that love should not be treated as something illegal or wrong.