Chasing Pavements – English Lyrics

• By: Adele
• Album: 25

Lyrics & Translation

Learning English through Adele's "Chasing Pavements" offers a unique opportunity to connect with the raw emotion of heartbreak and indecision. The song's narrative, born from a personal story of love and conflict, is expressed through clear and powerful lyrics. Its central metaphor of 'chasing pavements' is a creative use of language that English learners can explore to understand figurative speech. The song's simple yet profound questions about love and loss make it a relatable and memorable way to learn vocabulary related to emotions and relationships.

[English]

(faint siren wailing)

(slow pop music)

♪ I've made up my mind ♪

♪ Don't need to think it over ♪

♪ If I'm wrong, I am right ♪

♪ Don't need to look no further ♪

♪ This ain't lust ♪

♪ I know ♪

♪ This is love, but ♪

♪ If I tell the world ♪

♪ I'll never say enough ♪

♪ 'Cause it was not said to you ♪

♪ And that's exactly what I need to do ♪

♪ If I ♪

♪ End up ♪

♪ With you ♪

♪ Should I give up ♪

♪ Or should I just keep chasing pavements ♪

♪ Even if it leads nowhere ♪

♪ Or would it be a waste ♪

♪ Even if I knew my place, should I leave it there ♪

♪ Should I give up ♪

♪ Or should I just keep chasing pavements ♪

♪ Even if it leads nowhere ♪

♪ I build myself up ♪

♪ And fly around in circles ♪

♪ Waiting as my heart drops ♪

♪ And my back begins to tingle ♪

♪ Finally ♪

♪ Could this be it, or ♪

♪ Should I give up ♪

♪ Or should I just keep chasing pavements ♪

♪ Even if it leads nowhere ♪

♪ Or would it be a waste ♪

♪ Even if I knew my place, should I leave it there ♪

♪ Should I give up ♪

♪ Or should I just keep chasing pavements ♪

♪ Even if it leads nowhere, yeah ♪

♪ Should I give up ♪

♪ Or should I just keep chasing pavements ♪

♪ Even if it leads nowhere ♪

♪ Or would it be a waste ♪

♪ Even if I knew my place, should I leave it there ♪

♪ Should I give up ♪

♪ Or should I just keep on chasing pavements ♪

♪ Should I just keep on chasing pavements ♪

♪ Oh-oh ♪

♪ Should I give up ♪

♪ Or should I just keep chasing pavements ♪

♪ Even if it leads nowhere ♪

♪ Or would it be a waste ♪

♪ Even if I knew my place, should I leave it there ♪

♪ Should I give up ♪

♪ Or should I just keep chasing pavements ♪

♪ Even if it leads nowhere ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
chasing /ˈtʃeɪsɪŋ/ B2	verb - to pursue something or someone in order to catch or attain it
pavements /ˈpeɪvmənts/ B2	noun - a hard surface outside a building, such as a sidewalk or footpath
waste /weɪst/ B2	noun - something that is not useful or that is lost or destroyed unnecessarily
place /pleɪs/ A2	noun - a particular position or point in space
knew /njuː/ B1	verb - past tense of 'know'; to have knowledge of something
come /kʌm/ A1	verb - to move toward or arrive at a specified place
leave /liːv/ B1	verb - to go away from a place
need /niːd/ A2	verb - to require something because it is necessary
say /seɪ/ A1	verb - to express thoughts, opinions, or feelings in speech
tell /tɛl/ A2	verb - to give information to someone
build /bɪld/ B1	verb - to construct or assemble something
fly /flaɪ/ B2	verb - to move through the air using wings
waiting /ˈweɪtɪŋ/ B1	verb - to stay in a place until something happens or someone arrives

Key Grammar Structures

• I've made up my mind

  ➔ Present perfect tense

  ➔ The phrase "I've made up my mind" indicates a decision that has been completed in the past and is relevant to the present.

• Should I give up

  ➔ Modal verb usage

  ➔ The phrase "Should I give up" uses the modal verb "should" to express advice or suggestion.

• Even if it leads nowhere

  ➔ Conditional clause

  ➔ The phrase "Even if it leads nowhere" introduces a condition that does not affect the speaker's decision.

• I build myself up

  ➔ Reflexive pronoun usage

  ➔ The phrase "I build myself up" uses the reflexive pronoun "myself" to indicate that the subject is performing the action on itself.

• Could this be it

  ➔ Modal verb for possibility

  ➔ The phrase "Could this be it" uses the modal verb "could" to express a possibility or uncertainty.

• Or would it be a waste

  ➔ Modal verb for hypothetical situations

  ➔ The phrase "Or would it be a waste" uses the modal verb "would" to discuss a hypothetical scenario.

• This is love

  ➔ Simple present tense

  ➔ The phrase "This is love" uses the simple present tense to state a fact or truth.