Come as You Are – English Lyrics

• By: Nirvana
• Album: Nevermind (1991)

Lyrics & Translation

Learning English through Nirvana's 'Come as You Are' offers a unique window into the nuances of language and emotion. The song's power lies in its use of contradiction and ambiguity, which can help you appreciate how words can convey multiple, even conflicting, meanings. It's a special song for language learners because it demonstrates how simple phrases can carry deep, complex ideas about identity and societal pressure, all within a classic piece of music history.

[English]

作词 : Kurt Cobain

作曲 : Kurt Cobain

Nirvana -Come as you are

Come as you are as you were

As I want you to be

As a friend as a friend as an old enemy

Take your time hurry up

The choice is yours don't be late

Take a rest as a friend as an old memoria

Memoria

Memoria

Memoria

Come dowsed in mud soaked in bleach

As I want you to be

As a trend as a friend as an old memoria

Memoria

Memoria

Memoria

And I swear that I don't have a gun

No I don't have a gun

No I don't have a gun

Memoria

Memoria

Memoria

And I swear that I don't have a gun

No I don't have a gun

No I don't have a gun

No I don't have a gun

No I don't have a gun

No I don't have a gun

Memoria

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
come /kʌm/ A1	verb - to move or travel toward someone or something
want /wɒnt/ A1	verb - to desire or wish for something
friend /frend/ A1	noun - a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection
enemy /ˈenəmi/ B1	noun - a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future
take /teɪk/ A1	verb - to lay hold of something with one's hands; to seize or capture
rest /rest/ A1	noun - a period of relaxing or ceasing to engage in activity
memoria /məˈmɔːriə/ C1	noun - memory (Latin origin, used in the song as a stylistic choice)
dowsed /daʊzd/ C2	verb - to cover or saturate with a liquid
soaked /soʊkt/ B2	verb - to make or become thoroughly wet
mud /mʌd/ A2	noun - soft, sticky matter resulting from the mixing of earth and water
bleach /bliːtʃ/ B2	noun - a chemical used to whiten or sterilize materials
trend /trend/ B1	noun - a general direction in which something is developing or changing
swear /swer/ B1	verb - to make a solemn statement or promise under oath
gun /ɡʌn/ A2	noun - a weapon from which a projectile is fired
old /oʊld/ A1	adjective - having lived for a long time; no longer young
late /leɪt/ A1	adjective - doing something or taking place after the expected or proper time

Key Grammar Structures

• Come as you are as you were

  ➔ Imperative + Comparative Structure with 'as'

  ➔ "Come" is an imperative verb giving instruction. "as you are" and "as you were" use "as" as a conjunction meaning 'in the way/condition that'. "were" is past subjunctive indicating hypothetical state.

• As I want you to be

  ➔ Subordinate Clause with 'as' + Infinitive Phrase

  ➔ "As" introduces a subordinate clause showing manner. "want you to be" uses verb + object + infinitive structure (causative). The full phrase means 'in the manner that I desire for you to exist'.

• Take your time hurry up

  ➔ Imperative Contrast + Possessive Adjective

  ➔ Parallel imperatives "Take" and "hurry up" create intentional contradiction. "your" is possessive adjective modifying "time". Shows complex emotional instruction.

• The choice is yours don't be late

  ➔ Possessive Pronoun + Negative Imperative

  ➔ "yours" is possessive pronoun replacing 'your choice'. "don't be" is negative imperative contraction (do not be). Shows transfer of responsibility with urgency.

• Come dowsed in mud soaked in bleach

  ➔ Past Participles as Adjectives + Prepositional Phrases

  ➔ "dowsed" and "soaked" function as adjectival past participles describing condition. Prepositional phrases "in mud" and "in bleach" modify them. Creates vivid paradoxical imagery.

• And I swear that I don't have a gun

  ➔ Verb + That-Clause + Present Simple Negative

  ➔ "swear" is reporting verb followed by "that"-clause. "don't have" is present simple negative (do + not + base verb). Shows emphatic denial through grammatical repetition.

• As a friend as a friend as an old enemy

  ➔ Preposition 'as' for Function + Repetition for Effect

  ➔ Preposition "as" indicates role/function ('in the capacity of'). Triple repetition emphasizes emotional complexity. Note shift from "friend" to "old enemy" showing duality.

• Take a rest as a friend as an old memoria

  ➔ Imperative + Prepositional Phrase + Lexical Innovation

  ➔ "Take" is imperative. "as a friend" is prepositional phrase indicating role. "memoria" (Latin loanword meaning 'memory') replaces expected 'memory' - poetic innovation creating ambiguity.