Dear Jealousy – English Lyrics

• By: MIKA

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic journey, and MIKA's "Dear Jealousy" offers a great opportunity for English learners. The song's direct address to "Jealousy" and its clear, emotive lyrics provide a unique way to understand personification and the expression of complex feelings. The fast-paced and rhythmic singing can also help improve pronunciation and listening skills. What makes this song special is its honest and relatable exploration of a universal human emotion, wrapped in an energetic and catchy pop tune.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
jealousy /ˈdʒɛləsi/ B2	noun - a feeling of envy towards someone’s advantages or possessions
music /ˈmjuːzɪk/ A1	noun - organized sound that expresses ideas or feelings
hide /haɪd/ A2	verb - to keep out of sight; to conceal
leave /liːv/ A2	verb - to go away from a place
smile /smaɪl/ A1	verb - to form one's mouth into a happy expression
creep /kriːp/ B1	verb - to move slowly and quietly, especially to avoid being noticed
fingertip /ˈfɪŋɡərˌtɪp/ B2	noun - the tip of a finger
trick /trɪk/ B1	noun - a cunning act or scheme intended to deceive verb - to deceive or outwit
become /bɪˈkʌm/ B1	verb - to grow or develop into a particular state
truth /truːθ/ B1	noun - the quality or state of being true; reality
lie /laɪ/ A2	noun - a false statement made intentionally verb - to make an untrue statement
ground /ɡraʊnd/ A2	noun - the solid surface of the earth
breath /brɛθ/ B1	noun - the air taken into or expelled from the lungs
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move quickly on foot
common /ˈkɒmən/ B1	adjective - frequent; shared by many
problem /ˈprɒbləm/ B1	noun - a matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with
wrong /rɒŋ/ B1	adjective - not correct or true; immoral
green /ɡriːn/ A1	adjective - of the color between blue and yellow in the spectrum noun - the color green

Key Grammar Structures

• ♪ HIDING **WHERE** NO ONE CAN SEE ♪

  ➔ Relative Adverb 'where'

  ➔ The relative adverb 'where' introduces a relative clause that modifies the noun 'place' (implied here). It indicates a location.

• ♪ BUT YOUR TRICKS **WON'T WORK** ON ME ♪

  ➔ Modal verb 'won't' + base form of the verb

  ➔ 'Won't' is the contracted form of 'will not' used to express future negative actions or states. The base form of the verb (work) follows.

• ♪ I'M JEALOUS **OF** EVERYTHING...

  ➔ Preposition 'of'

  ➔ The preposition 'of' is used to indicate possession, origin, or relationship. In this context, it shows what the speaker is jealous about.

• ♪ ...THAT I KNOW WE **COULD BE**,...

  ➔ Modal verb 'could' + base form of the verb

  ➔ 'Could' expresses a possibility or potential in the past or a hypothetical situation. The base form of the verb 'be' follows.

• ♪ ...BUT **NEVER REALLY SEEMS ENOUGH** ♪

  ➔ Adverb placement and the verb 'seems'

  ➔ The adverb 'never' is placed before the main verb 'seems'. 'Seems' is used to express an impression or feeling. 'Enough' is positioned at the end modifying 'seems'.

• ♪ IT'S COMING **OUT TO GET US, GET US** ♪

  ➔ Phrasal verb 'come out' and repetition for emphasis

  ➔ 'Come out' as a phrasal verb means to appear or become known. The repetition of 'get us' emphasizes the immediacy of the threat.

• ♪ ...EVERYDAY **WE GET A LITTLE BETTER AT** JEALOUSY ♪

  ➔ Comparative adjective 'better' and prepositional phrase

  ➔ 'Better' (the comparative of 'good') is used to show an increase in skill or ability. The prepositional phrase 'at jealousy' indicates what the improvement is related to.

• ♪ ONLY PROBLEM **IS THAT** IT'S WRONG...

  ➔ Cleft sentence structure, emphasizing the information after 'is'

  ➔ The phrase 'only problem is that' sets up a cleft sentence, drawing attention to the fact that jealousy is wrong.

• ♪ ...I **AM** SICK OF SEEING EVERYTHING...

  ➔ Use of the verb 'to be' to describe a state or condition.

  ➔ The verb 'am' (form of 'to be') is used to describe the speaker's current state of being sick of something. It's a state of feeling.