Dibs – English Lyrics

• By: Kelsea Ballerini

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language can be a fun and engaging experience, and Kelsea Ballerini's "Dibs" is a perfect song to dive into modern American slang and conversational phrases. The term 'calling dibs' is a playful and common expression you'll learn, all wrapped up in a confident and empowering message. This song is special because it's a great example of contemporary country-pop storytelling, making it both a catchy tune and a window into everyday American English.

[English]

♪ If you've got a Friday night free and a shotgun seat ♪

♪ Well I'm just sayin', "I ain't got nowhere to be" ♪

♪ So baby ♪

("Dibs")

♪ I know everybody wants you ♪

♪ That ain't no secret ♪

♪ Hey baby what's your status? ♪

♪ And tell me are you tryna keep it? ♪

♪ Well, they can all back off ♪

♪ 'Cause I know what I want ♪

♪ And while I got your attention ♪

♪ Did I mention ♪

♪ If you got a kiss on your lips ♪

♪ That you're lookin' for somebody to take ♪

♪ Hey ♪

♪ If you got a heart that ain't afraid to love ♪

♪ Ain't afraid to break ♪ ♪ Hey ♪

♪ If you've got a Friday night free and a shotgun seat ♪

♪ Well I'm just sayin', "I ain't got nowhere to be" ♪

♪ So baby I'll take whatever it is you've got to give ♪

♪ Yeah, I'm callin' dibs ♪

♪ On your lips ♪

♪ On your kiss ♪

♪ On your time ♪

♪ Boy, I'm callin' dibs ♪

♪ On your hand ♪

♪ On your heart ♪

♪ All mine ♪

♪ Make everybody jealous ♪

♪ When I take you off the market ♪

♪ And get my lipstick on your right cheek ♪

♪ 'Cause boy I got to mark it ♪

♪ Ooh, so they can all back off, yeah ♪

♪ 'Cause I know what I want ♪

♪ And while I got you listenin' ♪

♪ Come on and show me what I'm missin', yeah ♪

♪ If you you got a kiss on your lips ♪

♪ That you're lookin' for somebody to take ♪

♪ Hey ♪

♪ If you've got a heart that ain't afraid to love ♪

♪ Ain't afraid to break ♪ ♪ Hey ♪

♪ If you've got a Friday night free and a shotgun seat ♪

♪ Well I'm just sayin', "I ain't got nowhere to be" ♪

♪ So baby I'll take whatever it is you've got to give ♪

♪ Yeah, I'm callin' dibs ♪

♪ If you got a kiss on your lips ♪

♪ That you're lookin' for somebody to take, hey ♪

♪ If you got a heart that ain't afraid to love ♪

♪ Ain't afraid to break, hey ♪

♪ If you've got a Friday night free and a shotgun seat ♪

♪ Well I'm just sayin', "I ain't got nowhere to be" ♪

♪ So baby I'll take whatever it is you got to give ♪

♪ Yeah, I'm callin' dibs ♪

♪ On your lips ♪

♪ On your kiss ♪

♪ On your time ♪

♪ Boy, I'm callin' dibs ♪

♪ On your hand ♪

♪ On your heart ♪

♪ All mine ♪

♪ Yeah, boy I'm callin' dibs ♪

♪ On your lips ♪

♪ On your kiss ♪

♪ On your time ♪

♪ Boy, I'm callin' dibs ♪

♪ On your hand ♪

♪ On your heart ♪

♪ All mine, yeah ♪

♪ I'm callin' dibs on your lips ♪

♪ On your kiss, on your time, boy ♪

♪ I'm just tryna make you mine, boy ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Dibs ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dibs /dɪbz/ C1	noun - a claim to something; the right to have or get something
shotgun /ˈʃɒt.ɡʌn/ B1	noun - (in this context) the front passenger seat of a car
afraid /əˈfreɪd/ A2	adjective - feeling fear; frightened
jealous /ˈdʒel.əs/ B1	adjective - feeling unhappy or angry because you want to have something that someone else has
market /ˈmɑː.kɪt/ A2	noun - (in this context) the potential for commercial transactions; specifically, available for dating/relationships
lipstick /ˈlɪp.stɪk/ A2	noun - a cosmetic used to color the lips
cheek /tʃiːk/ A1	noun - the soft part of your face below your eye and between your nose and ear
mark /mɑːk/ A2	verb - to make a visible sign or impression on something
status /ˈsteɪ.təs/ B1	noun - the official legal, social, or professional position of a person or organization; (in this context) relationship status
back off /bæk ˈɒf/ B2	phrasal verb - to move away from someone or something; to stop bothering someone
attention /əˈten.ʃən/ A2	noun - the act or power of carefully thinking about, listening to, or watching someone or something
kiss /kɪs/ A1	noun - the act of touching someone with your lips as a sign of love, sexual desire, or greeting verb - to touch someone with your lips as a sign of love, sexual desire, or greeting
heart /hɑːt/ A1	noun - the organ in your chest that pumps blood; (figuratively) the seat of emotions
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - to separate into two or more pieces, or to make something separate into two or more pieces noun - a pause or interruption in work or an activity
free /friː/ A1	adjective - not controlled by anyone; not busy or available
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a very strong feeling of liking and caring for someone or something verb - to feel a very strong liking and caring for someone or something
lips /lɪps/ A1	noun - the two soft, movable parts forming the edges of the mouth
take /teɪk/ A1	verb - to remove something from a place; to get possession of something
keep /kiːp/ A1	verb - to have or retain possession of something
want /wɒnt/ A1	verb - to desire or wish for something noun - a lack of something; a desire for something

Key Grammar Structures

• If you've got a Friday night free and a shotgun seat

  ➔ Present Perfect + 'got'

  ➔ The phrase 'If you've got' uses the present perfect with 'got' to indicate possession or availability in a casual, conversational tone.

• I know everybody wants you

  ➔ Present Simple for General Truth

  ➔ The present simple 'I know' and 'wants' are used to express a general truth or widely accepted fact.

• Hey baby what's your status?

  ➔ Present Continuous Question

  ➔ The question 'what's your status?' uses the present continuous to inquire about an ongoing state or condition.

• While I got your attention

  ➔ Past Tense with 'got'

  ➔ The phrase 'While I got' uses the past tense of 'get' to indicate a past action or state, though 'got' is often used colloquially in place of 'have got'.

• If you got a kiss on your lips

  ➔ Past Subjunctive with 'got'

  ➔ The phrase 'If you got' uses the past subjunctive to express a hypothetical or conditional situation in the past.

• I'm callin' dibs on your heart

  ➔ Present Continuous with Contraction

  ➔ The phrase 'I'm callin' dibs' uses the present continuous with the contraction 'm to indicate an action happening now or in the near future.

• Make everybody jealous

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The phrase 'Make everybody jealous' uses the imperative mood to give a direct command or instruction.

• When I take you off the market

  ➔ Future Tense with 'When'

  ➔ The phrase 'When I take' uses the future tense to describe an action that will happen at a specific time in the future, introduced by 'When'.