Dig Your Own Hole – English Lyrics

• By: Gotye
• Album: Making Mirrors

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

And you know it's the wrong way round

Still you can't say no

Ever playing upon your mind

But you won't say why

(So shut up!)

Unless you're ready to leave it

(Or make up your mind)

But you need it so much

(Do you really believe in it?)

Yes I do

From time to time

In the end

You dig yourself the hole you're in

When you don't know what you want

You just repeat yourself again

In the end

You just repeat yourself again

When you don't know who you are

You dig yourself the hole you're in

...

(Don't worry)

It's only in your mind

(Don't worry)

But I do

From time to time

You just repeat yourself again

(Don't worry)

You just repeat yourself again

(Don't worry)

You just repeat yourself again

(Don't worry)

You just repeat yourself again

Still it's the wrong way round

And you won't say no

Ever playing upon your mind

But you won't say why

(So shut up!)

Unless you're ready to leave it

(Or make up your mind)

But you need it so much

(Do you really believe in it?)

Yes I do, I do, this time

In the end

You dig yourself the hole you're in

When you don't know what you want

You just repeat yourself again

In the end

You just repeat yourself again

When you don't know who you are

You dig yourself the hole you're in

In the end

(Unless you're ready to leave it)

You just repeat yourself again

(But you don't know you need it)

When you don't know who you are

(Do you really believe in it?)

You dig yourself the hole you're in

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dig /dɪɡ/ A2	verb - to make a hole in the ground with a tool verb - to try to find out information
mind /maɪnd/ B1	noun - the part of a person that thinks, feels, and remembers verb - to be bothered by something
repeat /rɪˈpiːt/ B1	verb - to say or do something again
believe /bɪˈliːv/ B1	verb - to think that something is true
ready /ˈredɪ/ A2	adjective - prepared for something
leave /liːv/ A2	verb - to go away from
know /noʊ/ A2	verb - to have information in your mind
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the continuous progress of existence
end /end/ A2	noun - the final part of something
hole /hoʊl/ A2	noun - an opening through something
way /weɪ/ A1	noun - a method or direction
want /wɑnt/ A1	verb - to have a desire for something
round /raʊnd/ A2	adjective - having a circular shape
playing /ˈpleɪɪŋ/ A2	verb - engaging in activity for enjoyment
need /niːd/ A2	verb - to require something
shut /ʃʌt/ A2	verb - to close something

Key Grammar Structures

• And you know it's the wrong way round

  ➔ Present Simple

  ➔ The verb ""know"" is in the present simple, indicating a current fact or state.

• You can't say no

  ➔ Modal verb "can" (negative)

  ➔ The contraction ""can't"" combines the modal verb ""can"" with the negative particle ""not"", expressing inability or prohibition.

• Unless you're ready to leave it

  ➔ Conditional clause with "unless"

  ➔ "Unless" introduces a condition meaning "if not"; the verb ""you're"" is a contraction of "you are".

• Do you really believe in it?

  ➔ Yes/No question formation, adverb placement

  ➔ The auxiliary ""Do"" starts a yes/no question; the adverb ""really"" is placed before the main verb "believe".

• Yes I do

  ➔ Short answer

  ➔ "Do" repeats the auxiliary from the previous question to give a short affirmative answer.

• When you don't know what you want

  ➔ Subordinate clause with "when", negative form, noun clause

  ➔ The clause begins with ""When""; inside it, "don't" is the negative of "do not" and "what you want" is a noun clause acting as the object of "know".

• You dig yourself the hole you're in

  ➔ Relative clause

  ➔ "you're in" is a relative clause that modifies "hole", providing additional information about the noun.

• You just repeat yourself again

  ➔ Reflexive pronoun, adverb placement

  ➔ "yourself" is a reflexive pronoun referring back to the subject "you"; the adverb "again" is placed at the end of the clause for emphasis.

• But you won't say why

  ➔ Future Simple (negative)

  ➔ "won't" is the contraction of "will not", forming the negative future simple to indicate a future action that will not happen.