Don't Waste My Time – English Lyrics

• By: Little Big Town

Lyrics & Translation

"Don't Waste My Time" by Little Big Town is a perfect tune to learn about expressing your needs and desires in relationships. This song, with its catchy melody and relatable lyrics, offers a great opportunity to improve your understanding of English and explore themes of love and commitment.

[English]

I've been here before

It only made me cry

I felt so sure

I never questioned why

Till I woke up alone

That's why I have to ask you

Baby, what's behind your kiss?

I need to know your heart's in this

I'm waiting for the kind of love

That is strong enough

To walk through anything

So don't waste my time

(Don't waste my time)

I only wanna play for keeps

Wanna fall in deep

If you don't just say goodbye

Don't waste my time

The words you say

Are what I wanna hear

Promises you make

Are music to my ears

Is it the heat

Of the moment talking?

Promises come easily

Give me something to believe

I'm waiting for the kind of love

That is strong enough

To walk through anything

So don't waste my time

(Don't waste my time)

I only wanna play for keeps

Wanna fall in deep

If you don't just say goodbye

Don't waste my time

Time, time, time

(Time, time, time)

I'm waiting for the kind of love

That is strong enough

To walk through anything

So don't waste my time

(Don't waste my time)

I only wanna play for keeps

Wanna fall in deep

If you don't just say goodbye

Don't waste my time

I'm waiting for the kind of love

That is strong enough

To walk through anything

So don't waste my time

(Don't waste my time)

I only wanna play for keeps

Wanna fall in deep

If you don't just say goodbye

Don't waste my time

Yeah, yeah

Don't waste my time

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
waste /weɪst/ A2	verb - to use or expend thoughtlessly or carelessly
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a deep affection or emotional attachment
strong /strɒŋ/ A1	adjective - having power to withstand force or attack
walk /wɔːk/ A1	verb - to move at a moderate pace on foot
keeps /kiːps/ A2	noun - the action of retaining or holding something
fall /fɔːl/ A1	verb - to move downward, typically rapidly and freely
deep /diːp/ A1	adjective - extending far down from the top or surface
promise /ˈprɒmɪs/ A2	noun - a declaration or assurance that one will do something verb - to undertake or commit to do something
believe /bɪˈliːv/ A2	verb - to accept something as true
moment /ˈməʊmənt/ A2	noun - a very brief period of time
heart /hɑːt/ A1	noun - a person's strong emotional core
kiss /kɪs/ A1	noun - a touch with the lips as a gesture of love
goodbye /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/ A1	noun - an expression used when leaving
heat /hiːt/ A1	noun - the quality of being hot

Key Grammar Structures

• I've been here before

  ➔ Present Perfect

  ➔ The contraction "I've" = "I have" + past participle "been" forms the present perfect, showing an experience up to now.

• It only made me cry

  ➔ Simple Past with adverb placement

  ➔ The verb "made" is in the simple past; the adverb "only" is placed before the verb to limit the action.

• Till I woke up alone

  ➔ Past Simple after "till"

  ➔ "till" (meaning "until") introduces a clause with the past simple verb "woke".

• That's why I have to ask you

  ➔ "have to" for obligation

  ➔ "have to" functions like a modal verb, expressing a necessary action: "I have to ask you".

• Baby, what's behind your kiss?

  ➔ Interrogative with contraction

  ➔ "what's" = "what is"; the sentence asks for information about the location "behind".

• I need to know your heart's in this

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose (to know)

  ➔ "to know" follows the verb "need" and shows the purpose of the need.

• I'm waiting for the kind of love that is strong enough to walk through anything

  ➔ Relative clause + infinitive of purpose

  ➔ "that is strong enough" is a relative clause describing "love"; "to walk" is an infinitive expressing purpose.

• So don't waste my time

  ➔ Negative imperative

  ➔ "don't" + base verb "waste" forms a negative command telling someone not to act.

• I only wanna play for keeps

  ➔ Colloquial "wanna" = "want to" + infinitive

  ➔ "wanna" is the informal contraction of "want to"; it is followed by the infinitive "play".

• If you don't just say goodbye

  ➔ First conditional (if + present simple)

  ➔ "If" introduces a possible future condition; the verb "don't" is in the present simple, indicating a real possibility.