고추잠자리 – Bilingual Lyrics Korean/English

• By: 작은 봄

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the Korean language through the evocative song "작은 봄 (The Small Spring)" by 고추잠자리. This beautiful track uses vivid imagery of spring to explore themes of fleeting relationships and enduring hope. By studying the lyrics, you can learn nuanced expressions about love, loss, and resilience, all while enjoying a captivating melody.

[English]

The snow is melting into the streets,

The spring I'd been waiting for has come to me.

This spring feels smaller than before,

I wonder if the petals won't fully bloom.

I shed tears.

You know,

I closed the window and then,

I turned my head away.

Was it because I thought this wind would be the last?

Even though memories fade,

The warmth from that time still remains.

Around the time the cherry blossoms flutter down,

I will hold your hand tight,

I promise I will.

Even after autumn passes,

Even when winter comes,

You'll be inside me,

Because you will.

The wilting flower petals,

Seem to be saying goodbye to me.

As if it's jealous of us,

The cold wind,

Brushes past my cheek.

You know,

I still feel like you're,

Right here next to me.

Traces of you won't leave my mind.

But I'll try to endure it,

Because in the end, the flowers,

Will bloom again.

Around the time the cherry blossoms flutter down,

I will hold your hand tight,

I promise I will.

Even after autumn passes,

Even when winter comes,

You'll be inside me,

Because you will.

I force a smile,

Even if pretending is hard sometimes,

I remember what you told me,

That we will always be beautiful.

Around the time the cherry blossoms flutter down,

I will hold your hand tight,

I promise I will.

Even after autumn passes,

Even when winter comes,

You'll be inside me,

Because you will.

Even after the cherry blossoms disappear,

I'll shout that I'm here,

I will shout.

At the tail end of winter, I'll be,

Waiting for you,

Because I will.

[Korean]

거리에 눈이 녹아들고

기다리던 봄이 내게 찾아왔어

그 봄은 전보다 작아서

꽃잎을 못 다 피울까

눈물을 흘렸어

있잖아

창문을 닫고선

고개를 돌렸어

이 바람이 마지막이란 생각이었던 걸까

추억은 희미해져도

그때 그 따스함이 남아있어

벚꽃이 흩날릴 때쯤엔

내가 손을 꼭

붙잡아줄게

가을 지나

겨울이 와도

너는 내 안에

있을 테니까

시들어가는 꽃잎들이

꼭 나한테 작별인사를 하는 듯해

마치 우릴 시샘하는 듯

차가운 바람이

내 뺨을 스쳐가

있잖아

아직도 난 너가

옆에 있는 거 같아

네 흔적이 머릿속에서 떠나가질 않아

그래도 견뎌볼게

결국에 꽃은

다시 필 테니까

벚꽃이 흩날릴 때쯤엔

내가 손을 꼭

붙잡아줄게

가을 지나

겨울이 와도

너는 내 안에

있을 테니까

애써 웃어

보이는 게 가끔 힘들더라도

네가 해준 말 기억해

우린 항상 아름다울 거라고

벚꽃이 흩날릴 때쯤엔

내가 손을 꼭

붙잡아줄게

가을 지나

겨울이 와도

너는 내 안에

있을 테니까

벚꽃이 사라진 후에도

여기에 있다고

소리칠게

겨울의 끝자락에서 널

기다리고

있을 테니까

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
눈 /nun/ A1	noun - eye noun - snow
봄 /bom/ A1	noun - spring
꽃잎 /kkon-nip/ A2	noun - petal
눈물 /nunmul/ A2	noun - tear
바람 /baram/ A2	noun - wind
추억 /chu-eok/ B1	noun - memory
손 /son/ A1	noun - hand
가을 /ga-eul/ A1	noun - autumn
겨울 /gyeo-ul/ A1	noun - winter
뺨 /ppyam/ B1	noun - cheek
흔적 /heunjeok/ B2	noun - trace
머릿속 /meo-ri-ssok/ B1	noun - mind, head
끝자락 /kkeut-ja-rak/ B2	noun - end, edge
녹다 /nok-da/ A2	verb - to melt
지나다 /ji-na-da/ A2	verb - to pass, go by

Key Grammar Structures

• 거리에 눈이 녹아들고

  ➔ -아/어 들다 (A verb + 들다)

  ➔ Adding the suffix "-아/어 들다" to a verb signifies the continuation or intensification of an action. In this case, "녹아들다" (noga-deulda) indicates that the snow is melting and being absorbed into something gradually or continuously.

• 그 봄은 전보다 작아서

  ➔ -아/어서 (Reason/Cause)

  ➔ The grammar "-아/어서" is used to express a reason or cause. Here, "작아서" (jagaseo) means "because it is small/smaller," indicating that the smaller spring is the reason for something else.

• 꽃잎을 못 다 피울까

  ➔ -ㄹ/을까 (Speculation/Questioning oneself)

  ➔ The ending "-ㄹ/을까" is used for speculation or questioning oneself about a possible outcome. "피울까" (piul-kka) implies "I wonder if it will bloom fully" or "Will it bloom fully?". It is a rhetorical question expressing concern.

• 이 바람이 마지막이란 생각이었던 걸까

  ➔ -던 (Recollection)

  ➔ The ending "-던" is used to recall a past experience or state. It implies that the speaker used to think something in the past. Here, it's used to describe the "생각" (saenggak - thought) - "생각이었던 걸까" (saenggagieotdeon geolkka) - "I wonder if that thought was... (that this wind was the last)".

• 네 흔적이 머릿속에서 떠나가질 않아

  ➔ -아/어 지다 (Passive verb - becoming)

  ➔ While not directly applied to the main verb "떠나가다" (to leave/go away), the grammar structure is relevant in understanding the potential usage. -아/어 지다 in general makes the verb passive or denotes a change of state. "떠나가질 않아" - Negative form using (verb stem + -아/어 + 지다+ -ㄹ + 않아) to express that the traces do not fade or leave.

• 결국에 꽃은 다시 필 테니까

  ➔ -ㄹ/을 테니까 (Intention/Supposition, and Reason/Justification)

  ➔ The ending "-ㄹ/을 테니까" expresses an intention or supposition and also serves as a reason or justification for a previous statement. "필 테니까" (pil te니까) means "because it will bloom" or "it will bloom, so...", suggesting a hopeful outlook based on the certainty of flowers blooming again.