How Many Drinks? – English Lyrics

• By: Miguel, Kendrick Lamar

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into 'How Many Drinks?' to master modern colloquial English related to nightlife, flirting, and social interaction. This track is a perfect study in contemporary R&B rhythm and rhythmic vocal cadence, making it a stylish tool for improving your conversational English fluency.

[English]

[music]

>> Frustration

Watching [music] you taste

>> Hesitation

>> Don't give in [music]

to temptation

>> Come

closer,

baby

>> So I can [music] touch

>> One question

>> Am [music] I moving too fast?

>> Cuz I ain't leaving alone.

I feel like I could be honest, babe.

>> [music]

>> We both know that we're grown.

That's why I want to know

how many drinks would it take you to

leave with me?

>> [music]

>> Yeah, you look good and I got money, but

I don't want to waste [music] my time.

Back of my mind, I'm hoping you say two

or three.

>> [music]

>> You look good.

We got the body, but I don't want to

waste my time.

>> [music]

>> Frustration

>> It's calling your name

>> Sweet persuasion

>> Baby, that's the same

>> Come

closer,

baby

>> That's what

you want to

>> [music]

>> Impression

>> It's

what I'm making you

feel

>> Cuz I ain't leaving [music] alone. I

feel like I could be honest, babe.

>> [music]

>> We both know that [singing] we're grown.

That's why I want to know [music]

how many drinks would it take you to

leave with me?

>> [music]

>> Yeah, you look good and I got money but

I don't want to waste my time.

Back of my mind

I'm hoping you say two or three.

>> [music]

>> You look good.

We came to party but I don't want to

waste my time.

>> [music]

>> Waste my time.

>> Uh-huh, what do we have? Your empty

heart and my empty bottle and yellow cab

[music] that you would like to catch cuz

your latest ex made you mad so I figured

the perfect catch would be you if I made

the pass. Pool full [music] of liquor

then we dive in it. Knowing if I liquor

I might die in it then reincarnate as a

fly gymnast just to flip my tongue

[music] on you. This the Olympics.

>> [singing and music]

>> Yeah, life is a but every dog has

his day. Pull up pull [music] up pull up

bring it back come rewind pull up them

big trucks that pack them behind [music]

pool full [singing] of liquor then we

dive in it. Pull them to the side

[music] let me slide.

>> [music]

[music]

[music]

[music]

[music]

[music]

>> Yeah, you [music] look good and I got

money but I don't want to waste my time.

>> [music]

>> Back of my mind I'm hoping you say two

or three.

>> [music]

[music]

>> No, no, no. I ain't judging if you do

decide that you might be feeling the

night. What? What? More power to you

[music and singing] if you do decide

that you might be feeling the night.

I [music] ain't judging if you do decide

that you might be feeling the night.

What? [music]

What? More power to you if you do decide

that you might be feeling the night.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Frustration /frʌˈstreɪʃn/ B2	noun - the feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something
Hesitation /ˌhezɪˈteɪʃn/ B2	noun - the action of pausing before saying or doing something
Temptation /tempˈteɪʃn/ C1	noun - the desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise
Honest /ˈɒnɪst/ A2	adjective - free of deceit and untruthfulness; sincere
Persuasion /pəˈsweɪʒn/ C1	noun - the action or fact of persuading someone or of being persuaded to do or believe something
Impression /ɪmˈpreʃn/ B1	noun - an idea, feeling, or opinion about something or someone
Reincarnate /ˌriːɪnˈkɑːrneɪt/ C2	verb - to be born again in another body
Gymnast /ˈdʒɪmnæst/ B2	noun - a person who is expert in gymnastics
Liquor /ˈlɪkər/ B2	noun - alcoholic drink, especially a spirit
Waste /weɪst/ A2	verb - to use or expend carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose
Judging /ˈdʒʌdʒɪŋ/ B1	verb - to form an opinion or conclusion about someone or something
Decide /dɪˈsaɪd/ A2	verb - to come to a resolution in the mind as a result of consideration
Perfect /ˈpɜːrfɪkt/ A2	adjective - having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics
Grown /ɡroʊn/ A2	adjective - having reached full growth; adult
Closer /ˈkloʊsər/ A2	adjective - nearer in space, time, or relationship

Key Grammar Structures

• Am I moving too fast?

  ➔ Present Continuous for current actions

  ➔ "Am moving" indicates an action happening at the moment of speaking.

• Cuz I ain't leaving alone.

  ➔ Negative contraction 'ain't' (am not)

  ➔ "Ain't" is used here as a contraction for 'am not' in informal English.

• I feel like I could be honest, babe.

  ➔ Modal verb 'could' for possibility/politeness

  ➔ "Could" suggests a possibility or a softened, polite way of expressing one's feeling.

• How many drinks would it take you to leave with me?

  ➔ Second Conditional structure (would + base form)

  ➔ "Would it take" is used in a hypothetical scenario to ask about a future requirement.

• I don't want to waste my time.

  ➔ Infinitive after 'want to'

  ➔ The verb 'waste' follows 'want to' as the object of the desire.

• That's what you want to.

  ➔ Ellipsis (omission of the main verb)

  ➔ The verb 'do' is implied at the end of the sentence.

• I'm hoping you say two or three.

  ➔ Present Continuous for immediate future intention

  ➔ "I'm hoping" expresses an active, ongoing desire for a specific upcoming response.

• More power to you if you do decide.

  ➔ Conditional 'if' clause with emphasis

  ➔ The 'do' before 'decide' adds emphasis to the condition.