How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye – English Lyrics

• By: Dionne Warwick, Luther Vandross

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the emotive power of 1980s R&B with "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye." This classic duet by Dionne Warwick and Luther Vandross offers a beautiful and clear example of storytelling through song, making it an excellent piece for learning English. The lyrics explore the universal theme of love and loss with a vocabulary that is both accessible and expressive. Through this song, you can practice listening for emotional tone and understanding nuanced language in a musical context.

Key Grammar Structures

• How many times can we say goodbye?

  ➔ Question using modal verb 'can' and quantifiers

  ➔ This is a question. The phrase 'How many times' indicates a question about quantity. The modal verb 'can' expresses possibility.

• I knew it wouldn't last.

  ➔ Past Simple and Conditional Clause

  ➔ The past simple ('knew') describes a completed action in the past. The word 'wouldn't' introduces a conditional clause about future possibility in the past.

• But what could we do?

  ➔ Question with modal verb 'could' and indirect question form.

  ➔ Uses 'could' to express past ability or a hypothetical situation, and the question takes the form 'what + could + subject + verb'

• I guess we both knew,

  ➔ Past Simple and Reported Speech (Implied)

  ➔ The past simple 'knew' describes a completed action in the past. The sentence implies the act of knowing was a shared experience (reported speech)

• And so it goes on,

  ➔ Present Simple and Adverb of time, continuous action

  ➔ The present simple 'goes' suggests a repeated or habitual action. 'On' functions as an adverb of time, implying continuation.

• I remember all the times,

  ➔ Present Simple and quantifying phrase

  ➔ The present simple 'remember' describes a general truth or habitual action. 'All the times' is a quantifying phrase.

• And though we try to be strong,

  ➔ Conjunction 'though' and infinitive of purpose

  ➔ The conjunction 'though' introduces a contrast. 'to be strong' is an infinitive of purpose, describing the reason for trying.