I Will Always Love You – English Lyrics

• By: Whitney Houston

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful and enjoyable experience, and Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" is a perfect song for English learners. Its clear and emotional lyrics tell a universal story of love and loss, allowing you to connect with the language on a deeper level. The song's slow tempo and Houston's precise enunciation in the opening a cappella make it easy to follow along and practice pronunciation. What makes this song truly special is its journey from a heartfelt country ballad to an iconic global anthem, showcasing the transformative power of interpretation in music.

[English]

♪ If I ♪

♪ Should stay ♪

♪ I would only be in ♪

♪ Your way ♪

♪ So I'll go ♪

♪ But I know ♪

♪ I'll think of you ♪

♪ Every step of ♪

♪ The way ♪

♪ And I ♪

♪ Will always love you ♪

♪ Ooh I ♪

♪ Will always love you ♪

♪ You ♪

♪ You ♪

♪ My darling you ♪

♪ Mm mm ♪

♪ Bittersweet ♪

♪ Memories ♪

♪ That is all I'm taking ♪

♪ With me ♪

♪ So goodbye ♪

♪ Please don't cry ♪

♪ We both know ♪

♪ I'm not what you ♪

♪ You need ♪

♪ And I ♪

♪ Will always love you ♪

♪ Ooh I ♪

♪ Will always love you ♪

♪ You ooh ♪

(saxophone playing)

♪ I hope ♪

♪ Life treats you kind ♪

♪ And I hope ♪

♪ You have all you ♪

♪ Dreamed of ♪

♪ And I wish you joy ♪

♪ And happiness ♪

♪ But above all this ♪

♪ I wish you love ♪

♪ And I ♪

♪ Will always love you ♪

♪ Ooh I ♪

♪ Will always love you ♪

♪ I will always ♪

♪ Love you ♪

♪ Ooh I ♪

♪ Will always ♪

♪ Love you ♪

♪ Ooh I ♪

♪ Will always love you ♪

♪ Ooh I ♪

♪ I will always ♪

♪ Love ♪

♪ You ♪

♪ You ♪

♪ Darling I love you ♪

♪ Oh I'll always ♪

♪ I'll always ♪

♪ Love you ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a strong feeling of affection verb - to feel deep affection for someone
stay /steɪ/ A1	verb - to remain in the same place
go /ɡoʊ/ A1	verb - to move or travel
think /θɪŋk/ A1	verb - to have a particular belief or idea
way /weɪ/ A1	noun - a method, style, or manner of doing something
darling /ˈdɑːrlɪŋ/ A2	noun - a beloved person adjective - Dear
memories /ˈmeməriz/ B1	noun - something remembered from the past
goodbye /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/ A1	noun - an expression of farewell
cry /kraɪ/ A1	verb - to shed tears
need /niːd/ A1	verb - require (something) because it is essential or very important
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter
dreamed /driːmd/ A2	verb - to have experienced while sleeping
wish /wɪʃ/ A2	verb - to want something to happen
joy /dʒɔɪ/ B1	noun - a feeling of great pleasure and happiness
happiness /ˈhæpinəs/ B1	noun - the state of being happy
bittersweet /ˌbɪtərˈswiːt/ B2	adjective - arousing pleasure tinged with sadness or pain
treat /triːt/ B1	verb - behave toward or deal with (someone or something) in a specified way.
kind /kaɪnd/ A2	adjective - having or showing a friendly, generous, and considerate nature.

Key Grammar Structures

• If I should stay

  ➔ Subjunctive mood (Conditional Clause Type 2)

  ➔ Uses "should" + infinitive to express a hypothetical or unlikely situation. "If I should stay" implies the speaker is unlikely to stay.

• I would only be in your way

  ➔ Conditional Clause Type 2 (Result Clause)

  ➔ Uses "would" + infinitive to describe a hypothetical consequence. It goes with the "If I should stay" conditional clause.

• That is all I'm taking with me

  ➔ Relative Clause (reduced)

  ➔ "That" refers to the bittersweet memories. A full relative clause would be "That is all that I am taking with me."

• Please don't cry

  ➔ Imperative (Negative)

  ➔ "Don't" + base form of the verb forms a negative command or request.

• I'm not what you need

  ➔ Noun Clause

  ➔ "What you need" functions as a noun phrase, the predicate nominative after the verb "am/is/are".

• I hope life treats you kind

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood (in content clause after 'hope')

  ➔ Though not explicitly marked in English, "treats" implies a wish or desire. It could be rephrased as "I hope that life may treat you kindly."

• You have all you dreamed of

  ➔ Noun Clause as object of 'have'

  ➔ "All you dreamed of" is the direct object of the verb "have". It functions as a noun.

• I wish you joy and happiness

  ➔ Indirect and Direct Object

  ➔ "You" is the indirect object, and "joy and happiness" is the direct object. The structure is: Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object.