I Wish I Cared – English Lyrics

• By: a-ha
• Album: Minor Earth Major Sky

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

To hold me

closer

or set me free

To trust

completely

or let it be

You don't know

my destiny

You can't see

what I can see

Hey

I wish I cared

Hey

I wish I cared

To love

me truly

or let me go

In between

I don't want to know

This is how

it has to be

No more us

and no more we

Hey

I wish I cared

Hey

I wish I cared

Once again

on the station

See your face

in a crowd

Comes again

the sensation

You can't hear

yourself think

With the voices

inside your head

Hey

I wish I cared

Hey

I wish I cared

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hold /həʊld/ A2	verb - to keep or grasp something noun - a grip or clasp
set /sɛt/ A2	verb - to place something in a particular position noun - a collection of items
free /friː/ A2	adjective - not under the control of another; not confined verb - to release from captivity or obligation
trust /trʌst/ B1	verb - to rely on someone or something noun - firm belief in reliability
know /nəʊ/ A2	verb - to be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information
destiny /ˈdɛstɪni/ B2	noun - the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future
see /siː/ A2	verb - to perceive with the eyes
wish /wɪʃ/ A2	verb - to desire or hope for something noun - a desire or hope for something to happen
care /keə(r)/ A2	verb - to feel concern or interest noun - the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - to feel deep affection for someone noun - a strong feeling of affection
go /ɡəʊ/ A1	verb - to move from one place to another
want /wɒnt/ A1	verb - to desire or wish for something
station /ˈsteɪʃn/ A2	noun - a place where a public service, such as a bus or train, stops to pick up or drop off passengers
face /feɪs/ A1	noun - the front part of a person's head
crowd /kraʊd/ A2	noun - a large number of people gathered together
sensation /sɛnˈseɪʃən/ B2	noun - a physical feeling or perception resulting from something that happens to or comes into contact with the body
hear /hɪə(r)/ A2	verb - to perceive sound with the ear
think /θɪŋk/ A2	verb - to have a particular opinion, belief, or idea about someone or something
voice /vɔɪs/ A2	noun - the sound produced in a person's larynx and uttered through the mouth
head /hɛd/ A1	noun - the upper part of the human body containing the brain, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth

Key Grammar Structures

• To hold me

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ The infinitive **"to hold"** shows the purpose of the action.

• To trust completely

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ The infinitive **"to trust"** expresses why the speaker wants something.

• You don't know my destiny

  ➔ Present simple negative

  ➔ The auxiliary **"do"** + not forms a negative in the present simple.

• You can't see what I can see

  ➔ Modal verb "can/can't" for ability

  ➔ The modal **"can't"** expresses inability; **"can"** in the clause shows ability.

• I wish I cared

  ➔ "Wish" + past simple for unreal present

  ➔ "Wish" is followed by the past simple **"cared"** to show a desire contrary to reality.

• See your face in a crowd

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The verb **"See"** at the beginning creates a command or suggestion.

• What I can see

  ➔ Relative clause with "what"

  ➔ "What" introduces a relative clause meaning "the thing that".

• With the voices inside your head

  ➔ Gerund after preposition

  ➔ The gerund **"inside"** follows the preposition **"with"**, forming a prepositional phrase.

• I don't want to know

  ➔ Verb + infinitive after "want"

  ➔ "Want" is followed by the infinitive **"to know"** to express desire.