If I Knew – English Lyrics

• By: Bruno Mars
• Album: Unorthodox Jukebox

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the soulful melodies of Bruno Mars to master emotive English vocabulary! This song is a perfect tool for learning how to express regret, longing, and hypothetical situations using 'if' clauses, making it both a musical and linguistic treasure.

[English]

I

was a city boy

right into dangerous

[Applause]

[Music]

what's up

[Music]

[Music]

all the things

[Music]

love it

baby

leave me baby I I wish we were 17.

so I could give you all the Innocence

[Music]

that I've done

have I knew one day you'd come if I knew

one day you'd come

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
city /ˈsɪti/ A1	noun - A large human settlement.
dangerous /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/ A2	adjective - Able or likely to cause harm or injury.
innocence /ˈɪnəsns/ B2	noun - The state of being free from guilt or corruption.
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - To feel deep affection for someone. noun - An intense feeling of deep affection.
baby /ˈbeɪbi/ A1	noun - A very young child; term of endearment.
wish /wɪʃ/ A2	verb - To desire or hope for something to happen.
knew /njuː/ A2	verb - Past tense of know; to be aware of.

Key Grammar Structures

• I was a city boy

  ➔ Past Simple (State)

  ➔ Using "was" to describe a completed state or identity in the past.

• I wish we were 17

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood (Unreal Present)

  ➔ Using "wish" + past tense ("were") to express a desire for a situation that is contrary to current reality.

• So I could give you all the innocence

  ➔ Modal Verb in the Past (Ability/Possibility)

  ➔ Using "could" as the past form of "can" to express a hypothetical ability resulting from the wish.

• If I knew one day you'd come

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Type 2/Mixed Nuance)

  ➔ The use of "If I knew" (past simple) paired with "you'd come" (would + verb) to express a hypothetical regret about a past lack of knowledge.