I'll Be There For You – English Lyrics

• By: The Rembrandts

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the story behind The Rembrandts' "I'll Be There For You," the iconic theme song from *Friends*. Explore themes of friendship and support while learning common English phrases about reliance and companionship. Though initially reluctant, the song propelled the band to international fame and remains a beloved classic.

[English]

So no one told you life was gonna be this way

Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's DOA

It's like you're always stuck in second gear

When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year, but

I'll be there for you

(When the rain starts to pour)

I'll be there for you

(Like I've been there before)

I'll be there for you

('Cause you're there for me too)

You're still in bed at ten and work began at eight

You've burned your breakfast, so far things are going great

Your mother warned you there'd be days like these

But she didn't tell you when the world has brought you down to your knees that

I'll be there for you

(When the rain starts to pour)

I'll be there for you

(Like I've been there before)

I'll be there for you

('Cause you're there for me too)

...

No one could ever know me

No one could ever see me

Seems you're the only one who knows what it's like to be me

Someone to face the day with

Make it through all the rest with

Someone I'll always laugh with

Even at my worst, I'm best with you, yeah

...

It's like you're always stuck in second gear

When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year

I'll be there for you

(When the rain starts to pour)

I'll be there for you

(Like I've been there before)

I'll be there for you

('Cause you're there for me too)

I'll be there for you

I'll be there for you

I'll be there for you

('Cause you're there for me too)

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
joke /dʒoʊk/ A2	noun - something said to cause laughter
broke /broʊk/ A2	adjective - having no money verb - to break something
warn /wɔːrn/ B1	verb - to inform someone of a possible danger
face /feɪs/ A1	noun - the front part of the head verb - to confront or deal with
laugh /læf/ A1	verb - to make sounds and show amusement
rest /rest/ A1	noun - the remaining part verb - to cease work or movement
worst /wɜːrst/ B1	adjective - of the lowest quality or most undesirable
gear /ɡɪər/ B1	noun - a toothed wheel in a machine
burn /bɜːrn/ A2	verb - to be damaged by fire
mother /ˈmʌðər/ A1	noun - a female parent
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth and all life on it
know /noʊ/ A1	verb - to be aware of
see /siː/ A1	verb - to perceive with the eyes
someone /ˈsʌmwʌn/ A1	pronoun - an unspecified person
always /ˈɔːlweɪz/ A1	adverb - at all times
bed /bed/ A1	noun - a piece of furniture used for sleeping

Key Grammar Structures

• So no one told you life was gonna be this way

  ➔ Past Simple with 'was going to'

  ➔ The phrase 'was gonna' is a contraction of 'was going to', used to express a past intention or prediction.

• It's like you're always stuck in second gear

  ➔ Present Simple with 'be' for habitual actions

  ➔ The present simple with 'be' is used to describe habitual or general truths, like being stuck in a situation.

• I'll be there for you

  ➔ Future Simple with 'will'

  ➔ The future simple with 'will' is used to make promises or express future actions without prior planning.

• ('Cause you're there for me too)

  ➔ Present Simple with contraction

  ➔ The contraction 'you're' is used in informal speech and writing to combine 'you' and 'are'.

• No one could ever know me

  ➔ Modal verb 'could' for possibility

  ➔ The modal verb 'could' is used to express possibility or ability in the past or in a hypothetical situation.

• Someone I'll always laugh with

  ➔ Future Simple in a relative clause

  ➔ The future simple 'I'll' is used within a relative clause to describe a future action related to the noun 'someone'.

• Even at my worst, I'm best with you

  ➔ Present Simple with contraction and comparison

  ➔ The contraction 'I'm' combines 'I' and 'am', and 'best' is a superlative form used for comparison.