Just The Way You Are – English Lyrics

• By: Bruno Mars
• Album: Doo-Wops & Hooligans

Lyrics & Translation

“Just The Way You Are” by Bruno Mars is a popular and universally relatable song that can greatly aid in English language learning. Its simple, direct, and repetitive lyrics, particularly the use of personal pronouns like "you" and "your" in the chorus, help create a personal connection and make phrases easy to remember. The song is often used in ESL classes to teach basic grammar, such as the present simple tense and conditional sentences, and to practice pronunciation. By focusing on clear and concise expressions of affection and admiration, the song offers a straightforward way to grasp common English phrases and their emotional nuances.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - organs used for seeing
stars /stɑːrz/ A1	noun - celestial bodies that emit light
hair /heər/ A1	noun - filaments growing from the skin
beautiful /ˈbjuːtɪfl/ A2	adjective - pleasing the senses or mind
tell /tel/ A1	verb - to communicate information
complement /ˈkɒmplɪment/ B2	verb - to express praise or admiration
believe /bɪˈliːv/ A2	verb - to accept as true
sad /sæd/ A2	adjective - feeling or showing sorrow
see /siː/ A1	verb - to perceive with the eyes
face /feɪs/ A1	noun - the front part of the head
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ A1	verb - to make or become different
amazing /əˈmeɪzɪŋ/ B1	adjective - causing great surprise or wonder
smile /smaɪl/ A1	verb - to express happiness with upturned corners of the mouth noun - a facial expression indicating pleasure
world /wɜːld/ A1	noun - the earth and all the people and things on it
kiss /kɪs/ A1	verb - to touch with the lips as a sign of love noun - an act of kissing
laugh /lɑːf/ A1	verb - to make sounds showing amusement noun - the act of laughing
sexy /ˈseksi/ B1	adjective - sexually attractive or exciting
perfect /ˈpɜːrfɪkt/ B1	adjective - completely without flaws

Key Grammar Structures

• Make the stars look like they're not shinin'.

  ➔ Modal verb 'make' + object + base form of verb + prepositional phrase 'like they're not shining'

  ➔ Here, "make" causes the stars to appear a certain way. The phrase "like they're not shining" emphasizes the comparison, suggesting the woman's eyes outshine the stars. The use of "they're" is a contraction of "they are".

• Falls perfectly without her trying.

  ➔ Adverb of manner ('perfectly') modifying the verb ('falls') + prepositional phrase ('without her trying').

  ➔ "Perfectly" describes how the hair falls, highlighting the effortless beauty. "Without her trying" emphasizes that this is natural and unforced.

• When I compliment her she won't believe me.

  ➔ Conditional clause ('When I compliment her') + main clause ('she won't believe me') using future tense ('won't').

  ➔ This uses a type 0 conditional structure. "When" indicates a situation where a certain action *always* results in a specific outcome. "Won't believe" is a contraction of "will not believe".

• Sad to think that she don't see what I see.

  ➔ Use of 'Sad to' + infinitive to express a feeling + 'that' clause + incorrect use of 'don't' with 'she' (should be 'doesn't')

  ➔ The line begins with expressing a feeling about something. "Sad to think" introduces the cause of the sadness. While grammatically incorrect, the use of "don't" instead of "doesn't" adds a more casual and colloquial feel to the song. In standard English, it should be "doesn't see."

• There's not a thing that I would change.

  ➔ Existential 'there's' + negation ('not a thing') + relative clause ('that I would change') with a conditional modal verb ('would').

  ➔ "There's" introduces the existence of something. "Not a thing" emphasizes the complete lack of anything needing change. "Would change" indicates a hypothetical situation and desire.

• If perfect's what you're searching for,

  ➔ Conditional clause ('If perfect's what you're searching for') with inverted sentence structure + present continuous tense ('you're searching').

  ➔ This uses a type 1 conditional, suggesting a real possibility. The phrase "perfect's what you're searching for" is an inversion, where the standard would be "If what you're searching for is perfect". Present continuous emphasizes ongoing search.

• Then just stay the same.

  ➔ Imperative sentence ('stay') modified by an adverb ('just') + adjective ('the same') functioning as a predicative complement.

  ➔ "Stay" is a direct command. "Just" softens the command, making it less forceful. "The same" functions as an adjective describing the state of being, meaning to remain in the current state.