Let's Be Friends – English Lyrics

• By: Carly Rae Jepsen

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the nuances of breakups with Carly Rae Jepsen's 'Let's Be Friends,' a masterclass in using pop music to dissect those little white lies we tell as relationships end. This song offers a fun, sassy way to learn how to express farewells with a twist, perfect for anyone navigating the complexities of modern romance and the art of the 'not really' breakup.

[English]

Call out your persuasions

I got the feeling that you don't know what to say, it's a

A black dress occasion

Nobody's dying, it's a dinner not a date, but I

Feel young and inspired

That this is over and I'm hoping you'll agree so I

Phase out and smile over

That little phrase, it isn't you, baby, it's me

So take the tarot card

And tell a fortune gold

The past heartbreaks, the lies we told, we tell again

Let's be friends then never speak again (Ooh)

It's cool (Cool)

We can just pretend

We're friends and never speak again (Never speak again)

See you soon, hope we can remain good friends

You're taking, the bottle down

Man, this is easier than how I thought it'd go

You're smiling like a devil

You told me you were coming here to let me know that

It's over when it's over

And it's over, baby

So take the tarot card (Take the tarot card)

And tell a fortune gold

The past heartbreaks, the lies we told, we tell again

Let's be friends then never speak again (Ooh)

It's cool (Cool)

We can just pretend

We're friends and never speak again (Never speak again)

See you soon, hope we can remain good friends

(Catch you later)

Never gonna see you again

(I'll see you never)

Let's be friends

(Catch you later)

Never gonna see you again

(I'll see you never)

I had a really nice time with you

I mean, you're sort of a dick sometimes but

Someone out there is surely gonna love a dick

Uh, check please?

Let's be friends then never speak again (Ooh)

It's cool (Cool)

We can just pretend

We're friends and never speak again (Never speak again)

See you soon, hope we can remain good friends

(Catch you later)

Never gonna see you again

(I'll see you never)

Let's be friends

(Catch you later)

Never gonna see you again

(I'll see you never)

Let's be friends

Let's be friends

...

Let's be

Friends

Not really though (Haha)

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
persuasion /pəˈsweɪʒən/ C1	noun - the act of convincing someone to do or believe something
feeling /ˈfiːlɪŋ/ A2	noun - an emotional state or reaction
black /blæk/ A1	adjective - of the darkest colour
dress /drɛs/ A1	noun - a garment for women or girls
occasion /əˈkeɪʒən/ B1	noun - a particular time or event
dying /ˈdaɪɪŋ/ B1	verb - to cease living
dinner /ˈdɪnər/ A1	noun - the main meal of the day, usually in the evening
young /jʌŋ/ A1	adjective - in an early stage of life
inspired /ɪnˈspaɪərd/ B2	adjective - stimulated to create or act
phase /feɪz/ B2	noun - a distinct stage in a process verb - to carry out gradually
smile /smaɪl/ A1	noun - a facial expression indicating pleasure verb - to form a smile
tarot /ˈtær.oʊ/ C1	noun - a deck of cards used for divination
card /kɑːrd/ A1	noun - a piece of thick paper, often with information
fortune /ˈfɔːrtʃən/ B2	noun - chance or luck; wealth
heartbreak /ˈhɑːrtbreɪk/ B2	noun - emotional distress caused by love loss
lie /laɪ/ A1	verb - to make a false statement noun - a false statement
pretend /prɪˈtɛnd/ B1	verb - to act as if something is true
remain /rɪˈmeɪn/ B2	verb - to stay in the same place or condition
devil /ˈdɛvəl/ B1	noun - a supernatural being, often evil
cool /kuːl/ A2	adjective - moderately cold; fashionable

Key Grammar Structures

• Call out your persuasions

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ Direct command using the base form of the verb "Call" without a subject. Used for instructions or strong suggestions.

• I got the feeling that you don't know what to say

  ➔ Noun Clause + Embedded Question

  ➔ "that you don't know what to say" acts as a noun clause explaining "feeling". Contains embedded question "what to say" (indirect question structure).

• it's a dinner not a date

  ➔ Contrast Structure (Not)

  ➔ "not" creates contrast between "dinner" and "date", emphasizing rejection of romantic context. Parallel structure without conjunction.

• so I feel young and inspired

  ➔ Conjunction "So" + Adjective Complements

  ➔ "So" shows result of previous action. "Young and inspired" are adjective complements describing the subject's state after the situation.

• it isn't you, baby, it's me

  ➔ Cleft Sentence

  ➔ Emphasis structure using "it" + be verb to highlight information ("me" instead of "you"). Common breakup cliché.

• Let's be friends then never speak again

  ➔ Suggestion (Let's) + Future Implication

  ➔ "Let's" proposes joint action. "never speak again" implies future simple tense without explicit will/shall, showing permanent consequence.

• You're taking the bottle down

  ➔ Present Continuous

  ➔ Describes action happening at the moment of narration. "taking down" is a phrasal verb showing physical movement.

• this is easier than how I thought it'd go

  ➔ Comparative + Contraction

  ➔ "easier than" shows comparative degree. "it'd" (contraction of "it would") introduces hypothetical past expectation.

• Never gonna see you again

  ➔ Future with "Gonna"

  ➔ Informal future tense using "gonna" (going to). Negative "never" emphasizes absolute future separation.