Little Drummer Boy – English Lyrics

• By: Pentatonix

Lyrics & Translation

Learn English with Pentatonix's captivating version of "Little Drummer Boy"! The song's simple, repetitive lyrics and the group's clear vocal performance make it an ideal and enjoyable tool for beginners to practice English pronunciation and rhythm. Following the straightforward narrative of this Christmas classic can be a fun way to improve your language skills.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
come /kʌm/ A1	verb - to move or travel towards a place
king /kɪŋ/ A1	noun - a male monarch
gift /ɡɪft/ A2	noun - something given to someone without payment
play /pleɪ/ A1	verb - to engage in activity for enjoyment
drum /drʌm/ A1	noun - a musical instrument played by beating verb - to play a drum
baby /ˈbeɪ.bi/ A1	noun - a very young child
poor /pʊr/ A2	adjective - having little money
smile /smaɪl/ A2	verb - to make a facial expression of happiness
finest /ˈfaɪ.nɪst/ B1	adjective - of the highest quality
honor /ˈɒn.ər/ B2	verb - to regard with great respect

Key Grammar Structures

• "A newborn King to see"

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ "to see" indicates the purpose of "a newborn King" — why he is brought or present.

• "I am a poor boy too"

  ➔ Use of "too" for addition or agreement

  ➔ "Too" indicates that the singer is also a poor boy, showing agreement or addition.

• "I have no gift to bring"

  ➔ Use of "no" with noun to indicate negation or absence

  ➔ "No gift" indicates the absence of any gift, emphasizing humility and lack.

• "Shall I play for you?"

  ➔ Use of "shall" to make a polite offer or suggestion, especially in questions

  ➔ "Shall" is used here to politely offer playing the drum, making the question more formal and courteous.

• "The ox and lamb kept time"

  ➔ Past simple tense to describe a completed action

  ➔ "Kept" is the past tense of "keep", indicating that the ox and lamb maintained the rhythm or time during the play.

• "Then He smiled at me"

  ➔ Simple past tense to indicate completed action in the past

  ➔ "Smiled" is the past tense of "smile", showing that the smile happened after the drum playing, reflecting a completed action.

• "Me and my drum"

  ➔ Use of conjunction "and" to connect two nouns

  ➔ "Me and my drum" connects the singer and his instrument, emphasizing their relationship in the performance.