モノトーン – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: YOASOBI

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language can be a colorful journey, and what better way to start than with a song that literally talks about adding color to a 'monotone' world? YOASOBI's 'Monotone' offers a beautiful opportunity to explore Japanese expressions of loneliness and connection. The lyrics are poetic and emotionally rich, allowing learners to grasp nuanced vocabulary and understand how emotions are conveyed in Japanese music. The song's gentle melody and clear vocals also make it easier to follow along and pick up new words, turning language learning into an inspiring experience.

[English]

Forever, I, we

Live in a world all alone

Every time I gently touch the neighboring world

I realize

I remember

When we were young

We were protected by our innocence

The names we called each other

And the promises for tomorrow

With just that, I felt the world was one

The things we can't understand

The things we can't forgive

Keep increasing one by one

Every time that happens, I

Even stop expecting that we can believe in each other

Forever, I, we

ずっと 僕は 僕らは

Live in separate worlds

When I think we've gotten closer

We drift apart

And every time it repeats

I realize I'm all alone

I, we

Still seek someone

Simply accepting loneliness

As it is

I can't live well enough

Because I'm not an adult

At the back of the classroom

The same scenery drawn in different colors

We all

Are different

Even though we can never overlap without a slight misalignment

Measuring how far we are

From the ideals we draw

Self-centered love that resembles love

Is an excessive longing for what we don't have

Every time I confirm it, I feel disgusted

Every time I seek it, I become selfish

Every time I lose, I become cowardly

I don't wish for more than now

Don't go further away than now

I convinced myself that maintaining this ambiguous distance

Is what it means to become an adult

I, I

Am just running away from being hurt

But really, I just

Still want to believe

Forever, I, we

ずっと 僕は 僕らは

Everyone lives in a different world

So let's hold hands

And exchange words

To say we're not alone

We deceive each other

Someday, someday

Wrapped in this immature loneliness

If I can be kind enough for the loneliness and pain I've learned

If I can believe in people

Forever, both you and I

ずっと 僕も 君も

Everyone is alone

Wanting to understand each other

When our hearts snuggle close

At that moment

For an instant, this world seemed to be one

...

[Japanese]

ずっと 僕は 僕らは

一人きりの世界を生きている

隣り合う世界にそっとふれる度

思い知るんだ

思い出すんだ

幼い頃の僕らは

無邪気さに守られたまま

呼び合う名前と

明日の約束

それだけで世界は一つだと思えた

分かり合えないことが

許し合えないことが

一つ二つ増えていく

その度に僕は

信じ合えると期待することさえも

やめてしまった

ずっと 僕は 僕らは

それぞれ別の世界を生きている

近付いたと思えば

離れ離れに

そう繰り返す度

一人きりを思い知るんだ

僕が 僕らが

それでも誰かを求めるのは

孤独をただ素直に

受け入れたまま

生きていけるほど

大人じゃないから

教室の後ろに貼られた

違う色で描かれた同じ景色たち

僕らは誰もが

それぞれで違う

少しのズレもなく重なることはないのに

描いている理想からどれだけ

離れているかで測るような

愛に似せた 一人よがりは

行き過ぎた ないものねだり

確かめる度 嫌になって

求める度 身勝手になって

失う度 臆病になった

今より多くは望まないから

今より遠くへは行かないで

そうやって曖昧な距離を保つことが

大人になることだと思い込んだ

僕は 僕は

傷付くことから逃げているだけで

本当はただ

今でもまだ

信じたいんだ

ずっと 僕は 僕らは

誰もが別の世界を生きている

だから手を繋いで

そう言葉を交わして

一人きりではないよと

お互いに誤魔化し合うんだ

いつか いつか

この未熟な孤独に包まれて

覚えた寂しさと痛みの分だけ

優しくなれたら

人を信じられたら

ずっと 僕も 君も

誰もが一人だ

分かり合いたいと

寄り添い合った心が

ふれるその時

一瞬この世界は一つに見えた

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
世界 (sekai) /se̞ka̠i/ A2	noun - world
名前 (namae) /na̠ma̠e/ A1	noun - name
約束 (yakusoku) /jakɯ̟ᵝsokɯ/ A2	noun - promise, agreement verb - to promise
期待 (kitai) /kʲitai/ B2	noun - expectation verb - to expect
孤独 (kodoku) /ko̞do̞kɯ̟/ B2	noun - loneliness, solitude adjective - lonely, solitary
大人 (otona) /o̞to̞na̠/ A2	noun - adult
色 (iro) /iɾo/ A1	noun - color
景色 (keshiki) /ke̞ɕiki/ B1	noun - scenery, view
理想 (risou) /ɾiso̞ː/ B2	noun - ideal
愛 (ai) /ai/ A2	noun - love
心 (kokoro) /ko̞ko̞ɾo̞/ A2	noun - heart, mind
痛 (itami) /itami/ B1	noun - pain
手 (te) /te/ A1	noun - hand
言葉 (kotoba) /ko̞to̞ba̠/ A2	noun - word, language
増える (fueru) /ɸɯeɾɯ/ A2	verb - to increase

Key Grammar Structures

• ずっと 僕は 僕らは

  ➔ Use of the particle 'は' (wa) to mark the topic of the sentence.

  ➔ The particle 'は' indicates the topic of the sentence, often contrasting or emphasizing it.

• 信じ合えると期待することさえも

  ➔ Use of 'と' to quote or mark indirect speech; 'さえも' means 'even' to emphasize inclusiveness.

  ➔ 'と' is used to quote or introduce indirect speech; 'さえも' adds emphasis by meaning 'even'.

• それぞれで違う

  ➔ Use of 'で' to indicate means, manner, or in this case, 'each' within a context.

  ➔ 'で' indicates means, place, or context; here it connects 'each' to its own context.

• 分かり合いたいと

  ➔ Use of 'と' to connect a verb phrase with a desire or wish, expressing 'want to understand each other'.

  ➔ The particle 'と' can connect verbs with desires, indicating the speaker's wish or intention.

• ふれるその時

  ➔ Use of 'の' to nominalize the phrase 'その時' (that moment), showing possession or specification.

  ➔ The particle 'の' turns a phrase into a noun, often indicating possession or a specific moment.

• 一瞬この世界は一つに見えた

  ➔ Use of 'に' to indicate whether something appears as or becomes a certain state.

  ➔ The particle 'に' indicates target, direction, or result of perception or change.