NOW OR NEVER – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: ZEROBASEONE
• Album: PREZENT

Lyrics & Translation

“NOW OR NEVER” by ZEROBASEONE is a great song for Japanese language learners to connect with the emotional and dynamic side of J-pop. The lyrics are filled with expressive phrases about love, longing, and determination, offering a chance to learn vocabulary related to emotions and relationships. The song's energetic and catchy chorus makes it a fun and memorable way to practice pronunciation and rhythm. Its heartfelt message and powerful melody make it a special track that showcases a different side of ZEROBASEONE's musicality.

[English]

Even with my eyes closed, I can hear you

I could hear you

My world

I want to tell you right away

This overflowing feeling

I’ve always dreamed of it

You are right in front of me

Even if we are far apart

I wonder if I’ll be forgotten

My heart is burning, about to burst

I run to you

It’s always like this, now

I believe in the voice of my heart

So that it can reach you

No matter how many times

Even if we are apart

The hands we held

And then run run run

My heart

Even with my eyes closed, I can hear you

I could hear you

My world

I want to tell you right away

This overflowing feeling

NOW OR NEVER

This moment that only blooms here

I will keep it in my heart

I’m back

Get in my heart

NOW OR NEVER, NOW OR NEVER

Get in my world

NOW OR NEVER, NOW OR NEVER

Your dazzling smile

I’m ready to protect it

Nothing can tear me down

Tear me down, I know gradually

Towards eternity

Whenever I feel lonely

I always remember you

Once again from zero, only looking at you

So that it can reach you

No matter how many times

Even if we are apart

The hands we held

And then run run run

My heart

Even with my eyes closed, I can hear you

I could hear you

My world

I want to tell you right away

This overflowing feeling

NOW OR NEVER

This moment that only blooms here

I will keep it in my heart

I’m back

Just being by my side, that’s enough

There’s no need to hesitate

I will believe forever

Didn’t know, I didn’t know clearly

But I know the meaning of us

Even if it’s not visible

Even when we can’t meet

So that I can feel it

Get into my world

My heart

Even at the end of eternity

I’ll hold you tightly

My world

Always towards you

I want you, running

NOW OR NEVER

This moment that only blooms here

I will keep it in my heart

I’m back

Get in my heart

NOW OR NEVER, NOW OR NEVER

Get in my world

NOW OR NEVER, NOW OR NEVER

[Japanese]

目を閉じても君が

聞こえていたよ

My world

すぐに伝えたいよ

溢れるこの想いを

ずっと夢に見てた

君がもう目の前に

遠く離れて

忘れられたんじゃないかな

焦がす胸張り裂けそうで

駆けて君の元へ

いつだってそう今の

心の声信じて

届くように

何度でも

離れても

つないだ手

そして Run run run

My heart

目を閉じても君が

聞こえていたよ

My world

すぐに伝えたいよ

溢れるこの想いを

NOW OR NEVER

ここにしか咲かない今を

心に残し続けるよ

ただいま

Get in my heart

NOW OR NEVER, NOW OR NEVER

Get in my world

NOW OR NEVER, NOW OR NEVER

眩しい君の笑顔

守ってやる覚悟

Nothing can tear me down

Tear me down I know だんだん

永遠へと

寂しいときはいつだって

思い出す君のこと

ゼロからもう一度 君だけを向いて

届くように

何度でも

離れても

つないだ手

そして Run run run

My heart

目を閉じても君が

聞こえていたよ

My world

すぐに伝えたいよ

溢れるこの想いを

NOW OR NEVER

ここにしか咲かない今を

心に残し続けるよ

ただいま

そばにいてくれただけで、それで

迷うことはない

いつまでも信じて

Didn’t know, I didn’t know 鮮明に

But I know 僕らの意味を

見えなくても

会えない時も

感じられるように

Get into my world

My heart

永遠の果てででも

強く抱きしめ

My world

いつでも君の方へ

君が欲しい、走って

NOW OR NEVER

ここにしか咲かない今を

心に残し続けるよ

ただいま

Get in my heart

NOW OR NEVER, NOW OR NEVER

Get in my world

NOW OR NEVER, NOW OR NEVER

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move quickly on foot
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - the organ that pumps blood
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth
now /naʊ/ A1	adverb - at the present time noun - the present time
never /ˈnevər/ A1	adverb - at no time in the past or future
聞こえる /kikoeru/ A2	verb - to be heard
想い /omoi/ B1	noun - feeling, thought
夢 /jume/ A2	noun - dream
手 /te/ A1	noun - hand
咲く /saku/ B1	verb - to bloom
笑顔 /egao/ B1	noun - smile
覚悟 /kakugo/ B2	noun - resolution, preparedness
永遠 /eien/ B2	noun - eternity
寂しい /sabishii/ A2	adjective - lonely
鮮明 /senmei/ B2	adjective - vivid, clear
抱きしめ /dakishime/ B2	verb - to hug tightly

Key Grammar Structures

• 目を閉じても君が

  ➔ Conjugation of ても (temo) to indicate 'even if' or 'despite'

  ➔ 'ても' (temo) is a conditional particle indicating 'even if' or 'despite' the previous clause.

• すぐに伝えたいよ

  ➔ Use of たい (tai) form to express desire to do something

  ➔ 'たい' (tai) attaches to the verb stem to indicate the speaker's desire to perform an action.

• 離れても

  ➔ Use of ても (temo) to mean 'even if' or 'despite being apart'

  ➔ 'でも' (demo) attached to a verb or clause indicates 'even if' or 'despite' the condition.

• 届くように

  ➔ Use of ように (you ni) to express 'so that' or 'in order to' achieve the result

  ➔ 'ように' (you ni) attaches to verb dict form to indicate purpose or goal, meaning 'so that' or 'in order to'.

• 信じて

  ➔ Te-form of 信じる (shinjiru) to connect sequential actions or states, meaning 'believing'

  ➔ The て-form of a verb is used to connect sequential actions or to express manner or purpose, here meaning 'believing'.

• そして

  ➔ Conjunction meaning 'and' or 'then' to connect phrases

  ➔ 'そして' is a conjunction used to link sentences or clauses, meaning 'and' or 'then'.

• 迷うことはない

  ➔ Noun + はない to express 'there is no ...' or 'nothing to...'

  ➔ Noun + はない is used to state that there is no such thing or that something is not present or does not exist.