Numb – English Lyrics

• By: Linkin Park
• Album: Meteora

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Linkin Park's iconic track "Numb" and discover a powerful way to learn English. Its relatable lyrics, sung with raw emotion by Chester Bennington, explore themes of identity and societal pressure, offering authentic language for discussing feelings and personal struggles. The song's clear, repetitive structure and evocative imagery make it an excellent tool for understanding English vocabulary and common phrases in a meaningful context.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
tired /ˈtaɪərd/ A2	adjective - feeling a need to rest or sleep
want /wɒnt/ A1	verb - to have a desire for noun - a desire for something
feeling /ˈfiːlɪŋ/ A2	noun - an emotional state or reaction verb - to experience an emotion or sensation
faithless /ˈfeɪθləs/ B2	adjective - not loyal or trustworthy
lost /lɒst/ A2	adjective - unable to find one's way; no longer possessed
surface /ˈsɜːrfɪs/ B1	noun - the outer boundary of an object or area
expecting /ɪkˈspektɪŋ/ B1	verb - regard (something) as likely to happen
pressure /ˈpreʃər/ B1	noun - the exertion of force upon a surface
walking /ˈwɔːkɪŋ/ A1	verb - move at a regular and fairly slow pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn.
shoes /ʃuːz/ A1	noun - a covering for the foot
step /step/ A1	noun - an act or movement of putting one foot in front of the other verb - move one's foot a short distance
mistake /mɪˈsteɪk/ A2	noun - an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong
numb /nʌm/ B2	adjective - deprived of feeling or responsiveness verb - deprive of feeling or responsiveness
aware /əˈwer/ B2	adjective - having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact
smothering /ˈsmʌðərɪŋ/ C1	verb - suffocate (someone) by covering their nose and mouth
control /kənˈtroʊl/ B1	noun - the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events verb - determine the behavior or supervise the running of
fallen /ˈfɔːlən/ A2	verb - past participle of fall
failing /ˈfeɪlɪŋ/ B1	verb - be unsuccessful; not achieve the desired outcome
disappointed /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪd/ B1	adjective - sad or displeased because someone or something has failed to fulfill one's hopes or expectations

Key Grammar Structures

• Tired of being what you want me to be

  ➔ Gerund phrase after "tired of"; "what" as a relative pronoun

  ➔ "Tired of" takes a gerund (being). "What" functions as a relative pronoun, meaning "the thing(s) that". It combines the functions of a relative pronoun and its antecedent.

• Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface

  ➔ Present participle "feeling" acting as a reduced relative clause; Adjective "lost" as a past participle acting as an adjective.

  ➔ "Feeling so faithless" modifies the subject of the sentence (implied "I"). "Lost under the surface" describes the state of being. "Lost" is not the main verb, but rather a past participle used as an adjective.

• Don't know what you're expecting of me

  ➔ Negative imperative; Subordinate clause with "what" as the object of "expecting"; Preposition "of" showing the relationship.

  ➔ "Don't know" is a negative imperative expressing a lack of knowledge. "What you're expecting of me" is a noun clause acting as the object of "know". "Of me" indicates what the expectation pertains to.

• Every step that I take is another mistake to you

  ➔ Relative clause with "that" acting as a subject; "Another" as a determiner before "mistake"; Preposition "to" expressing direction or recipient.

  ➔ "That I take" is a relative clause modifying "step". "Another mistake" implies the current step is not the first. "To you" indicates the perspective from which the step is viewed as a mistake.

• I've become so numb, I can't feel you there

  ➔ Present perfect tense "I've become"; Adverb "so" modifying the adjective "numb"; Modal verb "can't" expressing inability.

  ➔ "I've become" indicates a state that started in the past and continues to the present. "So numb" intensifies the feeling of numbness. "Can't feel" means the speaker is unable to perceive the other person.

• Can't you see that you're smothering me?

  ➔ Modal verb "Can" used in a question to express inquiry; "See" as a verb of perception followed by a "that" clause; Present continuous "you're smothering" indicating an ongoing action.

  ➔ "Can't you see" is a request for understanding. The "that" clause specifies what the speaker wants the other person to understand. "You're smothering me" describes the action of the other person.

• But I know I may end up failing too

  ➔ Conjunction "but" expressing contrast; Modal verb "may" expressing possibility; "End up" followed by a gerund "failing"; Adverb "too" indicating addition.

  ➔ "But" contrasts the previous statements. "May end up failing" expresses uncertainty about the speaker's success. "Too" indicates that, like the other person, the speaker might also fail.

• You were just like me with someone disappointed in you

  ➔ Past tense "were"; "Just" as an adverb of degree; Preposition "with" indicating association; Past participle "disappointed" functioning as an adjective.

  ➔ "Were just like me" indicates a similarity in the past. "With someone disappointed in you" describes a relationship where the other person was disappointed in the subject.