Only If – English Lyrics

• By: Enya
• Album: Paint the Sky With Stars

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

When there's a shadow, you reach for the sun

When there is love, then you look for the one

And for the promises, there is the sky

And for the heavens are those who can fly

If you really want to, you can hear me say

Only if you want to, will you find a way

If you really want to, you can seize the day

Only if you want to, will you fly away

(Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah)

When there's a journey, you follow a star

When there's an ocean, you sail from afar

And for the broken heart, there is the sky

And for tomorrow are those who can fly

If you really want to, you can hear me say

Only if you want to, will you find a way

If you really want to, you can seize the day

Only if you want to, will you fly away?

(Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah)

Ooh, go doe bay mwa

Ooh, go doe bay mwa

If you really want to, you can hear me say

Only if you want to, will you find a way

If you really want to, you can seize the day

Only if you want to, will you fly away

Ahh

Je voudrais voler comme un oiseau d'aile

Ah, je voudrais voler comme un oiseau d'aile, d'aile

Ooh, go doe bay mwa

Ooh, go doe bay mwa

If you really want to, you can hear me say

Only if you want to will you find a way

If you really want to you can seize the day

Only if you want to, will you fly away

(Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah)

If you really want to, you can seize the day

Only if you want to, will you fly away

(Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
shadow /ˈʃædoʊ/ B1	noun - a dark area produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
love /lʌv/ A2	noun - an intense feeling of affection.
promise /ˈprɒmɪs/ B1	noun - a declaration assuring that one will do something or that a particular thing will happen.
heaven /ˈhevən/ B2	noun - a place or state of ultimate bliss.
fly /flaɪ/ A2	verb - move through the air using wings.
journey /ˈdʒɜːni/ B1	noun - an act of traveling from one place to another.
star /stɑː/ A2	noun - a luminous point in the night sky.
ocean /ˈoʊʃən/ B1	noun - a very large expanse of sea.
heart /hɑːt/ A1	noun - the organ in the chest that pumps blood.
tomorrow /təˈmɒroʊ/ A2	noun - the day after today.
way /weɪ/ A2	noun - a method or direction.
seize /siːz/ B2	verb - take possession of something forcefully.
day /deɪ/ A1	noun - the period of light between sunrise and sunset.
hear /hɪər/ A1	verb - perceive with the ear.
want /wɒnt/ A1	verb - have a desire to possess or do something.

Key Grammar Structures

• When there's a shadow, you reach for the sun

  ➔ Present simple with 'there's' for general truth

  ➔ The use of 'there's' (there is) in the present simple tense indicates a general truth or habitual action.

• If you really want to, you can hear me say

  ➔ Conditional sentence Type 1 (if + present simple, can + infinitive)

  ➔ This is a Type 1 conditional sentence, used to talk about possible situations and their results. 'If' is followed by the present simple, and the result clause uses 'can + infinitive'.

• Only if you want to, will you find a way

  ➔ Emphatic structure with inversion (Only if + subject + verb, auxiliary verb + subject)

  ➔ This sentence uses an emphatic structure with inversion to stress the condition. The auxiliary verb 'will' is placed before the subject 'you' for emphasis.

• And for the heavens are those who can fly

  ➔ Subject-verb agreement with 'heavens' as a plural subject

  ➔ The verb 'are' agrees with the plural subject 'heavens', demonstrating correct subject-verb agreement.

• Je voudrais voler comme un oiseau d'aile

  ➔ Conditional tense in French (voudrais) with infinitive verb

  ➔ The French conditional tense 'voudrais' (would like) is used here with the infinitive verb 'voler' (to fly) to express a wish or desire.