Pretender – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: Official髭男dism

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the world of modern J-Pop with 'Pretender.' This song is a perfect tool for learning emotional Japanese expressions and the nuance of 'unrequited love' (kataomoi). Through its clear vocals and relatable lyrics, you can explore how Japanese listeners express deep longing and the subtle art of social masks.

[English]

[Music]

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Our love story, it was exactly as I expected.

Once it started, it was just a one-man show.

Standing by your side all along, in the end, I was just a spectator.

Caught in the agony of my own feelings.

[Music]

As always, I got used to it.

It’s not so bad, but this romance with you...

[Music]

won't continue past reality.

[Music]

If only we could have met in a different world, with a different connection.

[Music]

If only I had a different personality, I wish I could have expressed my love more naturally.

[Music]

But it's all useless.

Goodbye. You are not the one meant for me.

[Music]

It hurts just to touch you.

Ah, I'm so weary.

[Music]

So, what are you to me? I don't know the answer.

[Music]

And I don't even want to know. If there is only one thing I’m sure of...

it's that you are beautiful.

[Music]

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The love stories people talk about so emotionally,

[Music]

none of them click with me. It’s like the night view of a town

[Music]

I don't know, seen from a window of a plane.

[Music]

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If I could have chosen a different setting and a different world to meet you in,

I wish I could have held our love with a pure heart and told you "I love you" without feeling like a fraud.

[Music]

願が手

It’s so painful.

[Music]

We held hands, but the ending was already written.

[Music]

The reality that you won't be in the future I'm moving toward... it's dark.

[Music]

Of course, it’s painful.

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Goodbye. You are not the one meant for me.

[Music]

It's painful, but I can't stay. Still, I can't let go.

[Music]

It hurts just to touch you.

[Music]

So, what are you to me? I don't know the answer.

[Music]

And I don't even want to know. If there is only one thing I’m sure of, it's that you are beautiful.

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This fate is not so bad. Even so, you are beautiful.

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[Scream]

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[Japanese]

[音楽]

[音楽]

[音楽]

[音楽]

[音楽]

君とのラブ[歌声]ストンリー。それは

予想通り

。いざ始まれば1人芝居い[音楽]だ。

ずっとそばに立って結局ただの観客た感情

[音楽]の悩い

。俺はいつも通り[音楽][歌声]慣れて

しまえば悪くはないけど君とのロンスは

[音楽]実際から続きはしないこと

[歌声]を知

で[音楽]もっと違う関係で出会える世界

性

よかっ[音楽]たもっと違う性格で、

もっと近で愛を伝えられたらいいな。

[音楽]それがも無駄だから。

グッぱ[音楽]

君の運命の人は僕じゃない。ない[音楽]

けど恨めないでも離れがいのさり[音楽]

触れただけで痛い[音楽]あやあでもらい

あいやっぱい

それじゃ僕にとって君[音楽]は何答えは

分からないわかりくもないのさ[音楽]

たった1つ

かなことがあるとするのならば[音楽]君

は嫌いな。

誰か[音楽][歌声]がエロに語る恋愛

[音楽]

何1つとしてピこなくて飛行機の孫から

[音楽]見下ろした知らない町の夜景

[音楽]

みたいだ

もっと違う設定でもっと[音楽]違う関係

で出会える世界選べたらよただって純な心

で[音楽]

叶った恋を抱きしめて好きだとか不正にえ

[歌声]たらいいな。

[音楽]

願が手

のさっぱい

[音楽]

繋いだけど向こうにエンドラ引き伸ばすた

に[音楽]移出す未来りは君は[音楽]い

ないその事実に暗いや

[歌声]

そりゃ苦しいよ

[音楽]

行くぱい君の運命の人は僕じゃない。

[音楽]

辛いけどいられないでも[音楽]

離れがいのさ。その限り触れただけで痛い

。愛やれ[音楽]

も甘えない愛い。それじゃ[音楽]僕に

とって君なり答えは分からない。[音楽]

分かりたくもないのさ。た1つ確かなこと

があるとするのなら[音楽]ば君は綺麗だ

。

[音楽]

の定め悪くないよならけそても綺麗

[音楽]

[音楽]

[叫び声]

[音楽]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
予想 yosō N3	noun - forecast, expectation
観客 kankyaku N2	noun - spectator, audience
感情 kanjō N3	noun - emotion, feeling
実際 jissai N3	noun - actual, reality
運命 unmei N2	noun - fate, destiny
恨めない uramenai N2	verb - cannot hold a grudge
答え kotae N4	noun - answer, response
確か tashika N3	adjective - certain, sure
恋愛 ren'ai N3	noun - love, romance
夜景 yakei N2	noun - night view
設定 settei N2	noun - setting
純粋 junsuina N2	adjective - pure, innocent
抱きしめる dakishimeru N2	verb - to hold tight, to embrace
未来 mirai N4	noun - future
事実 jijitsu N3	noun - fact, truth
綺麗 kirei N5	adjective - beautiful, pretty

Key Grammar Structures

• 慣れてしまえば悪くはない

  ➔ ～てしまう (Completion/Regret) + ～ば (Conditional)

  ➔ The combination of "～てしまう" (here: 慣れてしまう) indicating a state that is settled, and "～ば" creates a conditional "if/once you get used to it".

• もっと違う設定で出会える世界選べたらよかった

  ➔ ～たらよかった (Expressing regret/Wish for the past)

  ➔ Used to express a wish that something different had happened in the past. It highlights the speaker's regret regarding the current situation.

• 愛を伝えられたらいいな

  ➔ ～たらいいな (Expressing a hope/desire)

  ➔ A softened way to express a personal wish or hope. "伝えられたら" (potential form) adds a sense of "if I could only express..."

• 君の運命の人は僕じゃない

  ➔ Noun + じゃない (Negative copula, informal)

  ➔ This is the colloquial negative form of "～ではない". It is used here to assert a painful reality directly.

• 分かりたくもないのさ

  ➔ ～たくもない (Emphasis on not wanting to do something)

  ➔ A combination of "～たい" (want) + "～たくない" (don't want) + "も" (emphatic particle). It expresses a strong refusal or rejection of the idea of understanding.

• たった1つ確かなことがあるとするのならば

  ➔ ～とすれば / ～とするのならば (Conditional - "If we assume")

  ➔ A formal way to set a premise or condition. It helps to isolate one specific truth amidst the uncertainty of the song's narrative.

• 引き伸ばすたびに移ろう未来

  ➔ ～たび（に） (Every time/Whenever)

  ➔ Indicates that whenever the action of 'stretching/prolonging' (引き伸ばす) happens, the future changes. It highlights the instability of their relationship.

• 君は綺麗だ

  ➔ Adj-i (Predicate)

  ➔ A simple, direct i-adjective statement. Used as the final realization/truth at the end of the song, emphasizing the simplicity of his feelings.