私 – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 大塚 愛
• Album: 愛 am BEST, too

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language is a journey of self-discovery, and what better way to start than with a song literally titled "I"? Ai Otsuka's "私" (Watashi) uses one of the most fundamental words in Japanese to explore a powerful message of self-acceptance. By listening, you can practice this essential vocabulary while absorbing a message about having the courage to be yourself. The song's clear vocals and empowering melody make it a special and motivating introduction to Japanese.

[English]

The night is breaking

There is a world

This is my now

My heart knows

Love is visible

I am now

The night is breaking

There is a world

This is my now

My heart knows

Love is visible

I am now

Letting go and releasing, touching and embracing

Continuing to walk, just as I feel

Talking face to face, receiving and embracing

Advancing the needle, that dream

A voice that doesn't end, rain that doesn't stop

Breathless

Listening to my heart, living with love

With me, now

Melting and blending, forgiving and being forgiven

The wounds push me forward, just as I am

Circling and unraveling, someday I will arrive

Adding flowers to this dream

The sky opens up

There is light

This is my now

Becoming free

Happiness exists

Living as myself

I am now,

[Japanese]

夜が明けていく

世界がある

私の今

心が知る

愛が見える

私は今

夜が明けていく

世界がある

私の今

心が知る

愛が見える

私は今

捨てて離していく　触れて抱きしめる

歩き続けていく　感じたまま

向かい話していく　受けて抱きしめる

針を進めていく　あの夢

終わらない声　止まない雨

息をきらして

心に聞く　愛と生きる

私と今

廻り溶けていく　許し許される

傷が背を押していく　ありのまま

巡り解けていく　いつか辿り着ける

花を添えていく　コの夢

空が開ける

光はある

私の今

自由になる

幸せはある

私を生きて

私は今、

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
夜 /や/ A1	noun - night
世界 /せかい/ A2	noun - world
心 /こころ/ B1	noun - heart/mind
愛 /あい/ A2	noun - love
夢 /ゆめ/ B1	noun - dream
自由 /じゆう/ B2	noun - freedom
幸せ /しあわせ/ B1	noun - happiness
声 /こえ/ B1	noun - voice
傷 /きず/ B2	noun - wound/injury
花 /はな/ A1	noun - flower
空 /そら/ A2	noun - sky
光 /ひかり/ B1	noun - light
進める /すすめる/ B2	verb - to advance/to proceed
抱きしめる /だきしめる/ B2	verb - to hug
感じる /かんじる/ B1	verb - to feel
許す /ゆるす/ B2	verb - to forgive

Key Grammar Structures

• 夜が明けていく

  ➔ teiru form of a verb (progressive aspect)

  ➔ The 'teiru' form expresses ongoing actions or states, such as '明けていく' meaning 'is dawn to' or 'gradually dawns'.

• 心が知る

  ➔ Subject + が + verb in plain form

  ➔ The particle 'が' marks the subject, and '知る' is in its plain form, meaning 'to know'.

• 捨てて離していく

  ➔ te-form + いく (去) to indicate movement toward the future

  ➔ The te-form of a verb plus 'いく' indicates movement or action heading toward the future.

• 終わらない声

  ➔ '終わらない' is an adjective derived from '終わる' + ない (negative form) in an i-adjective construction

  ➔ The adjective '終わらない' combines the stem of '終わる' with the negative suffix 'ない' to mean 'not ending' or 'ongoing'.

• 許し許される

  ➔ Passive form of '許す' (to forgive), indicating being forgiven or allowed

  ➔ The passive form '許される' indicates someone is being forgiven or allowed, emphasizing being on the receiving end.

• 巡り解けていく

  ➔ Verb in te-form + いく, indicating ongoing movement or process toward change

  ➔ The combination of te-form and 'いく' suggests a continuous process of change or progression.

• 花を添えていく

  ➔ te-form of 添える + いく, indicating the act of adding or contributing further

  ➔ Using te-form of 添える and いく, it expresses continuing to add or contribute elements.