SWIM – Bilingual Lyrics Korean/English

• By: BTS
• Album: ARIRANG

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the depths of expression with BTS's "SWIM," a captivating English-language song that serves as a powerful metaphor for life's journey. Through its poignant lyrics and alternative pop sound, you can explore themes of resilience and continuous growth. This track offers an accessible entry point to understanding the lyrical artistry of BTS and encourages listeners to embrace the song's empowering message as they navigate their own paths.

[English]

Swim, swim

Water dripping from your skin

Swim, swim

I could watch you forever

Swim, swim

This is where everything starts

Swim, swim

I just want to dive in, I just want to dive in

This crazy world

It’s all gone, and I still wake up in this mad world

Tell me a place where I can breathe, anywhere in this world

Looking innocent in this messed up world, this messed up world

I don’t even know how to act around you

I’m so lost, tell me where you are

Oh, you don’t even have to love me perfectly

You know I never hold back

Yeah

It’s so easy, don’t make it so difficult

Nights like these, I just want to disappear

Right here with the moon and the shadows

I don’t need to think about anything, baby, I just

Swim, swim

Water dripping from your skin

Swim, swim

I could watch you forever

Swim, (Swim) swim (Swim)

This is where everything starts

Swim, swim

I just want to dive in, I just want to dive in

Water, water so deep, water so deep

Let’s jump in, I’m not afraid

Yeah, you know me, yeah, you know me

Sitting on the shore, now I’m ready for the open sea

I can feel the big waves coming

Why are you running away? You can run *into* it

Salt on my lips, she’s breathtaking (Oh)

You’re the only place I want to be

Yeah

Swim, swim

Water dripping from your skin

Swim, swim

I could watch you forever

Swim, (Swim) swim (Swim)

Let it all begin

Swim, swim

I just want to dive in, I just want to dive in

Splash, drift away

I make waves with my own strength

Splash, drip

I just want to go all the way

Down here, time doesn’t matter

Baby, everything doesn’t have to be so sad (Sad)

Turning my back on the world

I just want to dive in, I just want to dive in

Swim, swim

Water dripping from your skin

Swim, swim

I could watch you forever

Swim, (Swim) swim (Swim)

Let it all begin

Swim, swim

I just want to dive in, I just want to dive in

[Korean]

Swim, swim

Water falling off your skin

Swim, swim

I could spend a lifetime watching you

Swim, swim

This is how it all begins

Swim, swim

I just wanna dive, I just wanna dive

Bad world

Gone away and I still wake up in this mad world

Name a place that I could breathe on this map, world

Lookin’ like a goody goody in this bad world, bad world

Don’t know how to act, girl

I’m in the deep, tell me where the hell you at, girl?

Oh, you ain’t even gotta love me bad, girl

You know that I’m never holdin’ back, girl

Yeah

So easy, don’t make it so hard

Nights like these, I just wanna get lost

Right here with the moon and the sharks

I ain’t gotta think ’bout a thing, baby, I just

Swim, swim

Water falling off your skin

Swim, swim

I could spend a lifetime watching you

Swim, (Swim) swim (Swim)

This is how it all begins

Swim, swim

I just wanna dive, I just wanna dive

Water, water so deep, water so deep

Take it off the ground, I ain’t never gettin’ cold feet

Yeah, you know me, yeah, you know me

Sittin’ on the shore, now I’m ready for the whole sea

I can feel the high waves comin’

Why you run away? You can run in

Salt on my tongue, she’s stunnin’ (Oh)

You’re the only place that I wanna be

Yeah

Swim, swim

Water falling off your skin

Swim, swim

I could spend a lifetime watching you

Swim, (Swim) swim (Swim)

This is how it all begins

Swim, swim

I just wanna dive, I just wanna dive

Splash, drift

I make waves with my two fins

Splash, drip

I just wanna take it across the line

Under here we don’t chase the time

Baby, everything can’t be so sad (Sad)

Turn my face from the land

I just wanna dive, I just wanna dive

Swim, swim

Water falling off your skin

Swim, swim

I could spend a lifetime watching you

Swim, (Swim) swim (Swim)

Let it all begin

Swim, swim

I just wanna dive, I just wanna dive

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
water wɔːtər B1	noun - the liquid that descends from the clouds as rain, forms streams, lakes, and seas, and is a major constituent of all known living matter.
skin skɪn A2	noun - the outer layer of tissue covering a vertebrate animal.
lifetime ˈlaɪftaɪm B2	noun - the length of time that a person or animal lives; the period from birth to death.
dive daɪv A2	verb - jump or fall head first into water.
world wɜːld A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features.
breathe briːð A2	verb - take air into and expel it from the lungs.
deep diːp A2	adjective - extending far down from the surface.
shore ʃɔːr B1	noun - the land along the edge of a sea or lake.
sea siː A1	noun - a large body of salt water.
waves weɪvz A2	noun - a disturbance that travels through a medium, transferring energy.
salt sɔːlt A1	noun - a crystalline mineral, sodium chloride, used to season food.
tongue tʌŋ A2	noun - the muscular organ in the mouth used for tasting.
stunning ˈstʌnɪŋ B1	adjective - extremely impressive or attractive.
splash splæʃ A1	noun - a small amount of liquid splashed or spilled.
drift drɪft A2	verb - be carried slowly by the current of air or water.
fins fɪnz A2	noun - a flat appendage on a fish or other aquatic animal, used for propulsion and steering.
land lænd A1	noun - the part of the earth's surface that is not permanently covered by water.

Key Grammar Structures

• I could spend a lifetime watching you

  ➔ Modal verb + infinitive (expressing possibility/duration)

  ➔ "Could" indicates a hypothetical situation and the ability to do something over a long period. The phrase highlights the speaker's fascination.

• I just wanna dive, I just wanna dive

  ➔ Informal contraction ('wanna' for 'want to') + infinitive

  ➔ The repetition of 'I just wanna dive' emphasizes the speaker's strong desire and impulsive nature. 'Wanna' is a colloquial shortening of 'want to'.

• Lookin’ like a goody goody in this bad world, bad world

  ➔ Present continuous (-ing form) used for descriptive purposes + Adjective repetition for emphasis

  ➔ The present continuous 'lookin'' describes a temporary state or appearance. The repetition of 'bad world' amplifies the contrast between the speaker's perceived image and the harsh reality.

• Nights like these, I just wanna get lost

  ➔ Noun phrase as an adverbial modifier + 'wanna' + infinitive

  ➔ "Nights like these" functions as an adverbial phrase, specifying *when* the speaker wants to get lost. It sets a specific mood or context.