that way – English Lyrics

• By: Tate McRae

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the delicate dance between friendship and romance with Tate McRae's "That Way." This song offers a poignant look at unspoken feelings and the confusing boundaries of relationships, making it a great way to connect with the nuances of emotional expression in English. Discover how McRae's heartfelt lyrics and minimalist style capture the universal experience of yearning for something more.

[English]

♪♪♪

♪ Run me in circles ♪

♪ like you always do ♪

♪ Mess with me on purpose ♪

♪ so I'll hang on to you ♪

♪ I know what you mean when you act like that ♪

♪ but you don't know it's breaking my heart ♪

♪ Said that it was just never gonna happen ♪

♪ then almost kissed me in the dark ♪

♪ Every time we talk, it just hurts so bad ♪

♪ 'Cause I don't even know what we are ♪

♪ I don't even know where to start ♪

♪ but I can play the part ♪

♪ We say we're friends ♪

♪ but I'm catching you across the room ♪

♪ It makes no sense ♪

♪ 'Cause we're fighting over what we do ♪

♪ And there's no way that I'll end up being with you ♪

♪ But friends don't look at friends that way ♪

♪ Friends don't look at friends that way ♪

♪ Can't even tell if ♪

♪ I love or hate you more ♪

♪ You've got me addicted ♪

♪ and I can't tell whose keeping score ♪

♪ I know what you mean when you act like that ♪

♪ but you don't know it's breaking my heart ♪

♪ Said that it was just never gonna happen ♪

♪ then almost kissed me in the dark ♪

♪ Every time we talk it just hurts so bad ♪

♪ 'Cause I don't even know what we are ♪

♪ I don't even know where to start ♪

♪ but I can play the part ♪

♪ We say we're friends ♪

♪ but I'm catching you across the room ♪

♪ It makes no sense ♪

♪ 'Cause we're fighting over what we do ♪

♪ And there's no way that I'll end up being with you ♪

♪ But friends don't look at friends that way ♪

♪ Friends don't look at friends that way ♪

♪ Friends don't look at friends that way ♪

♪ Friends don't look at friends that way ♪

♪ We say we're friends ♪

♪ but I'm catching you across the room ♪

♪ It makes no sense ♪

♪ 'Cause we're fighting over what we do ♪

♪ And there's no way that I'll end up being with you ♪

♪ But friends don't look at friends that way ♪

♪ Friends don't look at friends that way ♪

Key Grammar Structures

• I know what you mean when you act like that

  ➔ Noun Clause as Object of Verb

  ➔ The phrase "what you mean" functions as a noun clause, acting as the direct object of the verb "know". It introduces an indirect statement or question.

• but you don't know it's breaking my heart

  ➔ Present Continuous for Ongoing Impact/Emotion

  ➔ The phrase "it's breaking my heart" uses the present continuous tense to describe an ongoing emotional impact or a continuous action that is affecting the speaker.

• Said that it was just never gonna happen

  ➔ Informal Future (gonna) in Reported Speech

  ➔ The phrase "gonna happen" is an informal contraction of 'going to happen', used here within reported speech (implied 'he said that...'). It expresses a future event that was predicted or intended.

• Every time we talk, it just hurts so bad

  ➔ Adverbial Clause of Time (introduced by 'Every time')

  ➔ The clause "Every time we talk" specifies when the main action occurs. 'Every time' acts as a compound conjunction, indicating a repeated action or condition.

• I don't even know where to start

  ➔ Noun Clause with 'where' + Infinitive

  ➔ The phrase "where to start" is a noun clause acting as the object of 'know'. It's an indirect question formed with an interrogative word ('where') followed by an infinitive ('to start').

• And there's no way that I'll end up being with you

  ➔ Phrasal Verb 'end up' + Gerund

  ➔ The construction "end up being" uses the phrasal verb 'end up' (meaning 'eventually find oneself in a particular place or situation') followed by a gerund ('being') to describe the final state or result.

• But friends don't look at friends that way

  ➔ Negative Present Simple + Phrasal Verb + Adverbial Phrase

  ➔ The sentence uses the negative form of the present simple tense ("don't look") with the phrasal verb "look at" and the idiomatic adverbial phrase "that way" to express a general truth or belief about how friends behave.

• Can't even tell if I love or hate you more

  ➔ Noun Clause (Indirect Question with 'if')

  ➔ The clause "if I love or hate you more" functions as a noun clause, acting as the object of 'tell'. It is an indirect question, expressing uncertainty about which of two options is true.

• You've got me addicted

  ➔ Causative/Resultative Structure with 'have/get'

  ➔ The phrase "You've got me addicted" uses a causative/resultative structure where 'have/get' (here, 'got') indicates that someone caused something to happen or brought about a certain state. 'Addicted' is a past participle acting as an adjective.