The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – English Lyrics

• By: Roberta Flack
• Album: First Take

Lyrics & Translation

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
face /feɪs/ A1	noun - the front part of the head, from the forehead to the chin.
saw /sɔː/ A1	verb - past tense of 'see'; to perceive with the eyes.
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.
sun /sʌn/ A1	noun - the star that provides light and heat to Earth.
rose /roʊz/ A2	verb - past tense of 'rise'; to move from a lower to a higher position. noun - a type of flower
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - organs that detect light.
moon /muːn/ A1	noun - the natural satellite of the earth.
stars /stɑːrz/ A1	noun - celestial bodies that emit light.
gifts /ɡɪfts/ A2	noun - something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion.
dark /dɑːrk/ A2	noun - absence of light. adjective - with little or no light.
sky /skaɪ/ A1	noun - the region of the atmosphere and outer space seen from the earth.
kissed /kɪst/ A2	verb - past tense of 'kiss'; to touch with the lips as a sign of love, affection, or greeting.
mouth /maʊθ/ A1	noun - the opening in the face used for eating and speaking.
earth /ɜːrθ/ A1	noun - the planet on which we live.
move /muːv/ A1	verb - to change position or go from one place to another.
hands /hændz/ A1	noun - the terminal part of the arm, from the wrist to the fingers.
trembling /ˈtrembəlɪŋ/ B2	adjective - shaking slightly and uncontrollably as a result of being nervous, frightened, or excited.
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - the organ that pumps blood through the body.
captive /ˈkæptɪv/ B2	adjective - having been taken prisoner or being kept in confinement. noun - a person taken prisoner or an animal confined.
bird /bɜːrd/ A1	noun - a warm-blooded vertebrate animal of a class distinguished by having feathers, wings, typically able to fly.
command /kəˈmænd/ B2	noun - an authoritative order. verb - to give an authoritative order.
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection. verb - to feel deep affection for someone.
lay /leɪ/ A2	verb - past tense of 'lie'; to be in or assume a horizontal or resting position on a supporting surface.
close /kloʊs/ A2	adjective - near in space or time. verb - to move so as to bar an opening.
joy /dʒɔɪ/ B1	noun - a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
fill /fɪl/ A2	verb - to put something into (a container, hole, etc.) so that it becomes full.
last /læst/ A2	verb - to continue or endure for a specified period of time.
end /end/ A1	noun - the final part of something.

Key Grammar Structures

• The first time, ever I saw your face

  ➔ Inversion with "ever" for emphasis

  ➔ Normally, the sentence would be "The first time I ever saw your face." The inversion of "ever" and "I" adds emotional emphasis. "Ever" modifies the verb "saw".

• I thought the sun rose in your eyes

  ➔ Simple Past Tense for a completed action in the past

  ➔ "Thought" is the past tense of "think", indicating a past belief. "Rose" is the past tense of "rise", used to describe the sun's action.

• Were the gifts you gave

  ➔ Past Simple of the verb "to be" with a relative clause

  ➔ "Were" is the past tense of "to be", connecting "the moon and the stars" to "the gifts". "You gave" is a relative clause describing the gifts. The full implied sentence would be: "The moon and the stars were the gifts that you gave."

• I felt the earth move in my hands

  ➔ Simple Past Tense, describing a sensory experience

  ➔ "Felt" is the past tense of "feel", indicating a past sensation. The phrase uses vivid imagery to convey a strong emotional response.

• Like the trembling heart of a captive bird

  ➔ Simile using "like" for comparison

  ➔ This line compares the speaker's feeling (of the earth moving) to the feeling of a "trembling heart of a captive bird". "Like" indicates a direct comparison.

• That was there, at my command

  ➔ Past Simple with a prepositional phrase indicating control

  ➔ "Was" is the past form of "to be". The phrase "at my command" indicates that the speaker had control or influence over something (presumably the "trembling heart" metaphorically representing their emotions or the situation).

• And I knew our joy would fill the earth

  ➔ Past Simple and Conditional "would" for future in the past

  ➔ "Knew" is past simple, describing a past state of knowledge. "Would fill" expresses a prediction or expectation in the past, what the speaker believed *at that time* would happen. The speaker had a belief that their joy would eventually fill the earth.

• And last, 'til the end of time

  ➔ Ellipsis; shortened form of "And it will last until the end of time"

  ➔ The full sentence is implied. The singer omits "it will" for poetic effect. This is called ellipsis. "'Til" is a contraction of "until."