The Way I Am – English Lyrics

• By: Charlie Puth
• Album: Voicenotes

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Yeah

Maybe I'ma get a little anxious

Maybe I'ma get a little shy

'Cause everybody's trying to be famous

And I'm just trying to find a place to hide, oh

All I wanna do is just hold somebody

But no one ever wants to get to know somebody

I don't even know how to explain this

I don't even think I'm gonna try

And that's okay

I promise myself one day (Hey)

I'ma tell 'em all

I'ma tell 'em all that you could either hate me or love me

But that's just the way I am

I'ma tell 'em all

I'ma tell 'em all that you could either hate me or love me

But that's just the way I am

That's just the way I am

That's just the way I am

That's just the way I am

That's just the way I am

Maybe I'ma get a little nervous

Maybe I don't go out anymore (Oh)

Feelin' like I really don't deserve this (Deserve this)

Life ain't nothing like it was before

'Cause all I wanna do is just hold somebody

But no one ever wants to get to know somebody

If you go and look under the surface (Surface)

Baby, I'm a little insecure

And that's okay (Baby, now, that's okay)

I promise myself one day (Hey)

I'ma tell 'em all

I'ma tell 'em all that you could either

Hate me or love me

But that's just the way I am

I'ma tell 'em all (All)

I'ma tell 'em all that you could either

Hate me or love me (Hate me or love me)

But that's just the way I am

That's just the way I am (I am)

That's just the way I am (I am)

That's just the way I am

That's just the way I am

I'ma tell em' all (That's just the way I am)

I'ma tell em' all that you could either

Hate me or love me (That's just the way I am)

But that's just the way I am

Am, am

Yeah, this is what you wanted

Oh, this is what you wanted

I am, am, am

Yeah, this is what you wanted

Oh, this is what you wanted all along

Everybody's trying to be famous

And I'm just trying to find a place to hide (Hey)

I'ma tell 'em all ('Em all)

I'ma tell 'em all that you could either

Hate me or love me (Hate me or love me)

But that's just the way I am

I'ma tell 'em all ('Em all)

I'ma tell 'em all that you could either

Hate me or love me (Hate me or love me)

But that's just the way I am

That's just the way I am (Maybe I'ma get a little anxious)

That's just the way I am (Maybe I'ma get a little scared)

That's just the way I am ('Cause everybody's trying to be famous)

That's just the way I am

I'ma tell em' all ('Em all)

I'ma tell em' all that you could either

Hate me or love me (Ooh-ooh-ooh)

But that's just the way I am

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
anxious /ˈæŋkʃəs/ B2	adjective - feeling worried or uneasy
shy /ʃaɪ/ B1	adjective - reluctant to speak or act because of nervousness
famous /ˈfeɪməs/ B2	adjective - well known by many people
hide /haɪd/ A2	verb - to keep out of sight; conceal
hold /hoʊld/ A2	verb - to keep something in one’s grasp
know /noʊ/ A1	verb - to be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information
explain /ɪkˈspleɪn/ B1	verb - to make something clear or understandable
promise /ˈprɒmɪs/ B1	noun - a commitment to do something verb - to assure someone that one will definitely do something
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - deep affection or strong feeling of attachment verb - to feel deep affection for someone or something
hate /heɪt/ A1	noun - intense dislike verb - to feel intense dislike for
insecure /ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊr/ B2	adjective - lacking confidence or assurance
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the existence of an individual human being or animal
surface /ˈsɜːr.fɪs/ B2	noun - the outermost layer; the top side of something
deserve /dɪˈzɜːrv/ B2	verb - to be worthy of something because of actions or qualities
way /weɪ/ A2	noun - a method, style, or manner of doing something
nervous /ˈnɜːr.vəs/ B1	adjective - feeling or showing anxiety or uneasiness

Key Grammar Structures

• Maybe I'ma get a little anxious

  ➔ future with 'going to' (informal contraction 'I'ma')

  ➔ The word **'I'ma'** is a colloquial contraction of **'I am going to'**, used to talk about a future action.

• And I'm just trying to find a place to hide, oh

  ➔ present continuous (progressive) for ongoing action

  ➔ The phrase **'am ... trying'** uses the present continuous to show a current, ongoing effort.

• All I wanna do is just hold somebody

  ➔ infinitive without 'to' after 'do is' (bare infinitive) and contraction 'wanna' = want to

  ➔ The verb **'wanna'** is a colloquial contraction of **'want to'**, and after **'do is'** the infinitive **'hold'** appears without **'to'** (bare infinitive).

• I don't even know how to explain this

  ➔ negative present simple + infinitive clause introduced by 'how to'

  ➔ The structure **'how to explain'** is an infinitive clause functioning as the object of **'know'**.

• I'ma tell 'em all that you could either hate me or love me

  ➔ modal verb 'could' + bare infinitive; either…or coordination

  ➔ The modal **'could'** expresses possibility and is followed by the bare infinitives **'hate'** and **'love'**, linked by **'either…or'**.

• If you go and look under the surface

  ➔ first conditional (present simple in 'if' clause) + verb phrase 'go and look' (bare infinitive after 'and')

  ➔ The **'if'** clause uses the present simple (**'you go'**) to set a real condition, and **'go and look'** combines two bare infinitives linked by **'and'**.

• I'm a little insecure

  ➔ simple present of 'to be' + adjective phrase

  ➔ The verb **'am'** (present of **'to be'**) links the subject **'I'** to the adjective phrase **'a little insecure'**.

• Everybody's trying to be famous

  ➔ present continuous + infinitive of purpose ('to be')

  ➔ The verb **'trying'** (present continuous) is followed by the infinitive **'to be'**, indicating the purpose of the action.

• That's just the way I am

  ➔ simple present of 'to be' with predicate noun phrase

  ➔ The contraction **'That's'** = **'That is'** links the demonstrative **'that'** to the predicate noun phrase **'the way I am'**.

• I promise myself one day

  ➔ simple present with reflexive pronoun as indirect object

  ➔ The verb **'promise'** takes a reflexive pronoun **'myself'** as the indirect object, indicating that the promise is made to the speaker.