This Is the New Year – English Lyrics

• By: A Great Big World

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Another year you made a promise

Another chance to turn it all around

And do not save this for tomorrow

Embrace the past and you can live for now

And I will give the world to you

Speak louder than the words before you

And give them meaning no one else has found

The role we play is so important

We are the voices of the underground

And I will give the world to you

Say everything you've always wanted

Be not afraid of who you really are

Cause in the end we have each other

And that's at least one thing worth living for

And I will give the world to you

A million suns that shine upon me

A million eyes you are the brightest blue

Let's tear the walls down that divide us

And build a statue strong enough for two

I pass it back to you

And I will wait for you,

Cause I would give the world

And I would give the world

And I would give the world to you

This is the new year

A new beginning

You made a promise

You are the brightest

We are the voices

This is the new year

We are the voices

This is the new year

A new beginning

You made a promise

We are the voices

This is the new year

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
promise /ˈprɒmɪs/ B1	noun - a declaration or assurance that one will do something verb - assure someone that one will definitely do something
world /wɜːld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries and peoples
voices /ˈvɔɪsɪz/ A2	noun - the sounds produced through the mouth of living beings
beginning /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/ A2	noun - the point in time or space at which something starts
year /jɪə/ A1	noun - the time taken by the earth to make one revolution around the sun
give /ɡɪv/ A1	verb - freely transfer the possession of something to someone
made /meɪd/ A1	verb - past tense of make; to construct or create
brightest /ˈbraɪtɪst/ B2	adjective - superlative of bright; giving out or reflecting a lot of light
new /njuː/ A1	adjective - not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently
embrace /ɪmˈbreɪs/ B2	verb - to accept or support willingly and enthusiastically
meaning /ˈmiːnɪŋ/ B1	noun - what is meant by a word, text, concept, or action
important /ɪmˈpɔːtənt/ A2	adjective - of great significance or value
underground /ˈʌndəɡraʊnd/ B2	noun - a group or movement organized secretly to work against an existing regime adjective - below the surface of the ground
tear /teə/ B1	verb - to pull apart or into pieces by force
build /bɪld/ A1	verb - to construct by putting materials and parts together
statue /ˈstætʃuː/ B1	noun - a carved or cast figure of a person or animal
afraid /əˈfreɪd/ A2	adjective - feeling fear or anxiety
live /lɪv/ A1	verb - to be alive; to exist

Key Grammar Structures

• Another year you made a promise

  ➔ Past Simple

  ➔ The verb "made" is in the Past Simple to show a completed action in the past.

• And do not save this for tomorrow

  ➔ Imperative (negative)

  ➔ "Do not" forms a negative imperative, giving a direct command not to do something.

• Embrace the past and you can live for now

  ➔ Modal verb "can" + infinitive

  ➔ "Can" expresses ability; it is followed by the base form "live".

• And I will give the world to you

  ➔ Future Simple (will)

  ➔ "Will" marks a simple future action; "give" is the base verb.

• Say everything you've always wanted

  ➔ Present Perfect (you've wanted)

  ➔ "You've wanted" uses the Present Perfect to show an action that started in the past and continues to the present.

• Be not afraid of who you really are

  ➔ Imperative (negative) with verb "be"

  ➔ "Be not" is a negative imperative urging the listener not to feel fear.

• Let's tear the walls down that divide us

  ➔ First‑person plural imperative (let's)

  ➔ "Let's" combines "let us" to make a suggestion that includes both speaker and listener; the base verb "tear" follows.

• I pass it back to you

  ➔ Simple Present

  ➔ "Pass" is in the Simple Present, indicating a habitual or immediate action.

• We are the voices of the underground

  ➔ Simple Present of the verb "be"

  ➔ "Are" is the present form of "be" used to describe a permanent state or identity.