Toxic – English Lyrics

• By: ROSÉ
• Album: rosie

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and ROSÉ's "Toxic Till the End" offers a great opportunity for English learners. The lyrics use vivid, emotional language to tell a relatable story of a difficult relationship. By exploring the song's direct and honest expressions, you can learn vocabulary related to emotions and relationships, as well as common conversational phrases. What makes this song special is its raw vulnerability and catchy melody, making it both an engaging and educational listening experience.

[English]

Call us what we are, toxic from the start

Can't pretend that I was in the dark

When you met my friends, didn't even try with them

I should've known right then

That you were jealous and possessive

So manipulatin'

Honestly, impressive

You had me participatin'

Back then, when I was runnin' out of your place

I said, "I never wanna see your face"

I meant I couldn't wait to see it again

We were toxic till the end

Uh-huh, 'cause even when I said it was over

You heard, "Baby, can you pull me in closеr?"

You were plotting how to stay in my head

Wе were toxic till the end

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: The X

His favourite game is chess, who would ever guess?

Playing with the pieces in my chest

Now he's on the screen and saying, "Don't leave"

You stole that line from me

'Cause you're just jealous and possessive

So manipulatin'

Honestly, impressive

You had me participatin'

Back then, when I was runnin' out of your place

I said, "I never wanna see your face"

I meant I couldn't wait to see it again

We were toxic till the end

Uh-huh, 'cause even when I said it was over

You heard, "Baby, can you pull me in closer?"

You were plotting how to stay in my head

We were toxic till the end, end, end

I can forgive you for all of the things

For not giving me back my Tiffany rings

I'll never forgive you for one thing, my dear

You wasted my prettiest years

Back then, when I was runnin' out of your place

I said, "I never wanna see your face"

I meant I couldn't wait to see it again

We were toxic

Uh-huh, 'cause even when I said it was over

You heard, "Baby, can you pull me in closer?"

You were plotting how to stay in my head

We were toxic till the end, end, end

We were toxic till the end, end, end

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
toxic /ˈtɒksɪk/ B2	adjective - poisonous; very harmful or unpleasant
pretend /prɪˈtɛnd/ B1	verb - to behave as if something is true when it is not
jealous /ˈdʒɛləs/ B1	adjective - feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages
possessive /pəˈzɛsɪv/ B2	adjective - demanding someone's total attention and love
manipulating /məˈnɪpjʊleɪtɪŋ/ C1	verb - controlling or influencing someone in a clever or unfair way
impressive /ɪmˈprɛsɪv/ B2	adjective - evoking admiration through size, quality, or skill; grand, imposing, or worthy of note
plotting /ˈplɒtɪŋ/ C1	verb - planning secretly to do something, especially something illegal or harmful
favourite /ˈfeɪvərɪt/ A2	adjective - most liked or preferred
guess /ɡɛs/ A2	verb - to estimate or suppose something without sufficient information
pieces /ˈpiːsɪz/ A1	noun - a part of something
stole /stoʊl/ B1	verb - to take (another person's property) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it
forgive /fərˈɡɪv/ B1	verb - to stop feeling angry or resentful toward (someone) for an offense, flaw, or mistake
wasted /ˈweɪstɪd/ B1	verb - used or expended carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose
dear /dɪər/ A2	adjective - regarded with deep affection; cherished by someone

Key Grammar Structures

• Call us what we are, toxic from the start

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ Uses the bare infinitive "call" to issue a command or make a direct request. It directly instructs the listener (or oneself) to acknowledge the relationship's toxic nature. It implies a sense of urgency and acceptance.

• I should've known right then

  ➔ Modal perfect (should have + past participle)

  ➔ "should've known" expresses regret or criticism about a past action or lack thereof. It means the speaker now believes they made a mistake and wishes they had realized something earlier. "Right then" emphasizes the immediacy of the missed opportunity.

• When you met my friends, didn't even try with them

  ➔ Past simple (met), negative past simple (didn't try)

  ➔ Use of past simple to describe completed actions in the past. "met" indicates the action of meeting occurred at a specific time in the past. "didn't try" indicates a lack of effort or attempt during that same past period.

• Honestly, impressive

  ➔ Adverb modifying adjective

  ➔ The adverb "Honestly" modifies the adjective "impressive," intensifying its meaning and expressing the speaker's genuine feeling about the subject's manipulative skills. This structure is often used for emphasis or dramatic effect.

• You had me participatin'

  ➔ Causative "have" + object + present participle

  ➔ The structure "have someone doing something" implies that the subject (you) caused or influenced the object (me) to perform the action (participatin'). This highlights the manipulative nature of the relationship, where the speaker was drawn into undesirable actions by the other person's influence.

• I meant I couldn't wait to see it again

  ➔ Past Simple, Negative Conditional

  ➔ "meant" is a simple past verb showing a statement of what was intended or felt. "couldn't wait" used within this structure implies anticipation and eagerness, reversing the literal negative to express a strong positive desire.

• You were plotting how to stay in my head

  ➔ Past continuous tense, "how to" infinitive phrase

  ➔ "were plotting" uses the past continuous to depict an ongoing action or plan in the past. The "how to" infinitive phrase indicates a specific method or way of achieving something, in this case, staying in the speaker's thoughts.

• I'll never forgive you for one thing, my dear

  ➔ Future simple with "never", adjective of address ("dear")

  ➔ "I'll never forgive" states a firm, unconditional intention in the future. The use of "never" emphasizes the impossibility of forgiveness. "My dear" is used for address and can carry sarcasm or affection depending on context.