TRUTH – English Lyrics

• By: Katy Perry
• Album: 143

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the raw honesty of "TRUTH," a standout ballad from Katy Perry's album *143*. This song is an excellent resource for language learners, offering clear, emotive vocabulary centered around intuition, relationship conflict, and emotional resolution. Listen to how phrases like 'My intuition's tellin' me things ain't right' and 'I'm at peace with movin' on' articulate a journey from suspicion to self-assuredness, providing powerful, relatable language for expressing complex feelings in English.

[English]

I wanna know the truth

Even if it hurt-hurts me (hurts me, hurts me)

I wanna know the truth

Even if it hurt-hurts me (hurts me, hurts me)

I got a vision keepin' me up at night (up at night)

My intuition's tellin' me things ain't right (things ain't right)

Can't look in the mirror, what is it you're tryna hide?

Can't give me your password to your phone, not start a fight

You're treating me different, tell me what's going through your mind?

You're acting so distant, who you see when you close your eyes?

I wanna know the truth

Even if it hurt-hurts me (hurts me, hurts me)

I wanna know the truth

Even if it hurt-hurts me (hurts me, hurts me)

Show me the fire, show me the flames

Don't try to hide it, spare me the pain

I wanna know the truth

Even if it hurt-hurts me (hurts me, hurts me)

My father told me, "The truth will set you free" (set you free)

I read your history, now it makes sense to me (sense to me)

I look in the mirror, see someone who's coming strong

I've never been clearer, I'm at peace with moving on

I'm seeing it different now that I'm outside of the storm

I'm feeling the distance, it's always dark before the dawn

I wanna know the truth

Even if it hurt-hurts me (hurts me, hurts me)

I wanna know the truth

Even if it hurt-hurts me (hurts me, hurts me)

Show me the fire, show me the flames

Don't try to hide it, spare me the pain (spare me the pain)

I wanna know the truth

Even if it hurt-hurts me (hurts me, hurts me)

The person you're trying to reach is not available

Hey, babe, where are you?

I can't get a hold of you

We really should talk

Where are you?

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
truth /truːθ/ B1	noun - the quality or state of being true
hurt /hɜːrt/ A2	verb - to cause physical pain noun - physical pain
vision /ˈvɪʒ.ən/ B1	noun - the ability to see; sight noun - the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period of time between sunset and sunrise
intuition /ˌɪntjuˈɪʃən/ B2	noun - the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning
things /θɪŋz/ A1	noun - an object that one need not, cannot, or does not wish to give a specific name to
mirror /ˈmɪrər/ A2	noun - a surface that reflects light, and therefore images verb - to reflect an image of
hide /haɪd/ A2	verb - to put or keep something or someone out of sight
password /ˈpæswɜːrd/ B1	noun - a secret word or combination of letters or numbers that must be entered to gain access to a computer system or other device
fight /faɪt/ A2	verb - to take part in a physical struggle with another person or people noun - a physical struggle or argument
distant /ˈdɪstənt/ B1	adjective - far away in space or time
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - the organs of sight
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A1	noun - the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat and light.
flames /fleɪmz/ B1	noun - a hot glowing mass of a burning substance
pain /peɪn/ A2	noun - a physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury
father /ˈfɑːðər/ A1	noun - a male parent
history /ˈhɪstəri/ B1	noun - the study of past events
sense /sens/ B1	noun - a feeling or understanding verb - to perceive by a sense or senses
someone /ˈsʌmwʌn/ A1	pronoun - an unspecified or unknown person
strong /strɔːŋ/ A2	adjective - having the power to move heavy objects or perform physical actions
clear /klɪər/ A2	adjective - easy to perceive, understand, or interpret verb - to make or become free of something
peace /piːs/ B1	noun - freedom from disturbance; tranquility
storm /stɔːrm/ A2	noun - a violent disturbance of the atmosphere
dawn /dɔːn/ B1	noun - the first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise
reach /riːtʃ/ B1	verb - to get to a particular place
available /əˈveɪləbl/ B1	adjective - able to be used or obtained; ready for use or service
hold /həʊld/ A2	verb - to keep or have something in your hand
talk /tɔːk/ A1	verb - to say words in order to communicate

Key Grammar Structures

• I wanna know the truth

  ➔ Present simple with 'wanna' (informal contraction of 'want to')

  ➔ The phrase 'I wanna' is a colloquial way to express 'I want to', commonly used in spoken English for a more casual tone.

• Even if it hurt-hurts me (hurts me, hurts me)

  ➔ Subjunctive mood with 'even if' and verb repetition for emphasis

  ➔ The phrase 'even if it hurts me' uses the subjunctive mood to express a hypothetical condition, while the repetition of 'hurts me' emphasizes the emotional pain.

• My intuition's tellin' me things ain't right

  ➔ Contraction ('s) for possession and non-standard 'tellin'' for informal speech

  ➔ The contraction 'intuition's' shows possession, and 'tellin'' is a non-standard, informal form of 'telling' used in spoken English.

• Can't look in the mirror, what is it you're tryna hide?

  ➔ Contraction ('re) and non-standard 'tryna' for 'trying to'

  ➔ The contraction 'you're' is short for 'you are', and 'tryna' is a colloquial shortening of 'trying to'.

• I've never been clearer, I'm at peace with moving on

  ➔ Present perfect ('ve) and present simple for current state

  ➔ The present perfect 'I've never been clearer' indicates an action that started in the past and continues to the present, while 'I'm at peace' uses the present simple to describe a current state.