ツバメ – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: YOASOBI,ミドリーズ
• Album: THE BOOK 2

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the world of Japanese music with YOASOBI and Midories' heartwarming song, "Tsubame." This track offers a unique opportunity to connect with the Japanese language through its poignant lyrics, which are told from the perspective of a small swallow observing humanity. Its themes of empathy, coexistence, and creating a better future, coupled with YOASOBI's signature intricate yet catchy J-pop style, make it a special and meaningful piece for language learners and music lovers alike. You'll not only enjoy the beautiful melody but also gain insight into Japanese culture and social consciousness through its powerful message.

[English]

On the shimmering surface of the water

I soar through the wind, lost in a dream

Flapping my wings

Let's go to that town

Crossing the sea

I am just a small swallow

In the town I arrived at, I felt

The voices of cheerful people

The voices of friends lost in sadness

Everyone has a different way of living

Wanting to protect, without realizing it

Why do we end up hurting each other?

Under the same sky

We are vibrant lives

Living together in this place

Each person, plant, flower, and bird

Huddled together

What we seek

And the future we envision may be different

But if we can hold hands

Surely, a day will come when we can laugh together

What can I do right now?

...

Behind the richness someone has gained

...

Friends who have lost their place to return

In truth, he just wants to be close

And live together

But swallowed by sadness

Even if my heart begins to darken

By forgiving and acknowledging

We can connect with each other

What we can do now

Even if it doesn't change everything

Look, in someone's day

Just a little bit of vibrant color

Not a shining jewel

Nor gold leaf

But if the world

Could be filled with such small love

Something will surely change

Under the same sky, someday

That is my small but big dream

...

[Japanese]

煌く水面の上を

夢中で風切り翔る

翼をはためかせて

あの街へ行こう

海を越えて

僕はそう小さなツバメ

辿り着いた街で触れた

楽しそうな人の声

悲しみに暮れる仲間の声

みんなそれぞれ違う暮らしの形

守りたくて気付かないうちに

傷付け合ってしまうのはなぜ

同じ空の下で

僕らは色とりどりの命と

この場所で共に生きている

それぞれ人も草木も花も鳥も

肩寄せ合いながら

僕らは求めるものも

描いてる未来も違うけれど

手と手を取り合えたなら

きっと笑い合える日が来るから

僕にはいま何ができるかな

誰かが手に入れた豊かさの裏で

帰る場所を奪われた仲間

本当は彼も寄り添い合って

生きていたいだけなのに

悲しい気持ちに飲み込まれて

心が黒く染まりかけても

許すことで認めることで

僕らは繋がり合える

僕らに今できること

それだけで全てが変わらなくたって

誰かの一日にほら

少しだけ鮮やかな彩りを

輝く宝石だとか

金箔ではないけれど

こんな風に世界中が

ささやかな愛で溢れたなら

何かがほら変わるはずさ

同じ空の下いつかきっと

それが小さな僕の大きな夢

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
水面 /みなも/ B1	noun - water surface
夢中 /むちゅう/ B2	noun - being absorbed in something
翼 /つばさ/ A2	noun - wing
街 /まち/ A1	noun - town, city
海 /うみ/ A1	noun - sea
仲間 /なかま/ B1	noun - companion, friend
悲しみ /かなしみ/ B2	noun - sadness
声 /こえ/ A1	noun - voice
暮らし /くらし/ B1	noun - living, lifestyle
傷 /きず/ B2	noun - wound, injury
未来 /みらい/ B1	noun - future
愛 /あい/ A2	noun - love
宝石 /ほうせき/ B2	noun - jewel, gem
変わる /かわる/ B1	verb - to change
夢 /ゆめ/ A1	noun - dream

Key Grammar Structures

• 翼をはためかせて

  ➔ te-form + かせて (kase te)

  ➔ The te-form combined with かせて indicates the manner or continuation of an action.

• 僕らは色とりどりの命と

  ➔ は (wa) as topic particle indicating the topic of the sentence

  ➔ The particle は marks the topic of the sentence, emphasizing 'we' and what follows as the main focus.

• 守りたくて気付かないうちに

  ➔ たくて (takute) as a conjugation of たい (tai) to express desire + て (te)

  ➔ たくて is the conjunctive form of たい, expressing desire with an action that follows.

• 一日にほら 少しだけ鮮やかな彩りを

  ➔ だけ (dake) as an adverb meaning 'only' or 'just'

  ➔ だけ indicates exclusivity or limitation, meaning 'just' or 'only' a little.

• 何かがほら変わるはずさ

  ➔ はず (hazu) as a modal noun indicating expectation or assumption

  ➔ はず expresses expectation that something will be or should be the case.

• 僕にはいま何ができるかな

  ➔ かな (kana) at the end of a sentence indicates pondering or wondering

  ➔ かな expresses the speaker's pondering or uncertainty about something.