What If – English Lyrics

• By: Kate Winslet

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the emotive power of Kate Winslet's 'What If.' This beautiful ballad offers a unique opportunity to learn English through its clear, heartfelt lyrics about love and loss. The song's simple yet profound questions make it an accessible and touching way to explore both language and universal human emotions. What makes 'What If' special is the genuine and emotive performance by an acclaimed actress, bringing a depth of feeling to the song that transcends language.

[English]

Here I stand alone

With this weight upon my heart

And it will not go away

In my head, I keep on looking back

Right back to the start

Wondering what it was that made you change

Well, I tried, but I had to draw the line

And still this question keeps on spinning in my mind

What if I had never let you go?

Would you be the man I used to know?

If I'd stayed, if you'd tried

If we could only turn back time

But I guess we'll never know

Many roads to take

Some to joy, some to heart-ache

Anyone can lose their way

And if I said that we could turn it back

Right back to the start

Would you take the chance and make the change?

Do you think how it would have been sometimes?

Do you pray that I'd never left your side?

What if I had never let you go?

Would you be the man I used to know?

If I'd stayed, if you'd tried

If we could only turn back time

But I guess we'll never know

...

If only we could turn the hands of time

If I could take you back would you still be mine?

'Cause I tried, but I had to draw the line

And still this question keeps on spinning in my mind

What if I had never let you go?

Would you be the man I used to know?

What if I had never walked away?

'Cause I still love you more than I can say

If I'd stayed, if you'd tried

If we could only turn back time

But I guess we'll never know

We'll never know

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
weight /weɪt/ A2	noun - a body's relative mass or the quantity of matter contained by it, giving rise to a downward force; the heaviness of a person or thing.
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - a hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system by rhythmic contraction and dilation.
back /bæk/ A1	noun - the posterior surface of the human body from the shoulders to the hips.
start /stɑːrt/ A1	noun - the point in time or space at which something begins. verb - to begin doing something.
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ A1	noun - the act or instance of making or becoming different. verb - to make or become different.
line /laɪn/ A1	noun - a long, narrow mark or band.
question /ˈkwes.tʃən/ A2	noun - a sentence worded or expressed so as to elicit information.
mind /maɪnd/ A2	noun - the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness and thought.
man /mæn/ A1	noun - an adult male human being.
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.
roads /roʊdz/ A1	noun - a wide way leading from one place to another, especially one with a specially prepared surface that vehicles can use.
joy /dʒɔɪ/ B1	noun - a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
chance /tʃæns/ A2	noun - a possibility of something happening.
hands /hændz/ A1	noun - the end part of a person's arm beyond the wrist, including the palm, fingers, and thumb.
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - have a strong feeling of affection for (someone). noun - an intense feeling of deep affection.