What's Up – English Lyrics

• By: 4 Non Blondes

Lyrics & Translation

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter
cry /kraɪ/ A2	verb - to shed tears
morning /ˈmɔrnɪŋ/ A1	noun - the period of time from sunrise to noon
breath /brɛθ/ B1	noun - the air taken into or expelled from the lungs
scream /skrim/ B1	verb - to make a loud, high-pitched sound
high /haɪ/ A2	adjective - of great vertical extent
hope /hoʊp/ B1	noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen
destination /ˌdɛstəˈneɪʃən/ B2	noun - the place to which someone or something is going or being sent
institution /ˌɪnstɪˈtuːʃən/ B2	noun - an established organization or foundation, especially one dedicated to education, public service, or culture
revolution /ˌrɛvəˈluːʃən/ B2	noun - a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system
peculiar /pɪˈkjuːliər/ B2	adjective - strange or unusual
world /wɜrld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries and peoples
get /ɡɛt/ A1	verb - to obtain or receive
step /stɛp/ A1	verb - to move by lifting the foot and setting it down in a new position
lying /ˈlaɪɪŋ/ B1	verb - to be in a horizontal position on a surface
big /bɪɡ/ A1	adjective - of considerable size or extent
top /tɑp/ A2	noun - the highest or uppermost point

Key Grammar Structures

• "And I cried sometimes when I'm lying in bed"

  ➔ Use of the simple present tense with 'I' and 'sometimes' indicating habitual action.

  ➔ 'Sometimes' modifies the verb to show frequency.

• "And I step outside"

  ➔ Simple present tense for habitual or immediate actions following 'I'.

  ➔ 'Step' is in the simple present indicating a habitual action.

• "And I take a deep breath"

  ➔ Use of 'take' + noun phrase to describe performing an action.

  ➔ 'Take' is a verb used with nouns to express performing an action.

• "And I scream from the top of my lungs"

  ➔ Use of 'from the top of' to specify location or extent.

  ➔ 'Scream' is in the present tense, describing a habitual or expressive action.

• "And I pray oh my God, do I pray"

  ➔ Use of modal auxiliary 'do' for emphasis in questions or negatives.

  ➔ 'Do' is used to add emphasis or form questions in the present tense.

• "I try all the time in this institution"

  ➔ Present simple tense indicating habitual effort or action.

  ➔ 'Try' in the present tense expresses ongoing or habitual effort.

• "And I realize quickly when I knew I should"

  ➔ Past simple tense 'knew' with 'should' expressing a past realization of obligation.

  ➔ 'Knew' is past simple, indicating a completed realization.