WONDER – English Lyrics

• By: Shawn Mendes
• Album: WONDER

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and Shawn Mendes' "Wonder" offers a great opportunity for English learners. The song features clear and emotive vocals, making it easier to follow the lyrics. Its themes of self-discovery, love, and societal pressures are universal, sparking meaningful conversations. What makes "Wonder" special is its honest and vulnerable songwriting, providing a glimpse into the artist's personal journey. By exploring the lyrics, you can learn new vocabulary related to emotions and introspection, and the song's powerful chorus is perfect for practicing pronunciation and fluency.

[English]

I wonder if I'm being real

Do I speak my truth or do I filter how I feel?

I wonder, wouldn't it be nice

To live inside a world that isn't black and white?

I wonder what it's like to be my friends

Hope that they don't think I forget about them

I wonder

I wonder

Right before I close my eyes

The only thing that's on my mind

Been dreaming that you feel it too

I wonder what it's like to be loved by you

Yeah

I wonder what it's like

I wonder what it's like to be loved by-

I wonder why I'm so afraid

Of saying something wrong I never said I was a saint

I wonder, when I cry into my hands

I'm conditioned to feel like it makes me less of a man

And I wonder if some day you'll be by my side

And tell me that the world will end up alright

I wonder

I wonder

Right before I close my eyes

The only thing that's on my mind

Been dreaming that you feel it too

I wonder what it's like to be loved by you

Yeah

I wonder what it's like

...

I wonder what it's like to be loved by you

...

I wonder what it's like to be loved by you

Yeah

I wonder what it's like to be loved by you, yeah

I wonder what it's like to be loved by-

Right before I close my eyes

The only thing that's on my mind

Been dreaming that you feel it too

I wonder what it's like to be loved by you

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
wonder /ˈwʌndər/ A2	verb - to feel curiosity or doubt about something noun - a feeling of amazement and admiration, caused by something beautiful, remarkable, or unfamiliar
real /riːəl/ A2	adjective - actually existing or happening; not imagined or pretended
truth /truːθ/ A2	noun - the quality or state of being true
filter /ˈfɪltər/ B1	verb - to remove unwanted material
feel /fiːl/ A1	verb - to experience an emotion or sensation
live /lɪv/ A1	verb - to have one's home in a particular place
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries, people, and natural features
black /blæk/ A1	adjective - of the very darkest color owing to the absence of or complete absorption of light; opposite of white
white /waɪt/ A1	adjective - of the color of milk or fresh snow, due to the reflection of all wavelengths of visible light; the opposite of black
friends /frendz/ A1	noun - a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection
hope /hoʊp/ A2	verb - want something to happen or be the case noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen
close /kloʊs/ A2	verb - to move (something) so that it covers an opening; shut adjective - near in space or time
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - organs that detect light and send signals to the brain to allow sight
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
dreaming /ˈdriːmɪŋ/ A2	verb - to experience images, emotions, and sensations during sleep
loved /lʌvd/ A2	verb - feel deep affection for (someone)
afraid /əˈfreɪd/ A2	adjective - feeling fear or anxiety; frightened
wrong /rɔːŋ/ A1	adjective - not correct or true; incorrect
saint /seɪnt/ B2	noun - a person acknowledged as holy or virtuous and regarded as being in heaven after death
cry /kraɪ/ A1	verb - to shed tears, typically as an expression of distress, pain, or sorrow
hands /hændz/ A1	noun - the end part of a person's arm beyond the wrist, including the palm, fingers, and thumb
man /mæn/ A1	noun - an adult male human being
day /deɪ/ A1	noun - each of the twenty-four-hour periods, reckoned from one midnight to the next, into which a year is divided
side /saɪd/ A1	noun - a surface or face of an object
end /end/ A1	verb - come or bring to a final point or stop noun - a final part or section, especially of a written work, film, or piece of music
alright /ɔːlˈraɪt/ A2	adjective - satisfactory or acceptable

Key Grammar Structures

• I wonder if I'm being real

  ➔ Present Continuous Passive: "am being real"

  ➔ The phrase "am being real" uses the present continuous in a passive-like way, indicating that the speaker is questioning whether they are genuinely expressing themselves or putting on a facade. While technically not a perfect passive (passive requires a transitive verb), it carries a similar sense of 'being acted upon' by external pressures to be something other than real. The phrase is using "be" in its verb form + being + adjective. It is not common to use passive this way, but it implies the speaker is impacted by external factors.

• Do I speak my truth or do I filter how I feel?

  ➔ Parallel Structure with "Do I... or do I..."

  ➔ The sentence uses a parallel structure by presenting two contrasting questions, both starting with "Do I". This structure emphasizes the dilemma the speaker faces and creates a balanced rhythm.

• Wouldn't it be nice To live inside a world that isn't black and white?

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Type 2) - Hypothetical situation

  ➔ The phrase "Wouldn't it be nice" introduces a hypothetical situation, expressing a wish for a world without strict limitations. Although not a complete conditional sentence with an 'if' clause, it implies one. The implied 'if' is something like 'If the world weren't black and white'. Type 2 conditionals express unreal or improbable situations in the present or future.

• I wonder what it's like to be loved by you

  ➔ Indirect Question with infinitive phrase

  ➔ The sentence expresses curiosity using an indirect question. Instead of directly asking "What is it like to be loved by you?", it's framed as a statement of wonder, making it less direct and more reflective. The infinitive phrase "to be loved by you" functions as the subject complement, describing what "it" (the experience) is like.

• I wonder why I'm so afraid Of saying something wrong

  ➔ Subordinate Clause with "why" + Adjective "afraid" with preposition "of" + Gerund "saying"

  ➔ This line demonstrates a subordinate clause starting with "why", which explains the reason for the speaker's wonder. The adjective "afraid" is correctly used with the preposition "of", followed by a gerund "saying". This structure is common for expressing fear or apprehension about a particular action.

• I'm conditioned to feel like it makes me less of a man

  ➔ Passive Voice with "be conditioned to" + Complex Object "makes me less of a man"

  ➔ The phrase "I'm conditioned to feel" uses the passive voice to indicate that the speaker has been influenced or taught to feel a certain way. "Makes me less of a man" is a complex object, where "makes" functions as a causative verb, and the entire phrase describes the impact of the feeling on the speaker's self-perception. It indicates a belief instilled by society or upbringing.

• And I wonder if some day you'll be by my side And tell me that the world will end up alright

  ➔ Future Tense ("you'll be", "world will end up") + Indirect Speech ("tell me that...")

  ➔ This sentence uses the future tense ("you'll be", "world will end up") to express hope or anticipation for a future event. The phrase "tell me that the world will end up alright" is an example of indirect speech, where the speaker is reporting what someone might say in the future.