WONDER – English Lyrics

• By: Katy Perry
• Album: 143

Lyrics & Translation

Immerse yourself in Katy Perry's "WONDER," a touching song that explores universal themes of innocence, hope, and the challenge of preserving a childlike sense of awe. Through its clear and emotive lyrics, learners can explore vocabulary related to emotions, personal growth, and metaphors, making it an ideal choice for understanding conversational and poetic English in a relatable context. The inclusion of her daughter's voice adds a unique, tender layer, making the song particularly special and resonant.

[English]

One day, when we're older

Will we still look up in wonder?

One day, when we're older

Will we still look up in wonder?

Someday, when we're wiser

Will our hearts still have that fire?

Can somebody promise me

Our innocence doesn't get lost in this cynical world?

One day, when we're older

Will we still look up in wonder?

Stay wild, beautiful child (woah, woah)

Don't let the weight of the world be heavy on your wings

Stay pure, beautiful girl (woah, woah)

Don't let the fear in the world burn out what you believe

'Cause one day, when we're older

Will we still look up in wonder?

Someday, when we're wiser

Will our hearts still have the fire?

Can somebody promise me

Our innocence doesn't get lost in this cynical world?

One day, when we're older

Will we still look up in wonder?

...

Will we still look up in wonder?

Stay free, little Daisy (woah, woah)

Don't let the envious ones say that you're just weed

Stay joy, beautiful boy (woah, woah)

Don't let the ways of the world kill your empathy

'Cause one day, when we're older

Will we still look up in wonder?

Someday, when we're wiser

Will our hearts still have that fire? (Oh)

Can somebody promise me

Our innocence doesn't get lost in this cynical world?

One day, when we're older

Will we still look up in wonder?

'Cause time is gonna fly, beauty's gonna fade

Life will let you down

'Cause time is gonna fly, beauty's gonna fade

Don't let growing up bring you down, no

One day, when we're older

Will we still look up in wonder?

Someday, when we're wiser

Will our hearts still have that fire?

...

Key Grammar Structures

• Will we still look up in wonder?

  ➔ Future simple (will + base verb) in question form

  ➔ The word "will" marks the future tense, and its inversion with the subject creates a question.

• Someday, when we're wiser, will our hearts still have the fire?

  ➔ Future simple with adverbial clause (when + present simple)

  ➔ The clause "when we're wiser" uses the present simple to refer to a future situation, followed by the future simple "will" in the main clause.

• Can somebody promise me our innocence doesn't get lost in this cynical world?

  ➔ Modal verb + infinitive (can + promise); negative contraction (doesn't)

  ➔ "Can" is a modal verb expressing ability or request, followed by the base verb "promise"; "doesn't" contracts "does not" for negative present simple.

• Don't let the weight of the world be heavy on your wings

  ➔ Imperative negative with "don't" + bare infinitive; linking verb "be"

  ➔ "Don't" is used to give a negative command, followed by the bare infinitive "let" and the linking verb "be".

• Stay wild, beautiful child (woah, woah)

  ➔ Imperative simple verb (stay) with adjective complement

  ➔ "Stay" is a command telling someone to continue being "wild", where "wild" acts as an adjective complement.

• One day, when we're older

  ➔ Time clause with present simple for future reference

  ➔ "when we're older" uses the present simple "are" to talk about a future time, a common usage in English time clauses.

• Time is gonna fly, beauty's gonna fade

  ➔ Informal future with "going to" contracted as "gonna"

  ➔ "gonna" is a colloquial contraction of "going to", used to express a planned future action.

• Don't let the fear in the world burn out what you believe

  ➔ Imperative negative with "don't" + bare infinitive; phrasal verb "burn out"

  ➔ "Don't" introduces a negative command; "burn out" is a phrasal verb meaning to extinguish or destroy.

• Don't let growing up bring you down, no

  ➔ Imperative negative with gerund phrase as object; infinitive "bring"

  ➔ "Don't" gives a negative command; "growing up" functions as a gerund phrase (noun) acting as the object of "let", followed by the base verb "bring".