言えない – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: iri
• Album: Sparkle

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the nuances of unspoken emotion in Japanese through iri's '言えない' (Ienai). The song's central theme of 'not being able to say' what you truly feel is a universal experience, making the lyrics relatable and a great tool for learning subtle expressions of emotion. Its smooth, modern R&B sound makes it a captivating entry point into contemporary Japanese music and the intricate art of expressing—or not expressing—the matters of the heart.

[English]

I picked up

Polaroid, Polaroid

Rusty and broken

I shouldn't have dropped it

For you, I'm someone

And for me, you're someone

We've never met

The words I begged for

Twist in the air

Towards you

Imaginations over the phone

A tight concept

It doesn't even mean anything

If you smile, if you smile

Then that's enough

I say

But I still can't say it

I can't say it

I can't say it, baby

It won't disappear

It won't disappear

It won't disappear, that story

Changing

In this world

What can we

Leave behind

la la la...

The same night

Wandering...

Surrounding us

love love love...

I can't say it

I can't say it

I can't say it, baby

In the gap of the clouds

The sinking light

The bright light shining through

Something seems to change

Even on a night full of expectations

The dreams I held with you

No matter how many times

I look back

I try to start walking again

The false words

Unexpectedly come around

Towards you

A colorless, clear afternoon

A heartbeat repeated in secret

Whenever I look back

There are nights when nothing remains

It doesn't have to be a common shape

Just as a distorted love

Yeah, that's fine

I say

But I still can't say it

I can't say it

I can't say it, baby

It won't disappear

It won't disappear

It won't disappear, that story

Changing

In this world

What can we

Protect

la la la...

The same night

Wandering...

We are still

love love love...

Two vibrations resonate

I say

But I still can't say it

I can't say it

I can't say it, baby

It won't disappear

It won't disappear

It won't disappear, that story

Changing

In this world

What can we

Leave behind

la la la...

The same night

Wandering...

Surrounding us

love love love...

I can't say it

I can't say it

I can't say it, baby

[Japanese]

拾いかけた

ポラロイド ポラロイド

錆れて切れた

落としたはずはないよ

君にとっての僕と

僕にとっての君が

出会ったことなんかない

ねだった言葉が

宙でねじれては

君の元へと

電話越しの妄想

ギリギリの構想

なんの意味さえないけど

君が笑う君が笑うなら

それでいい

だなんて

まだ言えない

言えない

言えないよ baby

消えない

消えない

消えない that story

移り変わる

世界の中で

僕らは何を

残せるかな

la la la・・・

同じ夜を

ぶらぶら・・・

ぼくらをまとう

love love love・・・

言えない

言えない

言えないよ baby

雲の切れ間に

沈むライト

透かした ブライト

なにか変わるような

期待はずむ夜も

君と抱いた夢を

何度だって

見返しては

歩き出してみるけど

偽った言葉が

不意に巡っては

君の元へと

無色で晴れやかな午後

人知れず繰り返される鼓動

振り返ればいつだって

何も残らない夜だって

よくある形じゃなくていい

いびつな愛のままに

そうそれでいいよ

だなんて

まだ言えない

言えない

言えないよ baby

消えない

消えない

消えない that story

移り変わる

世界の中で

僕らは何を

守れるかな

la la la・・・

同じ夜を

ぶらぶら・・・

ぼくらはまだ

love love love・・・

二つの波動が振れ

だなんて

まだ言えない

言えない

言えないよ baby

消えない

消えない

消えない that story

移り変わる

世界の中で

僕らは何を

残せるかな

la la la・・・

同じ夜を

ぶらぶら・・・

ぼくらをまとう

love love love・・・

言えない

言えない

言えないよ baby

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
言えない /ie-nai/ B1	verb - cannot say
消えない /kie-nai/ B1	verb - cannot disappear
世界 /sekai/ A2	noun - world
夜 /yoru/ A1	noun - night
夢 /yume/ A2	noun - dream
愛 /ai/ A2	noun - love
言葉 /kotoba/ B1	noun - word
夢 /yume/ A2	noun - dream
電話 /denwa/ A2	noun - telephone
構想 /kousou/ B2	noun - concept
鼓動 /kodou/ B2	noun - heartbeat
切れ間 /kirema/ B2	noun - gap
期待 /kitai/ B1	noun - expectation
残す /nokosu/ B1	verb - to leave behind
抱く /daku/ B1	verb - to embrace
移り変わる /utsuri-kawaru/ B2	verb - to change

Key Grammar Structures

• ～かけた

  ➔ te-form + -かける (kakeru)

  ➔ Used to indicate an action that has just started or is incomplete.

• ～ないよ

  ➔ negative form + よ (yo)

  ➔ Expresses a negation with emphasis or reassurance.

• ～ながら

  ➔ particle +ながら

  ➔ Indicates doing two actions at the same time.

• ～のに

  ➔ despite / although

  ➔ Shows contrast or unexpected result between clauses.

• ～も

  ➔ also / too

  ➔ Adds an element or emphasizes the inclusion.

• ～かな

  ➔ particle + かな

  ➔ Expresses uncertainty or contemplative thought.

• ～まで

  ➔ until / up to

  ➔ Indicates the point in time or space up to which an action occurs.