Tom's Diner – English Lyrics

• By: DNA, Suzanne Vega

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the rhythmic, everyday storytelling of 'Tom's Diner' to master English conversational flow and descriptive vocabulary. This song is special because it blends intimate, observational lyrics with a catchy, iconic beat, making it an ideal tool for learning how to describe mundane moments with poetic clarity.

[English]

I am sitting

In the morning

At the diner

On the corner

I am waiting

At the counter

For the man

To pour the coffee

And he fills it

Only halfway

And before

I even argue

He is looking

Out the window

At somebody

Coming in

"It is always

Nice to see you"

Says the man

Behind the counter

To the woman

Who has come in

She is shaking

Her umbrella

And I look

The other way

As they are kissing

Their hellos

And I'm pretending

Not to see them

And instead

I pour the milk

I open

Up the paper

There's a story

Of an actor

Who had died

While he was drinking

It was no one

I had heard of

And I'm turning

To the horoscope

And looking

For the funnies

When I'm feeling

Someone watching me

And so

I raise my head

There's a woman

On the outside

Looking inside

Does she see me?

No she does not

Really see me

'Cause she sees

Her own reflection

And I'm trying

Not to notice

That she's hitching

Up her skirt

And while she's

Straightening her stockings

Her hair

Has gotten wet

Oh this rain

It will continue

Through the morning

As I'm listening

To the bells

Of the cathedral

I am thinking

Of your voice

And of the midnight picnic

Once upon a time

Before the rain began

And I finish up my coffee

And it's time to catch the train

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
diner /ˈdaɪnər/ B2	noun - a small, informal restaurant
counter /ˈkaʊntər/ A2	noun - a long flat surface in a kitchen or shop
umbrella /ʌmˈbrɛlə/ A1	noun - a device held to protect from rain
pretending /prɪˈtɛndɪŋ/ B1	verb - to behave as if something is true when it is not
horoscope /ˈhɔːrəskoʊp/ C1	noun - a forecast of a person's future based on astrology
reflection /rɪˈflɛkʃən/ B2	noun - image seen in a mirror or shiny surface
stockings /ˈstɒkɪŋz/ B2	noun - close-fitting coverings for the feet and legs
cathedral /kəˈθiːdrəl/ B2	noun - a large and important church
hitching /ˈhɪtʃɪŋ/ C1	verb - to pull something up quickly
straightening /ˈstreɪtənɪŋ/ B1	verb - to make something straight
funnies /ˈfʌniz/ B2	noun - comic strips in a newspaper
midnight /ˈmɪdnaɪt/ A2	noun - 12 o'clock at night
picnic /ˈpɪknɪk/ A2	noun - an outdoor meal
arguing /ˈɑːrɡjuɪŋ/ A2	verb - to exchange angry or divergent views
actor /ˈæktər/ A1	noun - a person who performs in plays or films

Key Grammar Structures

• I am sitting

  ➔ Present Continuous

  ➔ Used to describe an action happening right at the moment of speaking.

• Who has come in

  ➔ Present Perfect

  ➔ Used for an action that happened at an unspecified time before now, emphasizing the current state.

• As they are kissing

  ➔ Conjunction 'As' (Time)

  ➔ Shows that two actions are happening simultaneously.

• Who had died

  ➔ Past Perfect

  ➔ Used to describe an action completed before another point in the past.

• I'm trying not to notice

  ➔ Negative Infinitive

  ➔ Place 'not' before the infinitive verb to express a negative intent.

• Does she see me?

  ➔ Interrogative sentence (Simple Present)

  ➔ Uses the auxiliary verb 'does' for the third-person singular in a question.

• She is hitching up her skirt

  ➔ Phrasal Verb

  ➔ 'Hitch up' is a phrasal verb meaning to pull something upwards.

• It will continue

  ➔ Future Simple

  ➔ Used to express a prediction or certainty about the future.