When We Were Young – English Lyrics

• By: Passenger
• Album: Songs For The Drunk And Broken Hearted

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the poignant lyrics of Passenger's "When We Were Young" to enrich your English language skills. This acoustic folk gem offers a beautiful exploration of nostalgia and the passage of time, featuring clear vocals and relatable themes that make it an accessible and emotionally resonant song for language learners.

[English]

We used to never say never

Used to think we live for ever

Flying free beneath the sun

...

Days go running and hiding

The weeks are going slippin and sliding

Years leave quicker every time they come

Remember when we were young

...

Look back to the best of days

Collecting all yesterdays

As they build up one by one

How we beg and we borrow

Say we'll do it tomorrow

But tomorrow never seems to come

We used to never say never

Used to think we live for ever

Fying free beneath the sun

Days go running and hiding

The weeks are going slippy and sliding

Years leave quicker every time they come

Remember when we were young

When we were boys on the beach

Everything was in reach

I know it's hard to remember

But oh how the years they vanish

I always wanted to learn Spanish

And travel round South-America

We used to never say never

Used to think we live for ever

Flying free beneath the sun

Days go running and hiding

The weeks are going slippy and sliding

Years leave quicker every time they come

Remember when we were young

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
live /lɪv/ A2	verb - to be alive or exist
flying /ˈflaɪɪŋ/ B1	verb - to move through the air with wings
days /deɪz/ A2	noun - period of 24 hours
weeks /wiːks/ A2	noun - period of seven days
years /jɪərz/ A2	noun - period of twelve months
young /jʌŋ/ A2	adjective - having lived for a short time; not old
remember /rɪˈmɛm.bər/ B1	verb - to recall from memory
send /sɛnd/ B1	verb - to cause something to go to a destination
build /bɪld/ B2	verb - to construct or assemble parts into a structure
reach /riːtʃ/ B2	verb - to arrive at a place or goal
vanish /ˈvæn.ɪʃ/ C1	verb - to disappear suddenly and completely
remember /rɪˈmɛm.bər/ B1	verb - to recall from memory
want /wɒnt/ A2	verb - to wish for something
build /bɪld/ B2	verb - to construct or form by putting parts together

Key Grammar Structures

• Used to never say never

  ➔ Used to + base verb

  ➔ The phrase "used to" indicates a past habitual action or state that no longer happens.

• The weeks are going slippin and sliding

  ➔ Present continuous tense for ongoing actions

  ➔ The phrase "are going" is in the present continuous tense, emphasizing that the action is ongoing at the moment.

• Years leave quicker every time they come

  ➔ Simple present tense for general truths

  ➔ The verb "leave" in the present tense states a habitual or factual truth that "years" pass quickly every time.

• Remember when we were young

  ➔ Past simple tense for recalling past events

  ➔ The verb "remember" in the past tense is used here to recall or think about past times.

• Say we'll do it tomorrow

  ➔ Future simple tense with "will"

  ➔ The phrase "will do" expresses a decision or plan for the future.

• And travel round South-America

  ➔ Infinitive verb form for purpose/intent

  ➔ The verb "to travel" is in its base form after "and" to indicate purpose or future plans.