7 Years – English Lyrics

• By: Lukas Graham

Lyrics & Translation

Learning English through '7 Years' is a great way to grasp the narrative structure of storytelling. The song uses clear, chronological markers and conversational English, making it an excellent resource for mastering past, present, and future verb tenses.

[English]

Once I was seven years old my mama told me

Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely

Once I was seven years old

It was a big big world but we thought we were bigger

Pushing each other to the limits we were learning quicker

By eleven smoking herb and drinking burning liquor

Never rich so we were out to make that steady figure

Once I was eleven years old my daddy told me

Go get yourself a wife or you'll be lonely

Once I was eleven years old

I always had that dream like my daddy before me

So I started writing songs I started writing stories

Something about that glory just always seemed to bore me

'Cause only those I really love will ever really know me

Once I was twenty years old my story got told

Before the morning sun when life was lonely

Once I was twenty years old

I only see my goals I don't believe in failure

'Cause I know the smallest voices they can make it major

I got my boys with me at least those in favor

And if we don't meet before I leave I hope I'll see you later

Once I was twenty years old my story got told

I was writing about everything I saw before me

Once I was twenty years old

Soon we'll be thirty years old our songs have been sold

We've traveled around the world and we're still roaming

Soon we'll be thirty years old

I'm still learning about life

My woman brought children for me

So I can sing them all my songs

And I can tell them stories

Most of my boys are with me

Some are still out seeking glory

And some I had to leave behind

My brother I'm still sorry

Soon I'll be sixty years old my daddy got sixty-one

Remember life and then your life becomes a better one

I made a man so happy when I wrote a letter once

I hope my children come and visit once or twice a month

Soon I'll be sixty years old will I think the world is cold

Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me

Soon I'll be sixty years old

Soon I'll be sixty years old will I think the world is cold

Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me

Soon I'll be sixty years old

Once I was seven years old my mama told me

Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely

Once I was seven years old

Once I was seven years old

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
lonely /ˈloʊnli/ A2	adjective - sad because one has no friends or company
limits /ˈlɪmɪts/ B1	noun - the final, furthest, or farthest point or edge
liquor /ˈlɪkər/ B2	noun - alcoholic drink, especially distilled spirit
steady /ˈstɛdi/ B1	adjective - regular, even, and continuous in development
glory /ˈɡlɔːri/ B2	noun - high renown or honor won by notable achievements
bore /bɔːr/ B1	verb - to make someone feel weary and restless through lack of interest
failure /ˈfeɪljər/ B1	noun - lack of success
major /ˈmeɪdʒər/ B1	adjective - important, serious, or significant
favor /ˈfeɪvər/ B1	noun - approval, support, or liking for someone or something
roaming /ˈroʊmɪŋ/ B2	verb - to travel aimlessly from place to place
seeking /ˈsiːkɪŋ/ B2	verb - to attempt to find or achieve
visit /ˈvɪzɪt/ A1	verb - go to see and spend time with someone
story /ˈstɔːri/ A1	noun - an account of imaginary or real people and events
friend /frɛnd/ A1	noun - a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection
children /ˈtʃɪldrən/ A1	noun - young human beings

Key Grammar Structures

• Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely

  ➔ Conditional 'or' (otherwise)

  ➔ Using 'or' here functions as a conditional: 'If you don't go make friends, you will be lonely'.

• It was a big big world but we thought we were bigger

  ➔ Comparative adjectives

  ➔ The word 'bigger' is the comparative form of the adjective 'big', showing a contrast between the world's size and the children's perceived importance.

• Something about that glory just always seemed to bore me

  ➔ Past simple tense

  ➔ The verb 'seemed' is in the past simple, indicating a state or feeling that was true in the past during the artist's youth.

• 'Cause only those I really love will ever really know me

  ➔ Defining relative clause (omitted 'that/whom')

  ➔ The clause 'I really love' acts as an adjective defining 'those'. It implies 'those [whom] I really love'.

• I don't believe in failure

  ➔ Phrasal verb / Prepositional verb

  ➔ The phrase 'believe in' means to have faith in the existence or value of something; here, rejecting the concept of failure.

• Soon we'll be thirty years old our songs have been sold

  ➔ Present perfect passive voice

  ➔ 'Have been sold' combines the present perfect (completed action with present relevance) and the passive voice (the subject received the action).

• I'm still learning about life

  ➔ Present continuous tense

  ➔ 'I'm learning' describes an ongoing process or a situation that is true for an extended period around now.

• My brother I'm still sorry

  ➔ Appositive (Direct address)

  ➔ Using 'My brother' at the start of the sentence acts as a vocative, addressing a specific person directly.