Hello
By Adele
Meaning
"Hello" is a heartbreaking song about regret, distance, and trying to reconnect with someone from the past. Adele sings as if she is calling an old lover to apologize for the pain she caused, but the emotional gap between them feels enormous, almost like they live on different sides of the world. The tone is sorrowful and reflective, with a mix of vulnerability and self-blame, and the repeated word "hello" becomes a symbol of both a literal phone call and a desperate attempt to reopen a broken relationship. The song captures the feeling of looking back at youth, lost love, and the fact that time does not always heal emotional wounds.
About Adele
Adele is an English singer and songwriter from the United Kingdom. Her music is mainly pop and soul, and she is famous for her powerful voice and emotional songs. She has won many major awards, including multiple Grammy Awards, and became one of the best-selling music artists in the world.
"Hello" was released in October 2015 as the lead single from Adele’s album 25, and its music video premiered on October 23, 2015. The song is about regret, heartbreak, and trying to reconnect with someone from the past. It became a huge global hit and was culturally important because many people saw it as the comeback song that marked Adele’s return after a break from releasing music.
Line highlights
""Hello, it's me""
This simple opening sounds like a real phone call, which makes the song feel immediate and intimate. For a learner, it is a natural conversational phrase, but here it also carries emotional weight because it is an attempt to reconnect after a long silence.
""after all these years""
This phrase shows that a long time has passed since the relationship ended. It is useful for learners because it is a common expression of time and regret, and it suggests that the speaker still cannot let go.
""time's supposed to heal ya""
This line refers to the saying that time heals emotional pain, but the speaker admits that it has not worked for her. It is interesting because it contrasts a familiar proverb with personal disappointment, making the emotion feel more honest.
""from the other side""
This repeated phrase suggests separation, as if the speaker is now on the outside of the other person's life. It can also imply that she is reaching across emotional distance, not just physical distance.
""I must've called a thousand times""
This is an exaggerated way to show persistence, desperation, and maybe guilt. The contraction "must've" is common in spoken English, and the line helps learners hear how strong emotion is often expressed through repetition and exaggeration.
""breaking your heart""
This phrase clearly states the source of the apology: she hurt the other person deeply. It is a very common idiom in English, meaning to cause intense emotional pain, and it is central to the song's theme of remorse.
Lyrics preview (English)
- I just got here, and I think I am losing signal already.
- Hello? Can you hear me now?
- Sorry, sorry, I will call you later.
- Yeah, yeah, sorry.
- ♪ Hello, it is me ♪
- ♪ I was wondering if after all these years ♪
- ♪ You would like to meet ♪
- ♪ To go over everything ♪
Play the song above for the full karaoke-synced lyrics with line-by-line translation.