Traditional French Nursery Rhymes with Translations
- Octavia Moor
- Jan 17, 2024
- 4 min read
Nursery rhymes, those timeless tunes that echo through the corridors of childhood, are cultural treasures that transcend borders. In France, these musical gems, known as 'comptines,' hold a special place in the hearts of the young and the young at heart. In this post, I will provide the lyrics to some easy, traditional French nursery rhymes for you to sing with your child, from the famous "Frère Jacques" to the playful "Une Souris Verte," uncovering the magic that lies within these melodies. I have provided English translations for all of them and videos to help you with pronunciation. Where I haven't made a video myself, I have provided links to videos elsewhere online to help you.
If you would like to sing some traditional English nursery rhymes translated into French with your baby, follow this link:
Preserving Culture Through Song:
Of course, while translation is useful in allowing us to sing the English nursery rhymes we grew up with ourselves to our children in French, singing traditional French songs with children is also a fun way to introduce them to a new language and culture. These traditional French nursery rhymes play an important role in preserving the cultural heritage of France. The original languages of these songs, when taught to children, ensure that these melodies continue to enchant new generations. As French nursery songs become an increasingly important part of the primary education curriculum in the UK, they contribute to the linguistic and cultural development of young minds.
Frère Jacques
A universal melody, Frère Jacques (or Brother John in its English translation) is undoubtedly one of the most recognisable French nursery rhymes. This simple yet catchy tune has transcended languages and borders, becoming a favourite among young children worldwide. The repetition of 'Sonnez les matines' or 'Morning bells are ringing' in both languages adds a rhythmic charm to the song, making it a well-known and important part of early childhood musical education. This song works well when sung as a round with a group of two or more singers.
Frère Jacques,Frère Jacques,Dormez-vous?Dormez-vous?Sonnez les matines!Sonnez les matines!Ding, dang, dong,Ding, dang, dong.
English Translation
Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John,
Morning bells are ringing! Morning bells are ringing!
Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong. [x2]
Here's a fun barbershop quartet version of Frère Jacques for something a bit different!
Coccinelle, où t’es-tu posée?
This lovely French nursery rhyme about a ladybird is so simple yet so effective for teaching children the different parts of the body in French. Watch my video below the lyrics to see how to get kids giggling by having the ladybird land on different parts of the face!
Coccinelle, où t’es-tu posée ?
Sur le front ?
Sur le menton ?
Sur la joue ?
Dans le cou ?
Sur les yeux ?
Sur les cheveux ?
Sur le bout du nez ? Hop !
Elle s’est envolée !
English Translation
Ladybird, where have you landed?
On my forehead?
On my chin?
On my cheek?
In my neck?
On my eyes?
On my hair?
On the end of my nose? Oh!
She's flown away!
Une Souris Verte
Une Souris Verte is a playful French nursery rhyme about a green mouse that captivates children with its catchy tune and humorous lyrics. It's always one that gets stuck in my head for ages!
Une souris verte qui courait dans l’herbe
Je l’attrape par la queue
Je la montre à ces messieurs
Ces messieurs me disent :
trempez la dans l’huile,
trempez la dans l’eau
Ça fera un escargot tout chaud
Je la mets dans un tiroir
Elle me dit qu’il fait trop noir
Je la mets dans mon chapeau
Elle me dit qu’il fait trop chaud
Je la mets dans ma culotte
Elle me fait trois petites crottes!
(Repeat from the beginning)
English Translation
A green mouse
That was running in the grass,
I caught it by its tail
I showed it to those gentlemen.
The gentlemen said:
Dip it in oil,
Dip it in water
It will become a snail
Nice and hot.
I put it in a draw
It tells me, "It's too dark."
I put it in my hat
It tells me, "It's too warm."
I put it in my pants
And it leaves three little droppings!
(Repeat from the beginning)
This video will show you some great actions to do while you're singing this fun song:
Escargot Rigolo
This popular French nursery rhyme about a snail is a lovely one to sing on a rainy day whilst searching for snails together in the garden! It's a bit of a tricky one to translate as it can't really be translated literally or it doesn't really make sense in English. I've done my best!
Escargot rigolo, sors tes cornes, sors tes cornes
Escargot rigolo, sors tes cornes comme il faut
Goutte d'eau sur ton dos, ça résonne, ça résonne
Goutte d'eau sur ton dos, ça résonne un peu trop
On attend le soleil pour avoir chaud, pour avoir chaud
On attend le soleil pour sécher le petit escargot
English Translation
Funny snail, poke out your horns,
Funny snail, poke out your horns properly
A drop of water on your back makes a splash, makes a splash
A drop of water on your back, makes a big splash
We wait for the sun to come out to warm us up, to warm us up
We wait for the sun to come out to dry the little snail
Petit Escargot
'Petit Escargot' or 'Little Snail,' is another gem in the treasury of French children's songs. Again, it's perfect to sing whilst snail hunting in the garden.
Petit escargot
Porte sur son dos
Sa maisonnette.
Aussitôt qu’il pleut
Il est tout heureux
Il sort sa tête.
English Translation
Little snail
Carries on his back
His little house.
As soon as it rains
He is all happy
He takes out his head.
L’Araignée Gipsy
This is the French version of the Itsy Bitsy Spider. Just as with the English version, children can make a spider with their fingers to 'climb' as they sing.
L’araignée Gipsy,
Monte à la gouttière.
Tiens voilà la pluie,
Gipsy tombe parterre.
Mais le soleil a chassé la pluie!
L’araignée Gipsy
Monte à la gouttière…
English Translation
Gypsie the spider
Climbs up the gutter pipe.
Oh, here is the rain,
Gypsie falls down on the ground.
But the sun has chased the rain away...
Gypsie the spider climbs
Up the guttering…
Conclusion:
In the world of traditional French nursery rhymes, the fun visual imagery of animals, the catchy rhymes, and the exploration of language through song open a gateway to the joys of childhood and foreign language learning. As we celebrate these musical treasures, let us embrace the enchanting melodies that continue to captivate the hearts of children and adults alike, fostering a love for language and culture that transcends borders.
Further Links and Resources:
This website has lots more French nursery rhymes for you to try, together with their English translations:
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