À la file indienne – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Disney

Lyrics & Translation

[French]

[English]

A la file indienne,indienne,indienne

In a line, in a line, in a line

Tous à la file indienne

All in a line

Nous marchons en chantant

We walk singing

Tee dum, tee dee, a teedle ee do tee day Tee dum, tee dee

Tee dum, tee dee, a teddle ee do tee day - Tee dum, tee dee

C'est facile a prononcer

It's easy to say

Tee dum, tee dee

Tee dum, tee dee

C'est la chanson qui nous plait

It's the song we like

Chantons tee dum, tee dee, a teedle eedle deeday

Let's sing tee dum, tee dee, a teddle eedle deeday

Tee dum, tee dee, a teedle ee dou dee dou

Tee dum, tee dee, a teddle ee dou dee dou

On rit, on joue, on s'amuse comme des ptits fous

We laugh, we play, we have fun like crazy

Je marche, tu marches, il marche

I walk, you walk, he walks

et tous nous marchons

and all of us walk

En chantant tee dum, tee dee, a teedle ee do tee day

Singing tee dum, tee dee, a teddle ee do tee day

*Sifflement*

*Whistling*

A la file indienne,indienne, indienne

In a line, in a line, in a line

Si a la file indienne

If in a line

Nous marchons un par un

We walk one by one

C'est qu'à la file indienne, indienne, indienne

It's just in a line, in a line, in a line

C' est qu'à la file indienne

It's just in a line

Qu'nous filons les indiens

That we follow the Indians

Tee dum, tee dee, a teddle ee do tee day

Tee dum, tee dee, a teddle ee do tee day

Chantons en choeur

Let's sing together

Cette chanson qui nous plait

This song we like

Tee dum, tee dee, a teddle eedle dee ay

Tee dum, tee dee, a teddle eedle dee ay

Oh! Eh teddle ee dum, a teddle ee dou dee day

Oh! Hey teddle ee dum, a teddle ee dou dee day

Oh! Eh teddle ee dum, a teddle ee dou dee day

Oh! Hey teddle ee dum, a teddle ee dou dee day

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
marchons /maʁ.ʃõ/ A2	verb - to walk
chanter /ʃɑ̃.te/ A2	verb - to sing
filons /fi.lɔ̃/ B1	verb - we speed away, run off
indienne /ɛ̃.djɛn/ B2	adjective/noun - Indian (related to India or native tribes)
chantons /ʃɑ̃.tɔ̃/ A2	verb - let's sing
sifflement /si.fɛl.mɑ̃/ B2	noun - whistling sound
plait /plɛ/ A2	noun - braid
rire /ʁiʁ/ A2	verb - to laugh
joue /ʒu/ A2	verb - to play
fous /fu/ B1	noun/adjective - fools (plural)
chantons /ʃɑ̃.tɔ̃/ A2	verb - let's sing
plaire /plɛʁ/ B2	verb - to please

Key Grammar Structures

• A la file indienne,indienne,indienne

  ➔ Preposition "à" indicating manner or style

  ➔ "À" followed by "la file indienne" specifies marching in the style of an Indian line (single file).

• Nous marchons en chantant

  ➔ Present Participle/Gerund following "en" expressing simultaneous action

  ➔ "en chantant" means "while singing". The action of singing happens at the same time as the action of marching.

• C'est facile a prononcer

  ➔ Adjective + "à" + infinitive

  ➔ Here, "facile à prononcer" means "easy to pronounce."

• C'est la chanson qui nous plait

  ➔ Relative Pronoun "qui" acting as subject

  ➔ "Qui" refers back to "la chanson" and is the subject of the verb "plait."

• On rit, on joue, on s'amuse comme des ptits fous

  ➔ Reflexive Verb "s'amuser" with "se"

  ➔ "S'amuser" requires the reflexive pronoun "se" because the subject (on - we) is performing the action on themselves. 'We have fun'.

• Je marche, tu marches, il marche

  ➔ Present Tense Verb Conjugation (marcher)

  ➔ Demonstrates the basic conjugation of the regular -er verb "marcher" (to walk) in the present tense for "je", "tu", and "il/elle/on".

• Qu'nous filons les indiens

  ➔ Ellipsis (omission) of "est-ce que"

  ➔ Instead of "Est-ce que nous filons les indiens?", the "Est-ce que" is omitted, creating a more informal, colloquial feel. This is a common feature of spoken French.