À la file indienne – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Disney

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the delightful French song “À la file indienne” from Disney’s *Peter Pan*, a perfect tune for learning French through music. This simple and catchy song about marching in single file offers easy-to-pronounce lyrics and a joyful rhythm that captures the carefree spirit of childhood, making language learning fun and engaging.

[English]

In a line, in a line, in a line

All in a line

We walk singing

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

It's easy to say

Tee dum, tee dee

It's the song we like

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

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

We laugh, we play, we have fun like crazy

I walk, you walk, he walks

and all of us walk

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

*Whistling*

In a line, in a line, in a line

If in a line

We walk one by one

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

It's just in a line

That we follow the Indians

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

Let's sing together

This song we like

Tee dum, tee dee, a teddle eedle dee ay

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

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

[French]

A la file indienne,indienne,indienne

Tous à la file indienne

Nous marchons en chantant

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

C'est facile a prononcer

Tee dum, tee dee

C'est la chanson qui nous plait

Chantons tee dum, tee dee, a teedle eedle deeday

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

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

Je marche, tu marches, il marche

et tous nous marchons

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

*Sifflement*

A la file indienne,indienne, indienne

Si a la file indienne

Nous marchons un par un

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

C' est qu'à la file indienne

Qu'nous filons les indiens

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

Chantons en choeur

Cette chanson qui nous plait

Tee dum, tee dee, a teddle eedle dee ay

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

Oh! Eh 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.