Avant toi – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: VITAA, SLIMANE

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the heartfelt French ballad "Avant toi" by Vitaa and Slimane, a song that beautifully expresses the profound impact of a life-altering connection. Through its touching lyrics and evocative melody, listeners can explore themes of gratitude, love, and finding one's way, offering a glimpse into the transformative power of human connection.

[English]

There were no images, there were no colors

There was no story, my soulmate

There were no parties, there was no heart

No smiles, my soulmate

You know the world wasn't turning right

I had the words but not the song

You know love, you know passion

...

Yes, it's written, it was said

Yes, that's life

Before you, I had nothing

Before you, no one showed me the way

I know, the sky doesn't hold it against me

For having set my eyes on you

Before you, no one showed me the way

Ooh ooh

Ooh ooh

Ooh ooh

Ooh ooh

There was no house, there was no happiness

I had no reason, my soulmate

There was no laughter but there were no tears

I was alone here, my soulmate

You know, the world wasn't turning right

I had the words but not the song

You know love in all its ways

...

Yes, it's written, it was said

Yes, that's life

Before you, I had nothing

Before you, no one showed me the way

I know, the sky doesn't hold it against me for having set my eyes on you

Before you, no one showed me the way

Ooh ooh

Ooh ooh

Ooh ooh

Ooh ooh

...

Before you, I had nothing

Before you, no one showed me the way

Before you, I had nothing

Before you, no one showed me the way

I know, the sky doesn't hold it against me for having set my eyes on you

Before you, no one showed me the way

Ooh ooh

Ooh ooh

Ooh ooh

Ooh ooh

...

[French]

Y avait pas d'image, y avait pas d'couleur

Y avait pas d'histoire, mon âme sœur

Y avait pas les fêtes, y avait pas l'cœur

Aucun sourire, mon âme sœur

Tu sais le monde ne tournait pas rond

J'avais les mots mais pas la chanson

Tu sais l'amour, tu sais la passion

Oui, c'est écrit, c'était dit

Oui, c'est la vie

Avant toi, je n'avais rien

Avant toi, on n'm'a pas montré le chemin

Je sais, le ciel ne m'en veut pas

D'avoir posé les yeux sur toi

Avant toi, on n'm'a pas montré le chemin

Ouh ouh

Ouh ouh

Ouh ouh

Ouh ouh

Y avait pas d'maison, y avait pas l'bonheur

J'avais pas d'raison, mon âme sœur

Y avait pas de rire mais y avait pas d'pleurs

J'étais seule ici, mon âme sœur

Tu sais, le monde ne tournait pas rond

J'avais les mots mais pas la chanson

Tu sais l'amour de toutes les façons

Oui, c'est écrit, c'était dit

Oui, c'est la vie

Avant toi, je n'avais rien

Avant toi, on n'm'a pas montré le chemin

Je sais, le ciel n'm'en veut pas d'avoir posé les yeux sur toi

Avant toi, on n'm'a pas montré le chemin

Ouh ouh

Ouh ouh

Ouh ouh

Ouh ouh

Avant toi, je n'avais rien

Avant toi, on n'm'a pas montré le chemin

Avant toi, je n'avais rien

Avant toi, on n'm'a pas montré le chemin

Je sais, le ciel n'm'en veut pas d'avoir posé les yeux sur toi

Avant toi, on n'm'a pas montré le chemin

Ouh ouh

Ouh ouh

Ouh ouh

Ouh ouh

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
image /ˈɪmɪdʒ/ A2	noun - a representation of the external form of a person or thing
couleur /ku.lœʁ/ A2	noun - the property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way it reflects or emits light
cœur /kœʁ/ A2	noun - the organ in your chest that sends the blood around your body
sourire /su.ʁiʁ/ A2	noun - a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth
monde /mɔ̃d/ A2	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries and peoples
amour /a.muʁ/ A2	noun - a strong feeling of affection and concern towards another
passion /pa.sjɔ̃/ B1	noun - a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something
chemin /ʃə.mɛ̃/ B1	noun - a path or track laid down for walking or made by continual treading
ciel /sjɛl/ B1	noun - the expanse of air that surrounds the earth
raison /ʁɛ.zɔ̃/ B2	noun - a cause, explanation, or justification for an action or event
bonheur /bɔ.nœʁ/ B2	noun - a state of well-being and contentment
maison /mɛ.zɔ̃/ A2	noun - a building for human habitation
yeux /jø/ A1	noun - the organs of sight
seul /sœl/ A2	adjective - not accompanied by others
écrit /e.kʁi/ B1	adjective - written down

Key Grammar Structures

• Y avait pas d'image

  ➔ Impersonal expression using 'il y a' (there is/are)

  ➔ 'Il y a' means 'there is' or 'there are' and is used to indicate existence.

• je n'avais rien

  ➔ Past perfect tense with 'ne...pas' for negation

  ➔ This construction expresses past states or actions in negation.

• Tu sais le monde ne tournait pas rond

  ➔ Use of 'ne... pas' for negation in imperfect tense

  ➔ 'Ne... pas' is used to negate a verb in the imperfect tense.

• Avant toi, je n'avais rien

  ➔ Expression of prior lack or emptiness before an event or person

  ➔ This phrase indicates that prior to 'you', there was nothing or a state of emptiness.

• le ciel ne m'en veut pas

  ➔ Use of indirect object pronoun 'm' en' and negative construction

  ➔ 'M'en veut pas' expresses that the sky (or destiny) does not hold ill will against me.

• on n'm'a pas montré le chemin

  ➔ Use of 'ne... pas' with 'm'' to form negative past tense with direct object

  ➔ 'On n'a pas montré' is a negative past construction meaning 'was not shown'. The pronoun 'm'' refers to 'me'.

• Je sais, le ciel ne m'en veut pas d'avoir posé les yeux sur toi

  ➔ Participle 'd'avoir posé' used after 'd'...' to express the reason or explanation

  ➔ The phrase uses the participle 'd'avoir posé' to indicate the action of 'having looked' at someone, with the negative 'ne... pas' preceding.