Lyrics & Translation
Discover the raw emotion and defiant spirit of Johnny Hallyday's iconic song "Ma Gueule." This rock anthem, with its powerful lyrics and dramatic musicality, offers a profound reflection on self-acceptance and the marks left by a life lived. Learning "Ma Gueule" provides insight into French rock music and Hallyday's enduring legacy.
Key Vocabulary
Vocabulary | Meanings |
---|---|
gueule /ɡœl/ B2 |
|
question /ˈkwɛstjɔ̃/ B2 |
|
regard /ʁə.ɡaʁ/ B2 |
|
main /mɛ̃/ A2 |
|
vie /vi/ B2 |
|
lune /lyn/ C1 |
|
amour /a.muʁ/ B2 |
|
fille /fij/ A2 |
|
joie /ʒwa/ B2 |
|
mort /mɔʁ/ B2 |
|
ciel /sjɛl/ C1 |
|
nuit /nɥi/ B2 |
|
heure /œʁ/ B2 |
|
vie /vi/ B2 |
|
“gueule, question, regard” – got them all figured out?
⚡ Dive into vocabulary challenges in the app and lock in your knowledge right after jamming to "MA GUEULE"
Key Grammar Structures
-
Quoi ma gueule? Qu'est-ce qu'elle a ma gueule?
➔ Interrogative Pronoun 'quoi' and Informal Language
➔ "Quoi" is used here instead of "Qu'est-ce que" to introduce the question in an informal way. "Ma gueule" is a very informal term for "my face" or, more broadly, "my self". The repeated question shows a confrontational attitude.
-
Elle ne te revient pas?
➔ Indirect Object Pronoun 'te' and Negative Question
➔ "Te" is an indirect object pronoun meaning "to you". The structure is asking "Doesn't it appeal to you?". Negative questions can imply surprise or challenge.
-
Souvent un seul regard suffit Pour vous planter mieux qu'un couteau
➔ Subjunctive Mood (Impersonal), Comparative Adverb 'mieux', 'que' as a comparative
➔ "Suffit" is used impersonally and requires the subjunctive after "que" in some situations (though here, the indicative is more common). "Mieux qu'un couteau" is a comparison using the adverb "mieux" (better) and "que" to introduce the comparison. The sentence means: "Often a single look is enough to stab you better than a knife."
-
Si tu veux t'la payer, Viens, je rends la monnaie
➔ Conditional Clause with 'si', Pronoun 'la' as direct object, Imperative Mood
➔ "Si tu veux t'la payer" is a conditional clause meaning "If you want to mess with it/her/me". "La" is a direct object pronoun referring back to "ma gueule". "Viens, je rends la monnaie" is an imperative statement meaning "Come, I'll give you change (i.e., I'll pay you back)".
-
Elle s'imagine que j'lui dois tout
➔ Reflexive Verb 's'imaginer', Subjunctive Mood (optional), Indirect Object Pronoun 'lui'
➔ "S'imagine" is a reflexive verb meaning "she imagines". The verb of the subordinate clause after “que” is sometimes in the subjunctive mood here. "Lui" is an indirect object pronoun, meaning "to her". The sentence translates to "She imagines that I owe her everything".
-
Elle a fait toutes mes guerres
➔ Past Tense (Passé Composé), Possessive Adjective
➔ "Elle a fait" is the passé composé (past tense) of the verb "faire" (to do, to make). "Mes guerres" uses the possessive adjective "mes" meaning "my".
-
C'est pas comme une que je connais
➔ Relative Pronoun 'que', Negative Construction
➔ "Que" is a relative pronoun introducing a relative clause that modifies "une". "C'est pas comme une que je connais" translates to: "It's not like one that I know". "Pas" is used for negation with "ne" often omitted in informal speech.
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