maman – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Louane
• Album: solo

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on an emotional journey with Louane's "maman," a captivating French ballad that transcends language barriers with its universal themes of love, loss, and resilience. Through its poignant lyrics and Louane's heartfelt delivery, this song offers an authentic glimpse into French pop music and culture. Learning the lyrics provides an intimate connection to the artist's personal story and allows for a deeper appreciation of the nuances of the French language.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
maman /ma.mɑ̃/ A1	noun - mother, mom
vie /vi/ A1	noun - life
grand /ɡʁɑ̃/ A1	adjective - big, large, tall
changé /ʃɑ̃ʒe/ A2	verb - changed
grandi /ɡʁɑ̃.di/ A2	verb - grown up
mieux /mjø/ A2	adverb - better
appel /a.pɛl/ B1	verb - call
amour /a.muʁ/ B1	noun - love
vrai /vʁɛ/ B1	adjective - true, real
peur /pœʁ/ B1	noun - fear
temps /tɑ̃/ A2	noun - time, weather
main /mɛ̃/ A1	noun - hand
vide /vid/ B1	noun - emptiness, void
indélébile /ɛ̃.de.le.bil/ B2	adjective - indelible, permanent
années /a.ne/ A1	noun - years

Key Grammar Structures

• Y a plus d'amants, y a plus de lits

  ➔ Negative Existential Construction with "y a"

  ➔ "Y a plus de" indicates "there is no more" or "there are no more." It's a colloquial way of saying "il n'y a plus de."

• Finalement, tu vois, j'ai construit ma vie

  ➔ Passé Composé with Auxiliary "avoir"

  ➔ "J'ai construit" is the passé composé of the verb "construire" (to build). It indicates a completed action in the past.

• Toi, tu vas comment?

  ➔ Interrogative Adverb "comment"

  ➔ "Comment" is an interrogative adverb used to ask about manner or condition. "Tu vas comment?" is a short way of asking "Comment vas-tu?" (How are you?).

• De toi, j'ai gardé tout ce qui fait qui je suis

  ➔ Relative Pronoun "qui" and Subjunctive mood (implicit)

  ➔ "Qui" introduces a relative clause, and the phrase "ce qui fait qui je suis" means "that which makes me who I am". The verb "fait" is often followed by the subjunctive mood when expressing subjectivity, but in this common expression, it's often omitted.

• Et si j'ai voulu arrêter le temps

  ➔ Conditional Clause with "si" + Past Tense (Imperfect or Passé Composé)

  ➔ The structure "si + past tense" indicates a hypothetical situation in the past. Here, "si j'ai voulu" sets up a past condition that is contrary to fact.

• J'ai trouvé l'amour, indélébile

  ➔ Past Participle as Adjective

  ➔ "Indélébile" is the past participle of the verb "indélébiliser" (to make indelible), used here as an adjective to describe "l'amour". It means "permanent" or "unforgettable."

• Tu sais le vrai toujours, même quand le temps file

  ➔ Adverb "toujours" and Subjunctive mood (implicit)

  ➔ "Toujours" means "always" or "still" and is placed after the verb here to emphasize the unchanging nature of true love. The "quand" is followed by the indicative form (file) rather than subjunctive, because it expresses a factual observation rather than a doubt or possibility.