NINAO – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: GIMS

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a musical journey with GIMS' hit song "NINAO"! This track offers a unique opportunity to engage with French and Georgian cultures through its catchy blend of pop and urban sounds, featuring a memorable refrain sampled from a traditional Georgian folk song. "NINAO" stands out not only for its infectious rhythm but also for its introspective lyrics, which provide insights into the highs and lows of fame, offering a glimpse into Gims' personal reflections. Listening to "NINAO" is an excellent way to immerse yourself in the vibrant contemporary French music scene and appreciate how global influences can shape a chart-topping hit.

[English]

Right, right, right (Maximum)

Right, right, right when I arrive, they give me the side eye

Hooded up because I'm too well-known

I move with an armed team

I organize myself like I'll never die

My love, I'm coming home late

Sky blue stirrups, black Fe'Fe'

They're all taking baby steps

As soon as they see the guitar

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

I've done regrettable things

That's what happens when you're always high

Check out the team, formidable

I know the night like the Guettas

Go through customs, there's nothing to see

Anyway, I'm booked for the whole year

We saw each other for one night

Another little heart to repair

My love, I'm coming home late

Sky blue stirrups, black Fe'Fe'

They're all taking baby steps

As soon as they see the guitar

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

...

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

(Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh)

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

(Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh)

...

[French]

Dès, dès, dès (Maximum)

Dès, dès, dès qu'j'arrive, ça regarde de travers

Capuché parce que j'suis trop cramé

J'avance avec équipe armée

J'm'organise comme si j'mourrais jamais

Mon amour j'vais rentrer tard

Étrier bleu ciel, Fé'Fé' noire

Ils font tous des petits pas

Dès qu'ils aperçoivent la guitare

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

J'ai fait des choses regrettables

C'est ça d'être toujours en pétard

Té-ma l'équipe, redoutable

J'connais la nuit comme les Guetta

Passe la douane, y a rien à regarder

T'façon j'suis booké sur toute l'année

On s'est vu lе temps d'une soirée

Encore un petit cœur à réparer

Mon amour j'vais rentrer tard

Étrier bleu ciel, Fé'Fé' noire

Ils font tous des petits pas

Dès qu'ils aperçoivent la guitare

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

(Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh)

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

(Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh

Na-ni-na-na-ni-ni-na-oh, na-ni-na-ni-na-ni-na-oh)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
regarder /ʁə.ɡaʁ.de/ A1	verb - to look at
équipe /e.kip/ A1	noun - team
amour /a.muʁ/ A1	noun - love
rentrer /ʁɑ̃.tʁe/ A1	verb - to return home
bleu /blø/ A1	adjective - blue
noir /nwaʁ/ A1	adjective - black
petit /pə.ti/ A1	adjective - small
apercevoir /a.pɛʁ.sə.vwaʁ/ B1	verb - to notice
guitare /ɡi.taʁ/ A1	noun - guitar
chose /ʃoz/ A1	noun - thing
toujours /tu.ʒuʁ/ A1	adverb - always
nuit /nɥi/ A1	noun - night
temps /tɑ̃/ A1	noun - time
cœur /kœʁ/ A1	noun - heart
regrettable /ʁə.ɡʁɛ.tabl/ B2	adjective - regrettable
redoutable /ʁə.du.tabl/ B2	adjective - formidable

Key Grammar Structures

• Dès, dès, dès qu'j'arrive, ça regarde de travers

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood (implied)

  ➔ The "dès que" (as soon as) implies a potential or hypothetical situation, even though it's often followed by the indicative. A more formal construction *might* use the subjunctive, depending on the level of certainty. Here, it's used casually, reflecting spoken language.

• Capuché parce que j'suis trop cramé

  ➔ Causative conjunction "parce que" followed by "trop + adjective"

  ➔ "Parce que" (because) introduces the reason for being hooded. "Trop cramé" means "too well-known/recognized/burnt out".

• J'm'organise comme si j'mourrais jamais

  ➔ "Comme si" + Imparfait/Plus-que-parfait Subjunctive

  ➔ "Comme si" (as if) introduces a hypothetical or unreal situation. The Imparfait subjunctive "mourrais" indicates something contrary to reality in the present. This sentence highlights the artist's meticulous planning as if he were immortal.

• Mon amour j'vais rentrer tard

  ➔ Informal future tense using "aller + infinitive"

  ➔ "J'vais rentrer" is the informal way to say "je vais rentrer" (I am going to go home). It uses the verb "aller" (to go) conjugated in the present tense followed by the infinitive of the main verb, "rentrer" (to go home). This construction is extremely common in spoken French.

• Ils font tous des petits pas Dès qu'ils aperçoivent la guitare

  ➔ Use of "Dès que" followed by the indicative.

  ➔ "Dès que" usually connects events happening successively. Because the action of perceiving the guitar causes an immediate reaction, indicative form is used in both clauses.

• J'ai fait des choses regrettables

  ➔ Passé Composé (compound past) with an indefinite article.

  ➔ The "Passé Composé" (J'ai fait) is used to express completed actions in the past. Using the indefinite article "des" before "choses" indicates that he has done multiple regrettable things, but they are not specified or defined.

• Passe la douane, y a rien à regarder

  ➔ Impersonal construction "il y a" + "à + infinitive"

  ➔ "Il y a rien à regarder" literally translates to "there is nothing to look at". The "à + infinitive" construction often conveys a sense of obligation, necessity, or possibility. Here, it implies that there is nothing *that needs* to be looked at.

• Encore un petit cœur à réparer

  ➔ Future proche/Present Tense implication with 'à + infinitive'

  ➔ The phrase "à réparer" suggests something that *needs* to be repaired or *will be* repaired in the near future. While grammatically it is not explicitly future tense, the context makes this implication clear.