Poney – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Werenoi
• Album: Diamant Noir

Lyrics & Translation

Learning French through Werenoi's "Poney" offers a unique window into contemporary French rap and the introspective themes that resonate with a generation. The song's lyrical depth, exploring feelings of disillusionment and the search for authenticity, provides a rich context for language learners to engage with modern French slang and poetic expression. What makes "Poney" special is its raw honesty and the melancholic yet powerful delivery of an artist at the peak of his craft, making the learning process both emotionally resonant and culturally relevant.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
cœur /kœʁ/ A2	noun - heart
cahier /ka.je/ A1	noun - notebook
miel /mjɛl/ A2	noun - honey
soleil /sɔ.lɛj/ A1	noun - sun
pollen /pɔ.lɛn/ B1	noun - pollen
poney /pɔ.nɛ/ A1	noun - pony
espèces /ɛs.pɛs/ B1	noun - species / cash
cash /kaʃ/ A2	noun - cash
film /film/ A2	noun - film
vaisseau /vɛ.so/ B1	noun - spaceship
force /fɔʁs/ A2	noun - strength
ombre /ɔ̃bʁ/ A2	noun - shadow
vision /vi.zjɔ̃/ B1	noun - vision
mal /mal/ A2	noun - evil
ballon /ba.lɔ̃/ A1	noun - balloon
fil /fil/ A1	noun - wire
vies /vi/ A1	noun - lives
larmes /laʁm/ A2	noun - tears
avenir /av.niʁ/ B1	noun - future

Key Grammar Structures

• J'dois m'vider le cœur, j'dois remplir le cahier

  ➔ Use of the verb 'devoir' + infinitive to express obligation or necessity.

  ➔ Here, "j'dois" (short for "je dois") indicates "I must" or "I have to". It emphasizes the speaker's need to empty his heart and fill his notebook.

• Me dit plus "je t'aime", me dis pas "I love you"

  ➔ Negative imperative mood: using 'ne...plus' + verb and 'ne...pas' + verb to express a command not to do something.

  ➔ "Me dit plus" and "me dis pas" are both negative imperative forms, instructing someone not to say "I love you" anymore.

• Y a un llet-bi à faire, j'suis relou au rendez-vous

  ➔ Use of "Y a" (short for "il y a") to express existence, and colloquial syntax in "j'suis relou".

  ➔ "Y a un llet-bi à faire" means "there is a deal to be done". "J'suis relou au rendez-vous" uses slang and implies the speaker is annoying or problematic at the meeting.

• J'les allume et j'les mets à Londres

  ➔ Use of direct object pronouns ('les') and the conjunction 'et' to connect two actions.

  ➔ "J'les allume" means "I light them up" or metaphorically, "I attack them". "J'les mets à Londres" means "I put them in London", suggesting a metaphorical placement of the targets in a distant or unfavorable location.

• J'peux pas te dire quand ça tire

  ➔ Use of "pouvoir" (can) + infinitive in the negative form to express inability.

  ➔ "J'peux pas te dire" (short for "je ne peux pas te dire") means "I cannot tell you". This emphasizes the speaker's inability to provide information about when the shooting will occur.

• On n'a pas évité l'pire Parce qu'on l'a pas vu v'nir

  ➔ Past tense compound (passé composé) with negation (ne...pas) and the use of a reflexive verb "venir" in the second clause.

  ➔ The lines indicate that they didn't avoid the worst because they didn't see it coming. "On n'a pas évité l'pire" is the past action of not avoiding the worst, and "Parce qu'on l'a pas vu v'nir" explains the reason why - they didn't see it coming.

• Comment tu veux identifier l'mal Quand tu l'as pas vu naître?

  ➔ Interrogative sentence structure with "comment" (how) + verb "vouloir" (to want) to express a challenge, combined with a past tense (passé composé) negative clause "tu l'as pas vu naître".

  ➔ This is a rhetorical question challenging how someone can identify evil if they didn't see it being born. The first clause asks how you can identify evil (l'mal), and the second clause provides the condition - if you didn't see it come into existence (naître).