Lyrics & Translation
Dive into the emotional depth of M. Pokora's "Quand même" to enrich your French language journey. This French pop ballad, with its accessible lyrics and themes of enduring love and regret, offers a beautiful way to understand nuanced expressions and common romantic vocabulary in French. Its contemporary style makes it a relevant and engaging piece for language learners.
It's probably because I'm leaving a piece of myself there
If this is the last time I see you, the last memory
It's not your tears I want to see, it's your lovely smile
And if we tell each other
"This is the last time we'll see each other"
Tonight
Then, I'd like you to talk about us again
Like two soulmates whose dreams were too wild
Even if our hearts beat less strongly
And we won't forget our sorrows
To love each other less
Is still loving each other anyway
Anyway
Hmm, anyway
Hmm
I'm not naive, I know that time will erase us
And that someone else will love you even better than me
I always thought that the two of us
We'd do better than the others
We chose to open our eyes
To close the door
And if we tell each other
"This is the last time we'll see each other"
Tonight
Then I'd like you to talk about us again
Like two soulmates whose dreams were too wild
Even if our hearts beat less strongly
And we won't forget our sorrows
To love each other less
Is still loving each other anyway
Anyway
Hmm, anyway
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Key Vocabulary
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
|---|---|
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mal /mal/ A1 |
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bout /bu/ A2 |
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fois /fwa/ A1 |
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larmes /laʁm/ A2 |
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sourire /su.ʁiʁ/ A2 |
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âmes /am/ B1 |
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rêves /ʁɛv/ A2 |
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fous /fu/ B1 |
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cœurs /kœʁ/ A2 |
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peines /pɛn/ B1 |
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temps /tɑ̃/ A1 |
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yeux /jø/ A1 |
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porte /pɔʁt/ A1 |
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naïf /na.if/ B2 |
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mieux /mjø/ A1 |
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What does “mal” mean in the song "Quand même"?
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Key Grammar Structures
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Alors c'est comme ça que ça fait mal
➔ C'est + Adverb (comme ça) + que + Clause: Emphasis/Exclamatory Structure
➔ This structure emphasizes the way something hurts. "Comme ça" means "like this/that" and it is being highlighted using this structure. "C'est" introduces the emphasized element followed by "que" and the rest of the sentence. This is common for expressiveness.
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C'est sûrement parce que j'y laisse un bout de moi
➔ C'est parce que + Clause: Reason/Cause explanation
➔ "C'est parce que" introduces the reason behind the previous statement. It means "It's because..."
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Si c'est la dernière fois que je te vois, le dernier souvenir
➔ Si + Clause (present tense), Clause: Conditional with a likely outcome
➔ This uses a type 1 conditional, expressing a real possibility. "Si" introduces the condition (if I see you for the last time), and the following clause indicates the consequence (the last memory).
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C'est pas tes larmes que je veux voir, c'est ton joli sourire
➔ C'est ... que: Emphasis Structure
➔ This is another emphasis structure, highlighting what the speaker *doesn't* want to see and then what they *do* want to see. The element between "C'est" and "que" is being emphasized.
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Alors, je voudrais que tu parles encore de nous
➔ Vouloir que + Subjunctive: Expressing a wish or desire that someone else do something
➔ This sentence uses "vouloir que" followed by the subjunctive mood ("parles"). This is required when expressing a desire or wanting someone *else* to do something.
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Comme deux âmes sœurs dont les rêves étaient trop fous
➔ Dont: Relative Pronoun replacing a noun phrase introduced by 'de'
➔ "Dont" replaces "de leurs rêves". It connects the idea of "two soulmates" to their dreams. Literally, "whose dreams were too crazy". It avoids repetition.
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J'suis pas naïf, je sais que le temps nous effacera
➔ Je sais que + Indicative: Expressing knowledge or certainty
➔ "Je sais que" is followed by the indicative mood because the speaker is expressing something they know to be true or believe with certainty. There's no doubt being expressed.
