Sensualité – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Axelle Red
• Album: Sans plus attendre

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the enduring charm of Axelle Red's "Sensualité." This iconic French pop song, released in 1993, offers a beautiful exploration of desire and romantic connection. Learning "Sensualité" not only exposes you to the richness of the French language but also to a powerful message of female agency in relationships, making it a special piece to add to your musical vocabulary.

[English]

Never would I have thought

To need him so much

...

I feel so bewitched

That my mom tells me "slow down

Desire or love

You'll know one day"

I love, I love your eyes

I love your scent

All your gentle gestures

Slowly directed

Sensuality

Ouh, stop, a moment

I would like this moment

Fixed for years and years

Your sensuality

...

It seems that after some time

Passion weakens

...

Not always apparently

And Mom told me "slow down

Desire or love

You'll know one day"

I love, I love your eyes

I love your scent

All your gentle gestures

Slowly directed

Sensuality

Ouh, stop, a moment

I would like this moment

Fixed for years and years

Your sensuality

I ask you so simply

Don't pretend

...

I will love you again

And again

...

Desire or love

You'll know one day

I love, I love your eyes

I love your scent

All your gentle gestures

Slowly directed

Sensuality

Ouh, stop, a moment

I would like this moment

Fixed for years and years

Your sensuality

Your eyes, I love your scent

All your gentle gestures

Slowly directed

Sensuality

Ouh, stop, a moment (a moment)

I would like this moment (that I would like)

Fixed for years and years (to approach you)

Your sensuality

Your eyes, I love your scent

All your gentle gestures (for just one moment)

Slowly directed

Sensuality

Ouh, stop, a moment

I would like this moment (just one)

Fixed for years and years (for years)

...

[French]

Jamais je n'aurais pensé

Tant besoin de lui

Je me sens si envoutée

Que ma maman me dit "ralentis

Désir ou amour

Tu le sauras un jour"

J'aime, j'aime tes yeux

J'aime ton odeur

Tous tes gestes en douceur

Lentement dirigés

Sensualité

Ouh, stop, un instant

J'aimerais que ce moment

Fixe pour des tas d'années

Ta sensualité

Il paraît qu'après quelques temps

La passion s'affaiblit

Pas toujours apparemment

Et maman m'avait dit "ralentis

Désir ou amour

Tu le sauras un jour"

J'aime, j'aime tes yeux

J'aime ton odeur

Tous tes gestes en douceur

Lentement dirigés

Sensualité

Ouh, stop, un instant

J'aimerais que ce moment

Fixe pour des tas d'années

Ta sensualité

Je te demande si simplement

Ne fais pas semblant

Je t'aimerai encore

Et encore

Désir ou amour

Tu le sauras un jour

J'aime, j'aime tes yeux

J'aime ton odeur

Tous tes gestes en douceur

Lentement dirigés

Sensualité

Ouh, stop, un instant

J'aimerais que ce moment

Fixe pour des tas d'années

Ta sensualité

Tes yeux, j'aime ton odeur

Tous tes gestes en douceur

Lentement dirigés

Sensualité

Ouh, stop, un instant (un moment)

J'aimerais que ce moment (que j'aimerais)

Fixe pour des tas d'années (t'aborder)

Ta sensualité

Tes yeux, j'aime ton odeur

Tous tes gestes en douceur (pour un seul moment)

Lentement dirigés

Sensualité

Ouh, stop, un instant

J'aimerais que ce moment (juste un seul)

Fixe pour des tas d'années (pendant des années)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sensualité /sɑ̃sɥalite/ B2	noun - the condition of being sensual; physical pleasure
désir /dezire/ B1	noun - a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen
amour /amuʁ/ A2	noun - a strong feeling of deep affection
yeux /jø/ A1	noun - the organ of sight
odeur /odeʁ/ A2	noun - a distinctive smell, especially a pleasant one
gestes /ʒɛst/ B1	noun - a movement of the body, especially the hands or arms, that expresses an idea or feeling
moment /mɔmɑ̃/ A2	noun - a very brief period of time
passion /pa.sjɔ̃/ B2	noun - a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something
ralentis /ʁalɑ̃ti/ B1	verb - to slow down
demande /dəmɑ̃d/ B1	verb - to ask for something
encore /ɑ̃kɔʁ/ A2	adverb - again; once more

Key Grammar Structures

• Jamais je n'aurais pensé Tant besoin de lui

  ➔ Conditional Past Perfect with 'ne...jamais'

  ➔ The "n'aurais pensé" is the conditional past perfect, expressing a regret or something you wouldn't have imagined. "Jamais" reinforces the negative sentiment. "Tant besoin de lui" uses "tant" to show intensity, indicating a great need.

• Que ma maman me dit "ralentis

  ➔ Subjunctive after verbs expressing emotion/opinion, and Imperative

  ➔ Although the verb is "dit" (indicative), the implied suggestion, advice, or warning could trigger the subjunctive in a more formal context. "Ralentis" is the imperative form of "ralentir".

• Désir ou amour Tu le sauras un jour

  ➔ Future Simple Tense

  ➔ "Tu le sauras" uses the future simple tense to express something that will happen at some point in the future.

• J'aimerais que ce moment Fixe pour des tas d'années

  ➔ Subjunctive after 'J'aimerais que'

  ➔ "J'aimerais que" expresses a wish or desire. Because of this, the verb in the subordinate clause ("fixe") is in the subjunctive mood.

• Il paraît qu'après quelques temps La passion s'affaiblit

  ➔ Impersonal verb 'Il paraît que' + indicative

  ➔ 'Il paraît que' means 'it seems that' or 'it appears that'. It's an impersonal construction introducing a statement of general knowledge or hearsay. It is followed by a clause in the indicative mood, as it presents the information as a fact.

• Je te demande si simplement Ne fais pas semblant

  ➔ Adverb of manner (simplement) and negative imperative

  ➔ "Simplement" is an adverb of manner, modifying the verb "demande". "Ne fais pas semblant" is a negative imperative, giving an order not to pretend.

• Je t'aimerai encore Et encore

  ➔ Future Simple Tense, repetition for emphasis

  ➔ "Je t'aimerai" is in the future simple, expressing a future action. The repetition of "et encore" emphasizes the continuous nature of the love.