Si j'étais un homme – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Chilla

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the impactful French hip-hop track "Si j'étais un homme" by Chilla. This song offers a unique perspective on gender dynamics, allowing listeners to step into the shoes of another gender and fostering empathy and understanding of societal issues.

[English]

I would talk to you like you've never spoken to your mother

You would owe me if I buy you a drink

I would harass you with ten friends just to get your number

You'd have to be nice if I take you to a restaurant

If you say "no," I would make you change your mind

I would make your life miserable, I would ruin your life

I would act according to my pride, according to my desires

I would tell you that you're the only one, I would make you feel unique

I would watch soccer, while you do the dishes

I would gladly tell you to get lost when you give me a scene

If I buy you a chain, will you become my bitch?

I would be unfaithful, but you would still come back

If I were a man, if we switched roles

I would lift your dress, would you keep control?

If I were a man, if we exchanged skins

I would call you "slut," would you turn your back on me?

If I were a man, ah ah oh

If I were a man, ah ah oh

If I were a man, ah ah oh

If I were a man, ah ah oh

If I were a man, I would piss against the walls

I would hit on moms, teens, nuns, and whores

Permission to send me flying, valid all over the Earth

Not the same judgment, the same contract, the same salary

I would be your independence, your long-term investment

We said "for life," I signed the loan for the Benz

It's in nature, evil is dominant

If I were a man, I wouldn't have feelings

I would make promises that I couldn't keep

I would cover you in hits just to hold you back

If you want to please me, you would have to suffer

Hey, sad whims of desire

If I were a man, if we switched roles

I would lift your dress, would you keep control?

If I were a man, if we exchanged skins

I would call you "slut," would you turn your back on me?

If I were a man, ah ah oh

If I were a man, ah ah oh

If I were a man, ah ah oh

If I were a man, ah ah oh

Blinded, I forgot the one who takes care of his mother

I hold onto the one who behaves like a gentleman

There are men of value, of heart, proud men

The friend, the good husband, the brother, and the father

The one who takes care of his mother

Who behaves like a gentleman

Men of value, proud men

The friend, the good husband, the brother, and the father

If I were a man

If I were a man

But I am not

...

[French]

J'te parlerai comme jamais tu ne parles à ta mère

Tu me seras redevable si je te paie un verre

J't'harcèle avec dix potes juste pour avoir ton numéro

Il faudra que tu sois gentille si je t'emmène au restau'

Si tu me dis "non" j'te ferai changer d'avis

J'te foutrai la misère, j'te pourrirai la vie

J'ferai selon mon orgueil, selon mes envies

J'te dirai qu't'es la seule, je te ferai sentir unique

J'regarderai le foot, toi tu feras la vaisselle

Je t'enverrai bien t'faire foutre quand tu me feras une scène

Si j't'achète une chaîne, deviendras-tu ma chienne?

Je te serai infidèle mais tu reviendras quand même

Si j'étais un homme, si on inversait les rôles

Je soulèverai ta robe, garderais-tu le contrôle?

Si j'étais un homme, si on échangeait de peau

Je t'appellerai "salope", me tournerais-tu le dos?

Si j'étais un homme, ah ah ouh

Si j'étais un homme, ah ah ouh

Si j'étais un homme, ah ah ouh

Si j'étais un homme, ah ah ouh

Si j'étais un homme, j'pisserais contre les murs

Je draguerais les daronnes, les ados, les nonnes et les putes

Permis d'm'envoyer en l'air, valable sur la Terre entière

Pas le même jugement, le même contrat, le même salaire

Je serai ton indépendance, ton investissement à long terme

On s'est dit "pour la vie", j'ai signé l'crédit pour la Benz

C'est dans la nature, le mal est dominant

Si j'étais un homme, j'ferai pas de sentiments

J'ferai des promesses que je n'saurai tenir

Te couvrirai de coups juste pour te retenir

Si tu veux me plaire il te faudra souffrir

Hey, tristes aléas du désir

Si j'étais un homme, si on inversait les rôles

Je soulèverai ta robe, garderais-tu le contrôle?

Si j'étais un homme, si on échangeait de peau

Je t'appellerai "salope", me tournerais-tu le dos?

Si j'étais un homme, ah ah ouh

Si j'étais un homme, ah ah ouh

Si j'étais un homme, ah ah ouh

Si j'étais un homme, ah ah ouh

Aveuglée, j'ai oublié celui qui prend soin de sa mère

Je retiens celui qui se conduit comme un gentleman

Il y a des hommes de valeur, de cœur, des hommes fiers

L'ami, le bon mari, le frère et le père

Celui qui prend soin de sa mère

Qui se conduit en gentleman

Des hommes de valeur, des hommes fiers

L'ami, le bon mari, le frère et le père

Si j'étais un homme

Si j'étais un homme

Mais je ne le suis pas

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
parlerai /paʁlʁɛ/ B1	verb - to speak or talk
redevable /ʁə.də.vabl/ C1	adjective - indebted, owing gratitude or obligation
harcèle /aʁsɛl/ B2	verb - to harass, to bombard with questions or requests
gentille /ʒɑ̃.tij/ A2	adjective - kind, nice, gentle
changer /ʃɑ̃.ʒe/ B1	verb - to change, to modify
feu /fø/ A2	noun - fire
vie /vi/ A2	noun - life
orgueil /ɔʁ.ɡœj/ B2	noun - pride, ego
envies /ɑ̃.vje/ B2	noun - desires, envies
sentir /sɑ̃.tiʁ/ B1	verb - to feel
unique /y.nik/ B2	adjective - one of a kind, unique
regarderai /ʁə.ɡaʁ.dʁɛ/ B1	verb - to look at, to watch
feu /fø/ A2	noun - fire
sentir /sɑ̃.tiʁ/ B1	verb - to feel, to sense
contrôle /kɔ̃.tʁɔl/ B2	noun - control, authority
appelerai /a.pə.le.ʁɛ/ B1	verb - to call, to name
salope /salɔp/ C1	noun - slut (offensive term), bitch

Key Grammar Structures

• J'te parlerai comme jamais tu ne parles à ta mère

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood after 'comme'

  ➔ The use of the subjunctive mood 'ne parles' after 'comme' indicates a comparison to a hypothetical or unreal situation. In this case, it emphasizes that she would speak to someone in a way that is completely different from how they speak to their mother.

• Tu me seras redevable si je te paie un verre

  ➔ Future Simple + 'si' Clause (Conditional)

  ➔ This sentence uses a type 1 conditional structure. If I buy you a drink ("si je te paie un verre"), then you will be indebted to me ("Tu me seras redevable"). It expresses a probable or likely condition and its result.

• Si tu me dis "non" j'te ferai changer d'avis

  ➔ Future Simple + 'si' Clause (Conditional)

  ➔ Again, a type 1 conditional. If you say no ("Si tu me dis 'non'"), I will make you change your mind ("j'te ferai changer d'avis").

• J'te foutrai la misère, j'te pourrirai la vie

  ➔ Future Simple

  ➔ Expressing actions that will occur in the future. "J'te foutrai la misère" (I will make your life miserable) and "j'te pourrirai la vie" (I will ruin your life) are both using the future simple to express a threat.

• J'ferai selon mon orgueil, selon mes envies

  ➔ Future Simple + 'selon'

  ➔ The sentence uses the future simple tense (J'ferai) to describe an action that will be carried out in the future. 'Selon' means 'according to' or 'depending on.' The sentence means 'I will act according to my pride, according to my desires.'

• Si j'étais un homme, si on inversait les rôles

  ➔ Imperfect Subjunctive + 'si' Clause (Hypothetical)

  ➔ This is a type 2 conditional sentence. The imperfect subjunctive 'j'étais' expresses a hypothetical or unreal condition in the present. It sets up a thought experiment about what would happen *if* she were a man.

• Je soulèverai ta robe, garderais-tu le contrôle?

  ➔ Conditional Mood + 'si' (Hypothetical)

  ➔ Linked to the previous line using the type 2 conditional, this sentence asks a question about a hypothetical outcome. The conditional mood ('soulèverai' and 'garderais') expresses what *would* happen under the unreal condition. The sentence asks: If I were a man and lifted your dress, *would* you keep control?

• Si j'étais un homme, si on échangeait de peau

  ➔ Imperfect Subjunctive + 'si' Clause (Hypothetical)

  ➔ Similar to the previous 'si j'étais' line, it's a type 2 conditional, creating a hypothetical scenario with 'j'étais'. 'Si on échangeait de peau' (if we switched skins) further reinforces the unreal condition.

• Je t'appellerai "salope", me tournerais-tu le dos?

  ➔ Conditional Mood + Question + 'si' (Hypothetical)

  ➔ This continues the type 2 conditional. Using the conditional mood in a question ('Je t'appellerai', 'me tournerais-tu'), it asks what would happen under the hypothetical condition of being a man and swapping skins. If I called you a "slut", *would* you turn your back on me?