Tana – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Houari, Jul
• Album: Insomnia

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in its culture, and "Tana" by Houari and Jul offers a perfect snapshot of modern French slang and the vibrant musical scene of Marseille. The lyrics are filled with contemporary colloquialisms and references that you won't find in a textbook, giving you a real taste of how the language is spoken today. The song's catchy rhythm and clear delivery also make it easier to pick up on new words and phrases. What makes "Tana" special is its blend of a party anthem with a subtle, more critical look at certain aspects of society, all wrapped up in the unique and influential sound of Marseille rap.

[English]

Pou-pou-pou-pou

She's a real gold-digger.

Oh, that jerk, oh, that jerk,

He took the drug money and bailed for Pattaya.

It's wild, her big butt is mesmerizing.

She loves the street life and expensive, dark cars.

She's a real gold-digger.

Oh wow, she doesn't even give you the time of day.

You need a black card, at the very least.

She's a real gold-digger.

She wants the high life, she puts on a pious act in Rabat.

Urus, Féfé, Porsche GT4

She's a real gold-digger.

All night I drank heavily, a stay in Miami.

I'm dancing with Maria, we're listening to Dalida, it's awesome.

Gold-diggers are too good at charming men, oh dear.

I have no more love to give.

I found the right one.

It's for life, I know myself well.

There are too many who act wild.

She's hot, she gets everything she wants.

She's looking for money.

She does everything for it, She's a real gold-digger.

She's hot, she gets everything she wants.

She's looking for money.

She does everything for it.

She's a real gold-digger.

She's a Latina bombshell, Latina bombshell, Latina bombshell.

She's a Latina bombshell, Latina bombshell, Latina bombshell.

She's a Latina bombshell, Latina bombshell, Latina bombshell.

She's a Latina bombshell, Latina bombshell, Latina bombshell.

She's hot, she gets everything she wants.

She's looking for money.

She does everything for it.

She's a real gold-digger.

She's hot, she gets everything she wants.

She's looking for money.

She does everything for it.

She's a real gold-digger.

[French]

Pou-pou-pou-pou

C'est une vraie tana

Ah le bâtard, ah le bâtard,

il a pris l'argent du charbon, il s'est taillé à Pattaya

C'est chaud, devant son gros boule, ça bug.

Elle aime trop la calle et les gamos des ténèbres.

C'est une vraie tana.

Ah là là, elle donne pas l'heure à la base.

Il faut minimum la black card.

C'est une vraie tana.

Elle veut d'la patata, elle fait halal rabat.

Urus, Féfé, Porsche GT4

C'est une vraie tana.

Toute la nuit j'ai pillave, séjour à mamia.

J'danse avec Maria, on écoute Dalida, c'est grave.

Trop kiffant les tana pour plaire aux hommes, aïe, aïe, aïe.

J'ai plus d'amour à donner.

J'ai trouvé la bonne.

C'est pour la vie, j'me connais.

Y'en a trop qui font les folles.

Elle est bonne, elle trouve tout.

Elle cherche les sous-sous.

Elle fait tout tout tout, C'est une vraie tana.

Elle est bonne, elle trouve tout.

Elle cherche les sous-sous.

Elle fait tout tout tout.

C'est une vraie tana.

C'est une bomba latina, bomba latina, bomba latina.

C'est une bomba latina, bomba latina, bomba latina.

C'est une bomba latina, bomba latina, bomba latina.

C'est une bomba latina, bomba latina, bomba latina.

Elle est bonne, elle trouve tout.

Elle cherche les sous-sous.

Elle fait tout tout tout.

C'est une vraie tana.

Elle est bonne, elle trouve tout.

Elle cherche les sous-sous.

Elle fait tout tout tout.

C'est une vraie tana.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
tana /ta.na/ C1	noun - (Slang, referring to a woman) A highly attractive, often materialistic woman who demands luxury and high standards from men; a gold-digger.
bâtard /bɑ.taʁ/ B2	noun - (Derogatory) A mean or contemptible person; (Literally) An illegitimate child. adjective - (Of illegitimate birth) Illegitimate; (Colloquial) Mean, nasty, difficult.
chaud /ʃo/ B2	adjective - Hot (temperature); (Slang) Difficult, risky, intense, or exciting.
boule /bul/ B2	noun - Ball, sphere; (Slang, informal) Buttocks, ass.
bugger /by.ɡe/ B2	verb - To malfunction, to crash (especially of a computer or system, from English "bug").
calle /kal/ C1	noun - (Slang, from Spanish "calle") The street, referring to street life, hustle, or street credibility.
gamos /ɡa.mo/ C1	noun - (Slang, plural) Expensive, high-end cars.
ténèbres /te.nɛbʁ/ B2	noun - Darkness, shadows; (Figurative) Obscurity, evil, ignorance.
pillave /pi.jav/ B2	verb - (Slang) To drink alcohol, often heavily.
kiffant /ki.fɑ̃/ B2	adjective - (Slang) Enjoyable, cool, pleasant, fun.
sous-sous /su.su/ B2	noun - (Slang, plural) Money, cash.
bomba /bɔ̃.ba/ B2	noun - Bomb; (Slang) An extremely attractive person, especially a woman.
Latina /la.ti.na/ B1	adjective - Latin (referring to people or culture from Latin America). noun - A woman of Latin American origin or descent.
se tailler /sə ta.je/ B2	verb - (Slang) To leave quickly, to split, to get out.
donner /dɔ.ne/ A1	verb - To give; (Contextual, "donner l'heure") to tell the time.
chercher /ʃɛʁ.ʃe/ A1	verb - To search for, to look for, to seek.
faire /fɛʁ/ A1	verb - To do, to make; to perform an action.
bon/bonne /bɔ̃/ (masc.) /bɔn/ (fem.) B2	adjective - Good, well; (Slang, referring to a person) Attractive, sexy.
grave /ɡʁav/ B2	adjective - Serious, severe; (Slang, informal) Very, extremely, seriously.
argent /aʁ.ʒɑ̃/ A1	noun - Money; Silver (metal).

Key Grammar Structures

• C'est une vraie tana.

  ➔ Impersonal expression "C'est" + Indefinite Article and Adjective Agreement

  ➔ The phrase ""C'est une vraie tana"" uses the very common impersonal expression ""C'est"" (It is / She is), followed by the feminine indefinite article ""une"" and the adjective ""vraie"" (true/real), which agrees in gender and number with the noun ""tana"".

• il a pris l'argent du charbon, il s'est taillé à Pattaya

  ➔ Passé Composé with "avoir" vs. "être" (Pronominal Verb)

  ➔ The sentence uses the ""passé composé"" (compound past tense). ""Il a pris"" (he took) is formed with the auxiliary verb ""avoir"". ""Il s'est taillé"" (he ran off / fled) is formed with the auxiliary verb ""être"" because ""se tailler"" is a pronominal verb (reflexive action), and the past participle ""taillé"" agrees with the subject ""il"".

• C'est chaud, devant son gros boule, ça bug.

  ➔ Informal "C'est" + Impersonal Pronoun "Ça" + Anglophone Verb ("bugger")

  ➔ ""C'est chaud"" is an informal French expression meaning ""It's intense/difficult/hot."" ""Ça bug"" is a colloquial expression, an anglicism from ""to bug"" (malfunction), used impersonally with ""ça"" to describe being overwhelmed or freezing due to an impressive sight.

• Elle aime trop la calle et les gamos des ténèbres.

  ➔ Adverb of Quantity "Trop" + Definite Articles + Prepositional Contraction "des"

  ➔ ""Trop"" (too much/many) is an adverb indicating excess. ""La calle"" and ""les gamos"" use definite articles. ""Des ténèbres"" (of the shadows) is a contraction of the preposition ""de"" (of/from) and the definite article ""les"", forming ""des"".

• Ah là là, elle donne pas l'heure à la base.

  ➔ Informal Negation (Omission of "ne") + Informal Adverbial Phrase "à la base"

  ➔ In informal spoken French, the first part of the negation ""ne"" is often omitted, so ""elle donne pas"" is used instead of ""elle ne donne pas"" (she doesn't give). ""À la base"" is a common informal expression meaning ""basically"" or ""initially.""

• Il faut minimum la black card.

  ➔ Impersonal Verb "Il faut"

  ➔ ""Il faut"" is an impersonal verb expression meaning ""It is necessary"" or ""One must."" It can be followed by an infinitive verb (e.g., il faut partir) or, as here, by a noun phrase (e.g., ""la black card"") indicating what is required.

• Elle veut d'la patata, elle fait halal rabat.

  ➔ Informal Contraction "d'la" + Slang Expressions

  ➔ ""D'la"" is an informal contraction of ""de la."" ""Faire halal rabat"" is a slang phrase. ""Faire halal"" implies making something seem legitimate or morally acceptable, often with an underlying insincerity, and ""rabat"" refers to a discount or deal, collectively implying shrewd and potentially deceptive dealings for personal gain.

• J'ai plus d'amour à donner.

  ➔ Negative Adverb "plus de" + Preposition "à" + Infinitive

  ➔ ""Plus d'amour"" (no more love) uses the negative adverb ""plus de"" (with ""ne"" implicitly omitted as common in informal speech). The phrase ""à donner"" (to give) uses the preposition ""à"" followed by an infinitive, specifying the purpose or characteristic of the preceding noun.

• Y'en a trop qui font les folles.

  ➔ Informal Impersonal Expression "Y'en a" + Relative Pronoun "qui"

  ➔ ""Y'en a"" is an informal contraction of ""il y en a"" (there are some). ""Trop"" means ""too many."" ""Qui font les folles"" is a relative clause introduced by ""qui"" (who), describing the individuals. ""Faire les folles"" is an informal expression meaning ""to act crazy/wild.""