J'avoue – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Linh

Lyrics & Translation

Learning French becomes a heartfelt journey with Linh's song 'J'avoue.' This touching ballad offers a chance to understand and express deep emotions through its simple yet profound lyrics. The song is special because it tells a universal story of how love can bring light into our lives, making it a beautiful and relatable way to connect with the French language.

[English]

I've lied to the people I love before

Just not to admit when I'm not okay

I've smiled to hide my pain

That I carry behind my back

And it's not easy to say when you're afraid

When you don't trust yourself

After all, what do I have to offer? I don't know

But I admit

Since you're here, I no longer fear the dawn

Yet, I wasn't expecting you, my love

And if life separates us, then it's not worth it anymore

I admit

I don't want to say thank you

Because you deserve so much more than that

Because you've saved my life

All I want now is to live it with you

No matter the torrents, the rains

All the trials in the world, we'll get through them together

And we'll create memories others

Won't understand, won't understand

But I admit

Since you're here, I no longer fear the dawn

Yet, I wasn't expecting you, my love

And if life separates us, then it's not worth it anymore

I admit

You're my present and my future

This love so strong that I break down walls for you

You're my greatest fortune, my shelter, my armor

You're my last dance, this flawless picture

You're my essential, probably the most beautiful soul

You're my shining light that brightens my way

And if one day you leave, if one day I lose you

Never forget how much I love you

So I admit

Since you're here, I no longer fear the dawn

Yet, I wasn't expecting you, my love

And if life separates us, then it's not worth it anymore

I admit

But I admit

Since you're here, I no longer fear the dawn

Yet, I wasn't expecting you, my love

And if life separates us, then it's not worth it anymore

I admit

...

[French]

Ça m'est arrivé de mentir aux gens que j'aime

Pour pas dire quand ça va pas

Ça m'est arrivé de sourire pour fuir les peines

Que je traine derrière moi

Et puis c'est pas facile à dire quand on a peur

Quand on n'a pas confiance en soi

Après tout j'ai quoi à offrir, moi, je sais pas

Mais j'avoue

Depuis qu't'es là, je n'ai plus peur de voir se lever le jour

Pourtant j't'attendais pas, toi mon amour

Et si la vie nous sépare, alors ça ne vaut plus le coup

J'avoue

J'ai pas envie d'te dire merci

Parce que tu mérites tellement plus que ça

Parce que tu m'as sauvé la vie

J'ai qu'une envie maintenant, c'est de la vivre avec toi

Et qu'importe les torrents, les pluies

Toutes les épreuves du monde ensemble, on les traversera

Et on se créera des souvenirs que les autres

Ne comprendront pas, ne comprendront pas

Mais j'avoue

Depuis qu't'es là, je n'ai plus peur de voir se lever le jour

Pourtant j't'attendais pas, toi mon amour

Et si la vie nous sépare, alors ça ne vaut plus le coup

J'avoue

T'es mon présent et puis mon futur

Cet amour si fort que j'traverse les murs

T'es ma plus grande chance, mon toit, mon armure

T'es ma dernière danse, ce tableau sans rature

T'es mon essentiel, sûrement l'âme la plus belle

T'es ma lumière qui brille qui m'éclaire

Et si un jour tu pars, si un jour j'te perds

N'oublie jamais combien je t'aime

Alors j'avoue

Depuis qu't'es là, je n'ai plus peur de voir se lever le jour

Pourtant j't'attendais pas, toi mon amour

Et si la vie nous sépare, alors ça ne vaut plus le coup

J'avoue

Mais j'avoue

Depuis que t'es là, je n'ai plus peur de voir se lever le jour

Pourtant j't'attendais pas, toi mon amour

Et si la vie nous sépare, alors ça ne vaut plus le coup

J'avoue

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
mentir /mɑ̃tiʁ/ B1	verb - to lie
sourire /suʁiʁ/ A2	verb - to smile
peur /pœʁ/ A2	noun - fear
confiance /kɔ̃.fjɑ̃s/ B1	noun - trust
offrir /ɔfʁiʁ/ B1	verb - to offer
peur /pœʁ/ A2	noun - fear
vie /vi/ A2	noun - life
amour /amuʁ/ A2	noun - love
selever /sə.lə.ve/ B2	verb - to rise
jour /ʒuʁ/ A2	noun - day
amour /amuʁ/ A2	noun - love
chance /ʃɑ̃s/ B1	noun - chance
mur /myʁ/ B2	noun - wall
peindre /pɛ̃dʁ/ B2	verb - to paint

Key Grammar Structures

• Ça m'est arrivé de mentir aux gens que j'aime

  ➔ Impersonal verb construction with 'arriver' and infinitive

  ➔ The construction "Ça m'est arrivé de..." means "It has happened to me to...". It emphasizes that the action of lying occurred, but without focusing on a specific subject.

• Pour pas dire quand ça va pas

  ➔ Use of 'pour pas' instead of 'pour ne pas'. Informal negation.

  ➔ "Pour pas" is a colloquial shortening of "pour ne pas". It serves the same purpose of expressing a negative intention, but is less formal. "Quand ça va pas" is also informal for "quand ça ne va pas".

• Depuis qu't'es là, je n'ai plus peur de voir se lever le jour

  ➔ Structure with 'depuis que' indicating a time frame and its consequence.

  ➔ "Depuis que" introduces the starting point in time, and the following clause expresses the consequence. 'Je n'ai plus peur' uses the negative 'ne...plus' to mean 'no longer'. The "t'" is a shortened form of "tu".

• Pourtant j't'attendais pas, toi mon amour

  ➔ Use of 'pourtant' to introduce a contrasting idea. Informal shortening of 'te' to 't''.

  ➔ "Pourtant" signifies "yet", "however", or "nevertheless", indicating a contradiction with the preceding statement. 'J't'attendais pas' uses the pronoun 'te' shortened to 't'' because it comes before a vowel. It is also informal.

• Et si la vie nous sépare, alors ça ne vaut plus le coup

  ➔ Conditional sentence using 'si' with present tense to express a possible future condition and its consequence.

  ➔ This is a typical conditional structure: "Si + present tense, future tense". Here, 'la vie nous sépare' is the condition (present tense), and 'ça ne vaut plus le coup' is the consequence (future tense implication). 'Valoir le coup' means 'to be worth it'.

• Parce que tu mérites tellement plus que ça

  ➔ Use of 'tellement' as an intensifier followed by 'plus que'.

  ➔ "Tellement plus que" emphasizes the degree to which someone deserves more than something else. It's a strong way to express the feeling that someone deserves much better. "Tellement" acts as an adverb modifying "plus".

• T'es mon présent et puis mon futur

  ➔ Simple present tense to define what someone is to the speaker.

  ➔ Using the present tense ('T'es') emphasizes the current and ongoing significance of the person being addressed. 'Et puis' adds emphasis or a slight pause.

• Cet amour si fort que j'traverse les murs

  ➔ Structure using 'si...que' to express intensity, followed by a result clause.

  ➔ "Si fort que" means "so strong that". The first part describes a characteristic and the second part describes the result or consequence of that characteristic. "J'traverse les murs" (I cross walls) illustrates the strength of the love.