Les portes du souvenir – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Les Nubians
• Album: Princesses Nubiennes

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the poetic elegance of the French language with 'Les portes du souvenir.' This song is perfect for learners who want to explore evocative vocabulary related to memory and emotion, all set to a sophisticated soul rhythm that makes language acquisition a melodic experience.

[English]

She takes a moment to reflect

To let her feelings flow

Her prince must be coming

Her dreams carry her away

Finally, she believes she sees the future

Past lovers crowd around her languid body

She has opened the doors of memory

Her past resurfaces, telling no lies

She has opened the doors of memory

She, who waits and chases the future

She dreams and remembers all her heartbreaks

Her fleeting loves, seen in a new light

Those who knew how to make her happy

And who became nothing more

As soon as the seductive dawn broke

She has opened the doors of memory

Her past resurfaces, telling no lies

She has opened the doors of memory

She, who waits and chases the future

She has opened the doors of memory

Her past resurfaces, telling no lies

She has opened the doors of memory

She, who waits for the one who is her future

She has opened the doors of memory

She has opened the doors of memory

She, she has opened, opened the doors of memory

She has opened

Haunted by the past, she who seeks the future

She, she has opened

She has opened the doors of memory

She, she has opened the doors of memory...

[French]

Elle se donne un instant pour réfléchir

Pour laisser aller ses sentiments

Son prince doit venir

Ses songes l'emportent

Enfin, elle croit voir l'avenir

Ses amants passés se pressent sur son corps alangui

Elle a ouvert les portes du souvenir

Son passé ressurgit sans mentir

Elle a ouvert les portes du souvenir

Elle qui attend et qui poursuit l'avenir

Elle rêve et se rappelle tous ses chagrins d'amour

Ses amours éphémères qu'elle voit d'un nouveau jour

Ceux qui ont su la rendre heureuse

Et qui n'étaient plus rien

Dès l'aube enjôleuse

Elle a ouvert les portes du souvenir

Son passé ressurgit sans mentir

Elle a ouvert les portes du souvenir

Elle qui attend et qui poursuit l'avenir

Elle a ouvert les portes du souvenir

Son passé ressurgit sans mentir

Elle a ouvert les portes du souvenir

Elle qui attend celui qui est son avenir

Elle a ouvert les portes du souvenir

Elle a ouvert les portes du souvenir

Elle, elle a ouvert, ouvert les porte du souvenirs

Elle a ouvert

Poursuivi par le passé, elle qui recherche l'avenir

Elle, elle a ouvert

Elle a ouvert, les porte du souvenir

Elle, elle a ouvert, les portes du souvenir...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
instant ɛ̃stɑ̃ A2	nom - A very short period of time.
réfléchir ʁeflesiʁ A2	verbe - To think about or consider.
sentiments sɑ̃timɑ̃ B1	nom - Feelings or emotions.
songes sɔ̃ʒ B2	nom - Dreams or reveries.
avenir avniʁ A2	nom - The future.
amants amɑ̃ B1	nom - Lovers.
alangui alɑ̃ɡi C2	adjectif - Languid or relaxed.
ressurgit ʁesyʁʒi C1	verbe - To resurface or reappear.
poursuit puʁsɥi B1	verbe - To pursue or chase.
chagrins ʃaɡʁɛ̃ B1	nom - Sorrows or griefs.
éphémères efemɛʁ C1	adjectif - Ephemeral or short-lived.
aube ob B2	nom - Dawn.
enjôleuse ɑ̃ʒøløz C2	adjectif - Coaxing or seductive.

Key Grammar Structures

• Elle se donne un instant pour réfléchir

  ➔ Reflexive verb with direct object

  ➔ "Se donne" implies giving to oneself; the reflexive pronoun 'se' marks the action done to oneself.

• Son prince doit venir

  ➔ Modal verb expressing obligation or probability

  ➔ "Doit" from 'devoir' is used here to indicate a strong expectation or future certainty.

• Ses songes l'emportent

  ➔ Pronominal direct object replacement

  ➔ The 'l'' (la) stands for 'elle', acting as the object that is being 'carried away'.

• Enfin, elle croit voir l'avenir

  ➔ Infinitive clause after a verb of perception/belief

  ➔ After 'croit' (believes), the verb 'voir' is in the infinitive form to describe the content of the belief.

• Ses amants passés se pressent sur son corps

  ➔ Present participle/reflexive action in descriptive context

  ➔ "Se pressent" indicates an action performed by the lovers upon themselves or each other, adding a vivid, continuous movement.

• Elle a ouvert les portes

  ➔ Passé composé indicating a completed action

  ➔ "A ouvert" is the past participle of 'ouvrir', signaling that the act of opening is finished.

• Son passé ressurgit sans mentir

  ➔ Adverbial phrase of manner

  ➔ "Sans mentir" describes how the past resurfaces: truthfully, without deception.

• Elle qui attend celui qui est son avenir

  ➔ Relative pronoun clause

  ➔ "Celui qui" acts as the antecedent for the relative pronoun 'qui', identifying the specific person she is waiting for.