Ma Meilleure Ennemie – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Stromae, Pomme, Coldplay
• Album: Arcane Season 2 Extended Soundtrack, Arcane Season 2 Original Soundtrack

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the world of French music with Stromae and Pomme's 'Ma Meilleure Ennemie,' a song that encapsulates the beautiful yet conflicting emotions of love and hate. This track, made for the series Arcane, offers a unique way to explore French language and culture through its poignant lyrics and catchy melody.

[English]

I love you, I hate you, I love you, I hate you

I love you, I hate you, I love you, I hate you

I love you, I hate you, I love you, I hate you

I love you, I hate you, I love you, I hate you

You're the best thing that ever happened to me

But also the worst thing that ever happened to me

The day I met you, maybe I would have preferred

That that day had never come (come)

The worst of blessings

The most beautiful of curses

From you, I should stay away

But as the saying goes

"Rather be poorly accompanied than alone"

You know what they say

"Keep your dearest friends close"

But also

"Even closer to your enemies"

But my best enemy is you

Run from me, the worst thing is you and me

...

But if you're still looking for my voice

Forget me, the worst thing is you and me

...

Why does your name hurt me

When it's hidden right there in the space?

What emotion is this?

Hate or tenderness

When I hear your name?

I told you "don't look back"

The past that follows you wages war on you

But my best enemy is you

Run from me, the worst thing is you and me

...

But my best enemy is you

Run from me, the worst thing is you and me

...

I love you, I hate you, I love you, I hate you

I love you, I hate you, I love you, I hate you

I love you, I hate you, I love you, I hate you

I love you, I hate you, I love you, I hate you

I love you, I hate you, I love you, I hate you

I love you, I hate you, I love you, I hate you

I love you, I hate you, I love you, I hate you

I love you, I hate you, I love you, I hate you

...

[French]

Je t'aime, je te hais, je t'aime, je te hais

Je t'aime, je te hais, je t'aime, je te hais

Je t'aime, je te hais, je t'aime, je te hais

Je t'aime, je te hais, je t'aime, je te hais

T'es la meilleure chose qui m'est arrivée

Mais aussi la pire chose qui m'est arrivée

Ce jour où je t'ai rencontrée, j'aurais peut-être préféré

Que ce jour ne soit jamais arrivé (arrivé)

La pire des bénédictions

La plus belle des malédictions

De toi j'devrais m'éloigner

Mais comme dit le dicton

"Plutôt qu'être seul, mieux vaut être mal accompagné"

Tu sais c'qu'on dit

"Sois près d'tes amis les plus chers"

Mais aussi

"Encore plus près d'tes adversaires"

Mais ma meilleure ennemie, c'est toi

Fuis-moi, le pire c'est toi et moi

Mais si tu cherches encore ma voix

Oublie-moi, le pire c'est toi et moi

Pourquoi ton prénom me blesse

Quand il se cache juste là dans l'espace?

C'est quelle émotion?

D'la haine ou la douceur

Quand j'entends ton prénom?

Je t'avais dit "ne regarde pas en arrière"

Le passé qui te suit, te fait la guerre

Mais ma meilleure ennemie, c'est toi

Fuis-moi, le pire c'est toi et moi

Mais ma meilleure ennemie, c'est toi

Fuis-moi, le pire c'est toi et moi

Je t'aime, je te hais, je t'aime, je te hais

Je t'aime, je te hais, je t'aime, je te hais

Je t'aime, je te hais, je t'aime, je te hais

Je t'aime, je te hais, je t'aime, je te hais

Je t'aime, je te hais, je t'aime, je te hais

Je t'aime, je te hais, je t'aime, je te hais

Je t'aime, je te hais, je t'aime, je te hais

Je t'aime, je te hais, je t'aime, je te hais

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
aime /ɛm/ A1	verb - to love
hais /ɛ/ A2	verb - to hate
meilleure /mɛ.jœʁ/ A2	adjective - better, best
chose /ʃoz/ A1	noun - thing
pire /piʁ/ A2	adjective - worse, worst
jour /ʒuʁ/ A1	noun - day
bénédictions /be.ne.dik.sjɔ̃/ B2	noun - blessings
malédictions /ma.le.dik.sjɔ̃/ C1	noun - curses
éloigner /e.lwa.ɲe/ B1	verb - to move away, to distance oneself
seul /sœl/ A1	adjective - alone
amis /a.mi/ A1	noun - friends
chers /ʃɛʁ/ A2	adjective - dear, expensive
adversaires /ad.vɛʁ.sɛʁ/ B2	noun - adversaries, opponents
ennemi /ɑ̃.nə.mi/ A2	noun - enemy
fuis /fɥi/ B1	verb - flee
voix /vwa/ A2	noun - voice
blesse /blɛs/ B1	verb - to wound, to hurt
émotion /e.mɔ.sjɔ̃/ B1	noun - emotion
haine /ɛn/ B1	noun - hatred
douceur /du.sœʁ/ B2	noun - sweetness, gentleness
passé /pa.se/ A2	noun - past
guerre /ɡɛʁ/ A2	noun - war

Key Grammar Structures

• T'es la meilleure chose qui m'est arrivée

  ➔ Subjunctive mood after superlative and relative pronoun "qui".

  ➔ The use of the subjunctive "soit" after the superlative "meilleure" and the relative pronoun "qui" emphasizes the speaker's subjective evaluation. The implied meaning is 'the best thing that *could have* happened to me.'

• J'aurais peut-être préféré que ce jour ne soit jamais arrivé

  ➔ Conditional perfect with subjunctive in the dependent clause.

  ➔ "J'aurais préféré" is conditional perfect expressing a regret about the past. The "que" introduces a subordinate clause requiring the subjunctive "soit arrivé" because it expresses a wish or unreal event. "Jamais" reinforces the negative aspect of the wish.

• De toi j'devrais m'éloigner

  ➔ Conditional tense expressing advice or obligation.

  ➔ "Devrais" (conditional of "devoir") expresses that the speaker *should* distance themselves, but they are not necessarily doing so. It's a suggestion or perceived obligation.

• Plutôt qu'être seul, mieux vaut être mal accompagné

  ➔ Use of "plutôt que" to express preference and the impersonal construction "mieux vaut".

  ➔ "Plutôt que" introduces an alternative to what is preferred. "Mieux vaut" is an impersonal expression meaning 'it is better to'. The saying conveys a cynical or perhaps desperate sentiment.

• Si tu cherches encore ma voix

  ➔ Si clause (type 1) : Present tense in the 'si' clause, future tense implied or imperative in the main clause.

  ➔ This is a Type 1 conditional. The present tense "cherches" in the *si* clause indicates a possible or likely condition. The implied consequence is "Oublie-moi."

• Oublie-moi, le pire c'est toi et moi

  ➔ Imperative mood ("Oublie-moi") and demonstrative pronoun "c'est" introducing a noun phrase.

  ➔ "Oublie-moi" is a direct command. "C'est" functions as a demonstrative pronoun identifying the worst thing as the relationship between the speaker and the other person. It's equivalent to "That is the worst thing".