In a few days, it's la fête de la musique. I'll tell you a secret, this is my favorite French event!
Today, we stay in the theme of music, I invite you to practice your French with Stromaé.
We'll use one of his songs to help you learn new vocabulary in French, improve your pronunciation in French and see the difference between written and spoken French. You'll see, it will be a great exercise!
Really, the best way to progress in French, is to live in that language. Even if you don't live in France, watching and listening to French content every day, content that you like, will help you progress in that language.
And to improve your French even more, you need to practice your French, have conversations in French.
It's for this purpose that I created my French conversation group Ohlala French Coffee, to express yourself naturally in French and to have the opportunity to practice 7 times a week!
Precisely, this week, we talk about music in the Ohlala French Coffee. The topics of conversation are current, of course!
So, what we are going to do today. We're going to dissect a song of Stromaé, this song is L'enfer which was released at the beginning of the year. It's the song that signs the return of Stromaé to the front of the stage. Personally, I like this song a lot, I find it powerful and it has a strong message.
We will see the vocabulary used in this song and especially, we will work your French pronunciation thanks to this song. In spoken and sung French, we tend not to pronounce certain letters, we make connections, shortcuts. That's why sometimes you have the impression that you don't understand what French people say.
The goal for you today is :
- learn new vocabulary,
- improve your oral comprehension,
- master a little more spoken French,
- and improve your pronunciation and fluency in French.
Analysis of the song L'enfer de Stromaé in French :
L’enfer = Hell is the opposite of heaven. It is a place of cruel suffering.
In this song, Stromaé opens up, talks about depression, the dark thoughts he can have and that we can all have.
Ch’ui pas tout seul à être tout seul
Written French : Je ne suis pas tout seul à être tout seul
Spoken French : Ch’ui pas tout seul à être tout seul
Être tout seul = being alone
The “je ne” is deleted and replaced by the sound “ch”.
Je ne suis pas → Ch’ui pas
Ça fait déjà ça d’moins dans la tête
Written French : Cela fait déjà cela de moins dans la tête
Spoken French : Ça fait d’jà ça d’moins dans la tête
The difference between “cela” and “ça”, it's the same thing. “ça” is the abbreviation of “cela”. We use almost only “ça” in spoken French. Rarely is "cela" used.
When we speak in French, we tend to remove the "e" from words. Not for all words, but some. As you listen to authentic French and practice speaking it, you'll instinctively drop the "e", you'll see.
Et si j'comptais, combien on est ? Beaucoup !
Written French : Et si je comptais, combien nous sommes ? Beaucoup !
Spoken French : Et si j'comptais, combien on est ? Beaucoup !
Orally, you already know this, but we tend to have a lot more used "on" instead of "nous. There is not really a fixed rule. In general, we use 95% of "on" when speaking.
In writing, we use "nous" more specifically if it is a formal writing.
Tout ce à quoi j'ai d'jà pensé. Dire que plein d'autres y ont d'jà pensé
Written French : Tout ce à quoi j’ai déjà pensé. Dire que plein d'autres y ont déjà pensé
Spoken French : Tout ce à quoi j'ai d'jà pensé. Dire que plein d'autres y ont d'jà pensé
A small grammatical observation:
J’ai pensé À quelque chose. Et plein d’autres personnes ont aussi pensé À cette chose
→ Plein d’autres personnes Y ont pensé. (à cette chose).
Mais malgré tout je m'sens tout seul
Written French : Mais malgré tout je me sens tout seul
Spoken French : Mais malgré tout je m'sens tout seul
“Malgré” is used to express the opposition (= despite)
At the level of pronunciation, we have an "e" which is removed from "me".
Du coup, j'ai parfois eu des pensées suicidaires. Et j'en suis peu fier
Written French : Par conséquent, j'ai parfois eu des pensées suicidaires. Et j'en suis peu fier.
Spoken French : Du coup, j'ai parfois eu des pensées suicidaires. Et j'en suis peu fier.
“Du coup” is a consequence connector, but it is more considered a filler word. It's used a lot in speech and is sometimes considered not pretty. In real life, it's used a lot.
“Du coup” is synonymous with “par conséquent” which is more formal.
Une pensée = a thought
Être fier de quelque chose = To be proud of something
Est-c'qu'y a que moi qui ai la télé. Et la chaîne culpabilité ?
Written French : Est-ce qu’il y a que moi qui ai la télévision. Et la chaîne culpabilité ?
Spoken French : Est-c'qu'y a que moi qui ai la télé. Et la chaîne culpabilité ?
“Est-c’qu’y a” typical of spoken French. We have two "e" of deleted, the one of “ce” and of “que”. It is normal for "que", because we make an elision, because normally there is "il" just after.
But, here we remove the “il” from “il y a”. And this happens very often in speech. We don't say “il y a”, but “y a”.
We don't often say "télévision" especially when speaking, we say “télé”. La télé.
Une chaîne de télé = a TV channel
La culpabilité = guilt
Mais faut bien s'changer les idées. Pas trop quand même
Written French : Mais il faut bien se changer les idées. Pas trop quand même
Spoken French : Mais faut bien s'changer les idées. Pas trop quand même
We delete “il” here. We remove an "e" there. And we have spoken French.
Se changer les idées = Take your mind off things
“Quand même” it is used a lot in speech. Here, "quand même" does not have a very strong meaning. It could very well not be used Often it is synonymous with "despite". It opposes with the first idea.
Justement, réfléchir. C'est bien l'problème avec toi
Written French : Justement, réfléchir. C'est bien le problème avec toi
Spoken French : Justement, réfléchir. C'est bien l'problème avec toi
And we finish, with another deletion of "e". We really don't like "e" in French: l'problème
I recommend that you do this exercise again and use the "Lyrics" feature on Spotify. Listen to a song in French and repeat the lyrics at the same time. It's a great exercise!
I'll see you soon, for new adventures in French of course! 🇫🇷
