“Au clair de la lune“ (Meaning: by the moon light; pronunciation: o klɛʀ də la lyn) is a French song for children. The song recounts the search for a pen in the absence of light. The song’s lyrics make use of the passé simple, a literary past tense.
Au Clair De La Lune French Lyrics & English Translation
Au clair de la lune, mon ami Pierrot
Prête-moi ta plume: Pour écrire un mot
Ma chandelle est morte, Je n’ai plus de feu
Ouvre-moi ta porte, Pour l’amour de Dieu
By the light of the moon, my friend Pierrot
Lend me your pen, to write a word
My candle is out (dead), I have no more light (fire)
Open your door for me, for the love of God
Au clair de la lune, Pierrot répondit
Je n’ai pas de plume, je suis dans mon lit
Va chez la voisine, je crois qu’elle y est
Car dans sa cuisine, on bat le briquet
By the light of the moon, Pierrot replied
I don’t have any pen, I’m in my bed
Go to the neighbor’s house, I think she’s there
Because in her kitchen, someone is using the lighter
Au claire de la lune, l’aimable Lubin
Frappe chez la brune, elle répond soudain
Qui frappe de la sorte? Il dit à son tour
Ouvrez votre porte, pour le Dieu d’amour
By the light of the moon, likable Lubin
Knocks on the brunette’s door, she soon responds
Who’s knocking like that? He then replies
Open your door, for the God of Love!
Au clair de la lune, on n’y voit qu’un peu
On chercha la plume, on chercha le feu
En cherchant de la sorte, je n’sais c’qu’on trouva
Mais je sais que la porte, sur eux se ferma
By the light of the moon, one could barely see
The pen was looked for, the light was looked for
With all that looking, I don’t know what was found
But I do know that the door, was shut behind them.
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French songs | Lessons by David Issokson
