👉 See also: Top 10 French Christmas Songs »
Updated November 16, 2025 — Lesson written and audio recorded by French teacher David Issokson for students who learn French online. Though not a native speaker, his French pronunciation is near-native and clear for learners.
Douce nuit, sainte nuit (Meaning: sweet night, holy night) is the French version of Silent Night. In this post, you’ll get to listen to Céline Dion sing the song and listen to the lyrics read out line-by-line!
📖 Douce nuit, sainte nuit — Song Overview
“Douce nuit, sainte nuit” is the classic French adaptation of the Austrian carol “Stille Nacht,” first performed in 1818. The French lyrics stay close to the original theme of peace, hope, and the Nativity, making it one of the most widely sung Christmas hymns in French-speaking countries.
🎄 Cultural Note
Although the melody is universally recognized, the French version is slightly more pious in tone. “Douce nuit, sainte nuit” is often sung at the end of Christmas Eve mass with people holding candles, and many families in France treat this moment as the true start of Christmas.
🎶 Listen to “Vive le vent”
Douce nuit, sainte nuit — French lyrics with English translation
Douce nuit, sainte nuit !
Dans les cieux ! L’astre luit.
Le mystère annoncé s’accomplit
Cet enfant sur la paille endormi,
C’est l’amour infini !
C’est l’amour infini !
Sweet night, holy night
In the heavens, the star shines
The announced mystery is fulfilled
This child sleeping on straw
It’s infinite love
It’s infinite love
Saint enfant, doux agneau !
Qu’il est grand ! Qu’il est beau !
Entendez résonner les pipeaux
Des bergers conduisant leurs troupeaux
Vers son humble berceau !
Vers son humble berceau !
Holy child, soft lamb
How big He is, how beautiful He is
Listen to the pipe sounding
Shepherds driving their flocks
Towards his humble cradle
Towards his humble cradle
C’est vers nous qu’il accourt,
En un don sans retour !
De ce monde ignorant de l’amour,
Où commence aujourd’hui son séjour,
Qu’il soit Roi pour toujours !
Qu’il soit Roi pour toujours !
He comes running towards us
In a gift without return
In this world ignorant of love
Where he’s starting his stay
May he be the King forever
May he be the King forever
Quel accueil pour un Roi !
Point d’abri, point de toit !
Dans sa crèche il grelotte de froid
O pécheur, sans attendre la croix,
Jésus souffre pour toi !
Jésus souffre pour toi !
What a welcome for a King
The spot of the shelter, the spot of the roof
In his manger he shivers from cold
Oh sinner, without waiting for the cross
Jesus suffers for you
Jesus suffers for you
Paix à tous ! Gloire au ciel !
Gloire au sein maternel,
Qui pour nous, en ce jour de Noël,
Enfanta le Sauveur éternel,
Qu’attendait Israël !
Qu’attendait Israël !
Peace to all, Glory to heaven
Glory to the maternal heart
Who for us, on this Christmas day,
Gave birth to the eternal Savior
That Israel was waiting for
That Israel was waiting for
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✏️ Grammar and Vocabulary Notes
The following section highlights key words, expressions, and grammar structures from the song, with short explanations to help learners understand how they’re used.
⚡ Song Title
- Douce nuit, sainte nuit = “Sweet night, holy night.”
- douce = feminine form of doux (sweet, gentle).
- sainte = feminine of saint (holy).
- Both adjectives agree with nuit.
🗣 Sentence Structures & Grammar
“Douce nuit, sainte nuit”
👉 “Sweet night, holy night.”
- doux/douce = sweet, gentle.
- saint/sainte = holy
- Both modify nuit
“Dans les cieux ! L’astre luit”
👉 “In the heavens! The star shines.”
- cieux = plural of ciel (sky, heaven).
- L’astre (m.) = poetic word for “star.”
- luire = to shine.
“Le mystere annonce s’accomplit”
👉 “The announced mystery is fulfilled.”
- s’accomplir = reflexive passive meaning “to be accomplished.”
- Common in French hymns and poetic style.
“Saint enfant, doux agneau”
👉 “Holy child, gentle lamb.”
- L’agneau (m.) = lamb.
“Qu’il est grand ! Qu’il est beau !”
👉 “How big he is! How beautiful he is!”
- Qu’il est + adjective = exclamatory “How + adjective he is.”
“Des bergers conduisant leurs troupeaux”
👉 “Shepherds leading their flocks.”
- Le berger = shepherd.
- Le troupeau = flock, herd.
- conduisant = present participle of conduire (to drive).
“Vers son humble berceau ! C’est vers nous qu’il accourt”
👉 “Toward his humble cradle. He comes running toward us.”
- vers = toward.
- Le berceau = cradle.
- accourir = to come running, to hurry toward.
🔤 Verb Forms & Tenses
- Reflexive passive: s’accomplir
- Irregular verb (present): accourir → il accourt
- Passé simple: enfanta (from enfanter)
- Imperfect: attendait (from attendre)
- Regular -er verb: grelotter → il grelotte
📚 Expressions & Idioms
- Sans retour = without anything in return
- Point de = poetic “no / not any”
- Qu’il soit = subjunctive phrase expressing a wish
- Gloire a… = set expression meaning “Glory to…”
📘 Vocabulary
- l’astre = star (poetic)
- le berceau = cradle
- l’agneau = lamb
- la crèche = manger
- grelotter = to shiver
- le sein = breast; figurative “heart” or “center”
- le pecheur = sinner
- Israël = Israel
🎄 More French Christmas Songs You’ll Love!
👉 Vive le vent (Jingle Bells)
👉 Douce Nuit – Sainte Nuit (Silent night)
👉 Minuit Chrétien (O Holy Night)
👉 Noël Blanc (White Christmas)
👉 Ce n’est qu’un au revoir (Auld Lang Syne)
Or see: Top 10 Christmas songs
🎅 More Christmas lessons:
🔤 Word of the Day Christmas Lessons
👉 Joyeux Noël – Merry Christmas
👉 Le sapin de Noël – Christmas Tree
👉 Bonne Année – Happy New Year
👉 French Christmas vocabulary
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👉 French Vocabulary lists »
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