Bon entendeur vs Mouloudji – “L’amour l’amour l’amour”

Music is one of the best ways to learn a new language. Today, we’ll explore L’Amour by Mouloudji, a timeless French classic filled with poetic language, emotion, and cultural richness. Let’s break it down and learn vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation in a fun and meaningful way.

Step 1: Listen to the Song

Start by listening to the song to familiarize yourself with its melody, rhythm, and pronunciation. Don’t worry about understanding every word just yet! Focus on the flow of the language.

L’amour, l’amour, l’amour

Dont on parle toujours

L’amour
C’est un printemps craintif
Une lumière attendrie
Ou souvent une ruine

L’amour, l’amour
C’est le poivre du temps
Une rafale de vent
Une feuillée de Lune

L’amour, l’amour, l’amour
Dont on parle toujours

L’amour
Met la nuit un bonnet
Et le jour porte un masque
Qui veuille que l’on grimace

L’amour, l’amour
C’est parfois même aussi
Que le visage d’un autre
Qui n’est ni lui ni l’autre

L’amour, l’amour, l’amour

Dont on parle toujours L’amour
L’amour c’est plus d’une fois

Un panier vide au bras
L’arc-en-ciel sur deux cœurs

L’amour, l’amour L’amour c’est quand je t’aime

L’amour c’est quand tu m’aimes

Sans me le dire
Sans te le dire

L’amour, l’amour

L’amour c’est quand tu m’aimes

L’amour c’est quand je t’aime

Sans te le dire
Sans me le dire

Step 2: Key Vocabulary from the Lyrics

Here are some essential words and phrases from the song:

• l’amour (lah-moor) – love
• le cœur (luh kur) – the heart
• la vie (lah vee) – life
• éteindre (ay-tan-druh) – to extinguish / turn off
• le feu (luh fuh) – the fire
• toujours (too-zhoor) – always
• parfois (par-fwah) – sometimes
• douce (doos) – soft / sweet

Write these words down, say them out loud, and try to spot them as you listen to the song again.

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Step 3: Grammar in Action

The song’s lyrics showcase some essential grammar points. Here are a few examples:

1. Definite Articles
   • In French, nouns almost always come with an article (le, la, l’, les).
     For example:
     • le cœur (the heart)
     • l’amour (love)
       
2. Verbs in the Present Tense
   • Mouloudji uses verbs in simple, poetic phrases:
     • L’amour s’en va (Love goes away)
       • s’en va comes from the verb s’en aller (to go away)
     • L’amour revient (Love returns)
       
3. Adverbs
   • Parfois (sometimes) and toujours (always) are adverbs that describe frequency.

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Step 4: Translation of a Few Lines

Let’s translate a short section of the lyrics:

• L’amour, l’amour s’en va, il revient toujours.
  • Love, love goes away, it always comes back.
  • Notice the repetition for emphasis, typical in French songs.
    
• L’amour, c’est comme un feu qu’il faut éteindre parfois.
  • Love is like a fire that must sometimes be extinguished.
  • C’est comme (it’s like) introduces a metaphor, a common feature of French poetry.

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Step 5: Practice Exercises

1. Fill-in-the-Blanks
   Listen to the song again and fill in the missing words:
   • L’amour, l’amour ____, il revient ____.
   • L’amour, c’est comme un ____ qu’il faut éteindre ____.
     
2. Sing Along
   Try to sing along with the song, paying close attention to pronunciation.
   
3. Create Your Own Sentence
   Use the structure L’amour, c’est comme… to describe love in your own words.
   Example: L’amour, c’est comme un rêve. (Love is like a dream.)

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Step 6: Cultural Insight

Mouloudji’s song reflects the French romantic spirit, where love is often portrayed as fleeting yet eternal. It’s an excellent example of how French artists use metaphor and poetic imagery to express deep emotions.

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Step 7: Bonus Challenge

Look for other songs by Mouloudji or similar French artists like Edith Piaf or Charles Aznavour. Compare the vocabulary and themes.

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Conclusion

By learning French through music, you not only improve your language skills but also gain a deeper understanding of French culture and emotions.

What other French songs inspire you to learn?

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