Learn French with Songs: 18 Easy French Songs for Beginners

How to learn with these songs

A chorus repeats the same few words again and again, and the melody does the memorising for you. Every song here is slow to mid tempo, sung mostly in French, with short, clear lines built on everyday words: famous ballads, film songs and pop, plus a few classics every French speaker grew up with.

How to use this list: tap Sing this (or search the title in a room) and pick a lyrics video that shows French lyrics. Read the "Words you'll learn" first, sing just the chorus two or three times, then the whole song. Notice the silent letters and liaisons; songs show you where words run together.

This is the Beginner level. Intermediate and Advanced lists, with faster songs and longer lines, are coming soon.

The list

Tap Sing this to open a free room and search for that song on your phone, ready to add to the queue.

La Vie en roseÉdith Piaf
The most famous French song: slow, and every word is clear.
Words you’ll learn
- la viela veelife
- roserohzpink, rosy
- mon cœurmon kurmy heart
- bonheurbo-nurhappiness
Sing this
Je veuxZaz
Jazzy and joyful; the chorus is a list of simple nouns.
Words you’ll learn
- l'amourla-moorlove
- la joiela zhwahjoy
- bonne humeurbun u-murgood mood
- argentar-zhahnmoney
Sing this
Libérée, délivrée (Let It Go)Anaïs Delva
Frozen in French: a tune you already know.
Words you’ll learn
- libéréelee-bay-rayset free
- je m'en vaiszhuh mahn vehI'm leaving
- jamaiszha-mehnever
- décidéday-see-daydecided
Sing this
Les Champs-ÉlyséesJoe Dassin
A cheerful sing-along: time and weather words in the chorus.
Words you’ll learn
- le soleilluh so-laythe sun
- la pluiela plweethe rain
- midimee-deenoon
- minuitmee-nweemidnight
Sing this
Dernière danseIndila
Slow, dramatic, and full of repeated words.
Words you’ll learn
- la dansela dahnsthe dance
- le ventluh vahnthe wind
- le cielluh syelthe sky
- la nuitla nweethe night
Sing this
PapaoutaiStromae
The chorus is one question repeated: easy to catch.
Words you’ll learn
- où t'esoo tehwhere are you
- papapa-padad
- dites-moideet mwahtell me
- il vienteel vyanhe comes
Sing this
Je voleLouane
A slow, emotional ballad with very clear lines.
Words you’ll learn
- mes chers parentsmeh shair pa-rahnmy dear parents
- je parszhuh parI'm leaving
- je vous aimezhuh voo zemI love you
- je volezhuh volI fly
Sing this
Il est où le bonheurChristophe Maé
The chorus asks and answers one simple question.
Words you’ll learn
- le bonheurluh bo-nurhappiness
- il est oùee leh toowhere is it
- il est làee leh lait's here
- heureuxuh-ruhhappy
Sing this
Non, je ne regrette rienÉdith Piaf
Slow and powerful; a model of French negation.
Words you’ll learn
- rienryannothing
- regretteruh-gretregret
- le bienluh byanthe good
- le malluh malthe bad
Sing this
Sous le ciel de ParisÉdith Piaf
A waltz about Paris: slow and very clear.
Words you’ll learn
- soussoounder
- le cielluh syelthe sky
- une chansonün shahn-sohna song
- le cœurluh kurthe heart
Sing this
Ne me quitte pasJacques Brel
Very slow; the title phrase repeats throughout.
Words you’ll learn
- ne me quitte pasnuh muh keet padon't leave me
- oublieroo-blee-ayto forget
- l'ombrelohmbrthe shadow
- ton chientohn shyanyour dog
Sing this
Comme d'habitudeClaude François
The original of "My Way": everyday routine words.
Words you’ll learn
- comme d'habitudekum da-bee-tüdas usual
- je me lèvezhuh muh levI get up
- souriresoo-reerto smile
- rirereerto laugh
Sing this
La BohèmeCharles Aznavour
Slow storytelling chanson with clear diction.
Words you’ll learn
- vingt ansvan tahntwenty years old
- heureuxuh-ruhhappy
- joliezho-leepretty
- la bohèmela bo-embohemian life
Sing this
Alors on danseStromae
A slow beat and very short repeated lines.
Words you’ll learn
- alorsa-lorso, then
- on danseohn dahnswe dance
- le travailluh tra-vyework
- les problèmeslay pro-blemproblems
Sing this
On écrit sur les mursKids United
Gentle and hopeful, sung clearly by young voices (a cover of the 1989 Demis Roussos song).
Words you’ll learn
- les murslay mürthe walls
- le nomluh nohnthe name
- nos espoirsnoh zes-pwarour hopes
- le mondeluh mohndthe world
Sing this
Frère JacquesFrench children's song
The round everyone knows, now in French.
Words you’ll learn
- dormez-vousdor-may vooare you sleeping
- sonnezso-nayring
- les matineslay ma-teenmorning bells
- frèrefrairbrother
Sing this
Au clair de la luneFrench children's song
Slow, simple lines; a classic first French song.
Words you’ll learn
- la lunela lünthe moon
- mon amimo na-meemy friend
- la plumela plümthe pen, feather
- la portela portthe door
Sing this
AlouetteFrench-Canadian folk song
A call-and-response song for body-part words.
Words you’ll learn
- la têtela tetthe head
- le becluh bekthe beak
- les yeuxlay zyuhthe eyes
- le couluh koothe neck
Sing this

Frequently asked questions

Can you really learn French by singing songs?

Songs won't replace grammar study, but they are excellent for vocabulary, pronunciation and listening. Choruses repeat the same words many times, so beginners pick up common French words quickly and remember them for longer.

Why is French hard to follow in songs?

French joins words (liaison) and drops many final letters. Singing slowly along with the written lyrics trains your ear to hear where one word ends and the next begins.

How should I practise with a karaoke song?

Listen once while reading the lyrics, learn the chorus words, sing only the chorus a few times, then sing the whole song. Say each new word out loud in the gaps and come back to the same song a few days later.

Will there be intermediate and advanced French lists?

Yes. This is the Beginner level. Intermediate and Advanced lists with faster songs and longer lines are coming soon.

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Learn French with songs: beginner list

How to learn with these songs

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