Joyeux Noël!
Students who study French can use the context of the Christmas holiday to learn vocabulary and improve their ability to speak French. Start with the words for the classic song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” to practice the ordinal numbers and learn some fun new French words.
Les Douze Jours de Noël (The Twelve Days of Christmas)
Le premier jour de Noël (On the first day of Christmas) … mon amour m'a donné (my true love gave to me) … une perdrix dans un poirier (a partridge in a pear tree).
Now try it with the other days of Christmas . . .
Deuxième (2nd) – deux colombes de tortue (two turtle doves)
Troisième (3rd) – trois poules françaises (three French hens)
Quatrième (4th) – quatre oiseaux appelant (four calling birds)
Cinquième (5th) – cinq bagues d’or (five golden rings)
Sixième (6th) - six oies en pont (six geese a-laying)
Septième (7th) - sept cygnes qui nagent (seven swans a-swimming)
Huitième (8th) - huit femmes de ménage qui le lait (eight maids a-milking)
Neuvième (9th) – neuf dames qui dansent (nine ladies dancing)
Dixième (10th) – dix seigneurs qui sautant (ten lords a leaping)
Onzième (11th) - onze flûtistes qui jouant (eleven pipers [flautists] piping [playing])
Douzième (12th) - douze batteurs de tambour
Christmas Carols and Song Titles in French
Make learning French vocabulary fun by challenging students with Christmas carol and song titles translated into French. Be aware, however, that song titles and lyrics, by their very nature, can be difficult to translate. The poetic use of words may come across as nonsensical, if translated too literally. But here are a few song titles that seem to cross the language barrier intact.
Mon Beau Sapin - Oh Christmas Tree! (My Beautiful Tree)
L'enfant au Tambour – The Little Drummer Boy
C'est Qui Cet Enfant? – What Child is This?
La Nuit Silente - Silent Night
Écoutez! Les Anges Qui Chantent – Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Joie Sur La Terre – Joy to the World
Que La Paix Règne Sur Terre - Let There Be Peace on Earth
Ca Commence à Avoir l'air de Noël – It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Je Rêve d'un Noël blanc - I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas
Vive le Vent - Jingle Bells
C'est la Meilleur Saison de L'année - It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Tout Ce Que Je Veux Pour Noël Sont Mes Deux Grands Dents – All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
Nous Vous Souhaitons un Joyeux Noël – We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Students learning French can put their new vocab into practice by learning the words to favorite Christmas songs in French. Challenge students by giving them the French version of familiar Christmas carol and song titles, then ask them to translate and figure out which songs they are.
Students can also look for more song titles or lyrics and try translating them into French. But be careful! Literal translations don’t always work. Songs are often poetic. So a little poetry when translating into French might be in order.
Challenge students to create Christmas cards with French holiday sentiments and poems using more holiday-themed French vocabulary.
Margaret M. Williams - Margaret M. Williams (Peggy) has been a teacher for over 25 years. She currently teaches first grade in a classroom that combines native ...
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