“Lève la Main !” — Hands Up, Sit Down Song in French for Kids
In “Lève la Main !” (Hands Up, Sit Down), kids sing key French words like bonjour maîtresse, assieds-toi, lève-toi and lève la main, going back and forth between English and French, so the meaning is never a mystery. It's a early-learner (A1) song from Unit 31: At School, 2:01 long, made for ages 2–8.
- 🇫🇷 French
- Level: A1
- Unit 31 · À l'École
- ⏱ 2:01
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“Lève la Main !” lyrics with English translation
Every line as it's sung, with its meaning beside it. French is shown in teal.
| Sung | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Good morning, class! | Bonjour, les enfants ! |
| Good morning, teacher! | Bonjour, maîtresse ! |
| Bonjour, maîtresse! | Good morning, teacher! |
| Bonjour, maîtresse! | Good morning, teacher! |
| Stand up! | Lève-toi! |
| Lève-toi! | Stand up! |
| Everybody, stand up! | Tout le monde debout ! |
| Lève-toi, lève-toi! | Stand up, stand up! |
| Sit down! | Assieds-toi! |
| Assieds-toi! | Sit down! |
| Take your seat, sit down! | À ta place, assieds-toi ! |
| Assieds-toi, assieds-toi! | Sit down, sit down! |
| Raise your hand! | Lève la main! |
| Lève la main! | Raise your hand! |
| If you know, raise your hand! | Si tu sais, lève la main ! |
| Lève la main, lève la main! | Raise your hand, raise your hand! |
| Listen! | Écoute! |
| Écoute! | Listen! |
| Listen closely! | Écoute bien ! |
| Écoute, écoute! | Listen, listen! |
| Stand up! | Lève-toi! |
| Lève-toi! | Stand up! |
| Sit down! | Assieds-toi! |
| Assieds-toi! | Sit down! |
| Look and listen! | Regarde, écoute! |
| Regarde, écoute! | Look and listen! |
| Well done! | Bravo ! |
| Bravo! Bravo! | Well done! Well done! |
| Lève-toi, assieds-toi, | Stand up, sit down, |
| Lève la main, c’est à toi! | Raise your hand, it’s your turn! |
| Look! | Regarde! |
| Regarde! | Look! |
| Look at the board! | Regarde le tableau! |
| Regarde le tableau! | Look at the board! |
| Quiet, please! | Chut, s’il vous plaît! |
| Chut, s’il vous plaît! | Quiet, please! |
| Quiet, please, so we can hear! | Chut, s’il vous plaît, on écoute! |
| Chut, s’il vous plaît, on écoute! | Quiet, please, so we can hear! |
| Line up! | En rang! |
| En rang! | Line up! |
| Line up by the door! | En rang près de la porte! |
| En rang près de la porte! | Line up by the door! |
| Open your book! | Ouvre ton livre! |
| Ouvre ton livre! | Open your book! |
| Turn to the page! | Va à la bonne page ! |
| Ouvre ton livre, s’il te plaît! | Open your book, please! |
| Well done! | Bravo ! |
| Bravo! | |
| Stand up! | Lève-toi! |
| Lève-toi! | Stand up! |
| Sit down! | Assieds-toi! |
| Assieds-toi! | Sit down! |
| Look and listen! | Regarde, écoute! |
| Regarde, écoute! | Look and listen! |
| Well done! | Bravo ! |
| Bravo! Bravo! | Well done! Well done! |
| Lève-toi, assieds-toi, | Stand up, sit down, |
| Lève la main, c’est à toi! | Raise your hand, it’s your turn! |
| Simon says, stand up! | Jacques a dit : lève-toi ! |
| Lève-toi! | Simon says, stand up! |
| Simon says, sit down! | Jacques a dit : assieds-toi ! |
| Assieds-toi! | Sit down! |
| Simon says, raise your hand! | Jacques a dit : lève la main ! |
| Lève la main! | Simon says, raise your hand! |
| Simon says, listen and look! | Jacques a dit : écoute et regarde ! |
| Écoute, regarde! | Listen, look! |
| You did it! | Tu as réussi ! |
| On a réussi! | We did it! |
| Stand up! | Lève-toi! |
| Lève-toi! | Stand up! |
| Sit down! | Assieds-toi! |
| Assieds-toi! | Sit down! |
| Look and listen! | Regarde, écoute! |
| Regarde, écoute! | Look and listen! |
| Well done! | Bravo ! |
| Bravo! Bravo! | Well done! Well done! |
| Lève-toi, assieds-toi, | Stand up, sit down, |
| Lève la main, c’est à toi! | Raise your hand, it’s your turn! |
| Good morning, class! | Bonjour, les enfants ! |
| Bonjour, maîtresse! | Good morning, teacher! |
| Bravo, bravo, bravo! | Well done, well done, well done! |
Key French words in this song
The 10 words and phrases this song is built around.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| bonjour maîtresse | good morning teacher |
| assieds-toi | sit down |
| lève-toi | stand up |
| lève la main | raise your hand |
| écoute | listen |
| regarde | look |
| chut s'il vous plaît | quiet please |
| en rang | line up |
| ouvre ton livre | open your book |
| bravo | well done |
How to use this song with your child
- 1
Count the “assieds-toi”s
“assieds-toi” means “sit down” and comes up on 9 lines. Keep count on your fingers together; older kids can try to predict when it's coming next.
- 2
Split the parts
Once the song is familiar, you sing the English lines and your child sings the French ones, then swap. It turns listening into speaking.
- 3
Make it a routine
At 2:01, play it once a day at the same moment for a week. Act out playtime: run, hop and slide where the song says.
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