“Mon Cartable” — My School Bag Song in French for Kids
In “Mon Cartable” (My School Bag), kids sing key French words like le cartable, le crayon, les crayons de couleur and le livre, 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, 2:13 long, made for ages 2–8.
- 🇫🇷 French
- Level: A1
- Unit 31 · À l'École
- ⏱ 2:13
- 🔒 Premium
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“Mon Cartable” lyrics with English translation
Every line as it's sung, with its meaning beside it. French is shown in teal.
| Sung | Meaning |
|---|---|
| What's in my bag? | Qu'est-ce qu'il y a dans mon cartable ? |
| Qu'est-ce qu'il y a dans mon cartable ? | What's in my bag? |
| Let's pack it up! | On remplit le cartable ! |
| On y va ! | Let's go! |
| School bag! | Le cartable ! |
| Le cartable ! | School bag! |
| My pencil! | Le crayon ! |
| Le crayon ! | My pencil! |
| Colored pencils! | Les crayons de couleur ! |
| Les crayons de couleur ! | Colored pencils! |
| Pick your favorite, choose a color! | Prends ta préférée, choisis une couleur ! |
| My book! | Le livre ! |
| Le livre ! | My book! |
| Open it up, let's take a look! | Ouvre-le, regardons ! |
| Look in my bag—what do I see? | Regarde dans mon cartable — qu’est-ce que je vois ? |
| Un crayon, un livre, prêt pour moi ! | A pencil, a book, ready for me! |
| What's in my bag? Le cartable ! | |
| What's in my bag? Le cartable ! | |
| Pencil, crayon—say it again! | |
| Book, livre—tell a friend! | |
| What's in my bag? Le cartable ! | |
| Prêts pour l'école, tous ensemble ! | Ready for school, all together! |
| Scissors! | Les ciseaux ! |
| Les ciseaux ! | Scissors! |
| Careful hands, snip, snip, slow! | Doucement les mains, clic, clic, lentement ! |
| Glue! | La colle ! |
| La colle ! | Glue! |
| Stick the paper, there we go! | Colle le papier, et voilà ! |
| Eraser! | La gomme ! |
| La gomme ! | Eraser! |
| Rub away a little mark! | Efface une petite tache ! |
| Snack! | Le goûter ! |
| Le goûter ! | Snack! |
| Water bottle! | La gourde ! |
| La gourde ! | Water bottle! |
| Pack them up before we start! | Range-les avant de commencer ! |
| What's in my bag? Le cartable ! | |
| What's in my bag? Le cartable ! | |
| Scissors, ciseaux—say it again! | |
| Glue, colle—tell a friend! | |
| Don't forget! | N'oublie pas ! |
| N'oublie pas ! | Don't forget! |
| Le goûter, la gourde—voilà ! | The snack, the water bottle — there! |
| Prêts pour l'école, tous ensemble ! | Ready for school, all together! |
| Don't forget your book! | N'oublie pas le livre ! |
| N'oublie pas le livre ! | Don't forget your book! |
| Don't forget your pencil! | N'oublie pas le crayon ! |
| N'oublie pas le crayon ! | Don't forget your pencil! |
| Zip it up! | Ferme-le ! |
| On ferme le cartable ! | We close the school bag! |
| Bag on your back! | Le cartable sur le dos ! |
| Le cartable sur le dos ! | Bag on your back! |
| Ready for school! | Prêts pour l'école ! |
| Prêts pour l'école ! | Ready for school! |
| What's in my bag? Le cartable ! | |
| What's in my bag? Le cartable ! | |
| Pencil, crayon—say it again! | |
| Colored pencils, crayons de couleur—again! | |
| Book, livre, scissors, ciseaux! | |
| Glue, colle—here we go! | |
| Eraser, gomme, snack, goûter! | |
| Water bottle, gourde—one more time! | |
| N'oublie pas ! N'oublie pas ! | Don’t forget! Don’t forget! |
| Prêts pour l'école, tous ensemble ! | Ready for school, all together! |
| Zip it up—c'est parti ! | |
| Ready for school! | Prêts pour l'école ! |
| Prêts pour l'école ! | Ready for school! |
Key French words in this song
The 11 words and phrases this song is built around.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le cartable | school bag |
| le crayon | pencil |
| les crayons de couleur | colored pencils |
| le livre | book |
| les ciseaux | scissors |
| la colle | glue |
| la gomme | eraser |
| le goûter | snack |
| la gourde | water bottle |
| n'oublie pas | don't forget |
| prêts pour l'école | ready for school |
How to use this song with your child
- 1
Make “prêts pour l'école” the word of the day
This song repeats “prêts pour l'école” (ready for school) on 5 lines. Use it once or twice during the day outside the song, and let your child correct you if you get it wrong.
- 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 2:13, play it once a day at the same moment for a week. Pack a bag with the things from the song as they come up.
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“My School Bag” in other languages
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