“Le Jeu des Contraires” — Opposites Game Song in French for Kids
In “Le Jeu des Contraires” (The Opposites Game), kids sing key French words like content, triste, fort and doux, going back and forth between English and French, so the meaning is never a mystery. It's a early-learner (A1) song from Unit 23: Opposites, 2:25 long, made for ages 2–8.
- 🇫🇷 French
- Level: A1
- Unit 23 · Les Contraires
- ⏱ 2:25
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“Le Jeu des Contraires” lyrics with English translation
Every line as it's sung, with its meaning beside it. French is shown in teal.
| Sung | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I say happy! | Je dis content ! |
| Tu dis triste! | You say sad! |
| Wait, happy is content! | |
| Oui, content, c’est joyeux! | Yes, content means happy! |
| Je dis sad! | |
| Tu dis triste! | You say sad! |
| Happy, content! Sad, triste! | |
| I say loud! | Je dis fort ! |
| Tu dis fort! Loud! | |
| Je dis quiet! | |
| Tu dis doux… | You say soft… |
| Fort, doux! Fort, doux! | Loud, soft! Loud, soft! |
| Big voice, petite voix! | |
| On joue, on joue! | We play, we play! |
| I say, je dis! | |
| You say, tu dis! | |
| Happy! | Content! |
| Content! | Happy! |
| Sad! | Triste! |
| Triste! | Sad! |
| Opposites, switch and play, | Les contraires, on change et on joue, |
| English, français, every day! | Anglais, français, tous les jours ! |
| I say, je dis! | |
| You say, tu dis! | |
| I say day! | Je dis le jour ! |
| Tu dis la nuit! | You say night! |
| No, day is le jour! | |
| Night is la nuit! | |
| Le jour, la nuit—say it right! | |
| I say old! | Je dis vieux ! |
| Tu dis jeune! | You say young! |
| Vieux is old! | |
| Jeune is young! | |
| Vieux, jeune! Vieux, jeune! | Old, young! Old, young! |
| I’m awake! | Je suis réveillé! |
| Je suis réveillé! | I’m awake! |
| I’m asleep! | Je suis endormi! |
| Je suis endormi! | I’m asleep! |
| Réveillé, endormi! | Awake, asleep! |
| Yes! | Oui! |
| Oui! | Yes! |
| No! | Non ! |
| Non! | No! |
| Oui, non! Oui, non! | Yes, no! Yes, no! |
| I say, je dis! | |
| You say, tu dis! | |
| Happy! | Content! |
| Content! | Happy! |
| Sad! | Triste! |
| Triste! | Sad! |
| Opposites, switch and play, | Les contraires, on change et on joue, |
| English, français, every day! | Anglais, français, tous les jours ! |
| Le jour! | Day! |
| La nuit! | Night! |
| Oui, non! Fort, doux! | Yes, no! Loud, soft! |
| Hot! | Chaud! |
| Chaud! | Hot! |
| Cold! | Froid! |
| Froid! | Cold! |
| Fast! | Vite! |
| Vite! | Fast! |
| Slow! | Lentement! |
| Lentement! | Slow! |
| Hot, cold—chaud, froid! | |
| Fast, slow—vite, lentement! | |
| Your turn! | À toi ! |
| À toi! | Your turn! |
| I say, je dis! | |
| You say, tu dis! | |
| Happy! | Content! |
| Content! | Happy! |
| Sad! | Triste! |
| Triste! | Sad! |
| Opposites, switch and play, | Les contraires, on change et on joue, |
| English, français, every day! | Anglais, français, tous les jours ! |
| I say yes! | Je dis oui ! |
| Tu dis non! | You say no! |
| I say night! | Je dis la nuit ! |
| Tu dis le jour! | You say day! |
| Vieux or jeune? | |
| Jeune—oops, vieux! | Young — oops, old! |
| Awake or asleep? | Réveillé ou endormi ? |
| Réveillé… endormi… hee-hee! | Awake… asleep… hee-hee! |
| Je dis, tu dis, one more time! | |
| Content, triste—super fine! | |
| Oui! Non! Ha-ha! À bientôt! | Yes! No! Ha-ha! See you soon! |
Key French words in this song
The 14 words and phrases this song is built around.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| content | happy |
| triste | sad |
| fort | loud |
| doux | soft |
| le jour | day |
| la nuit | night |
| vieux | old |
| jeune | young |
| réveillé | awake |
| endormi | asleep |
| oui | yes |
| non | no |
| je dis | I say |
| tu dis | you say |
How to use this song with your child
- 1
Make “tu dis” the word of the day
This song repeats “tu dis” (you say) on 9 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 2:25, play it once a day at the same moment for a week. Make every opposite in the song with your body as it's sung.
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