French words for kids · Body
How to say “hands” in French
Hands are used in nearly every action song: clapping, waving, counting on fingers. That makes the word one kids hear constantly.
Hands in French
les mains
Sounds like ≈ lay MA(N)
Good to know: La main is feminine. The s is silent, so main and mains sound the same.
Hear it in a song
Real lines from our French songs, with the English meaning shown in the app:
Et tes mains ?
And your hands?
from Si tu es heureux (If You're Happy)
Les mains en bas!
Hands down low!
from Applaudis des mains (Clap Your Hands)
Tape dans tes mains !
Clap your hands!
from Danse avec moi (Dance With Me)
3 songs that teach it
“Hands” is one of the key words in these songs. Every line is shown in French with its English meaning.
Deux mains, deux pieds
Two Hands, Two Feet · My Body · Premium
- mains · hands
- pieds · feet
- doigts · fingers
- bras · arms
Si tu es heureux
If You're Happy · Feelings · Premium
- heureux · happy
- applaudir · to clap
- mains · hands
- pied · foot
Applaudis des mains
Clap Your Hands · Actions & Movement · Premium
- applaudir · to clap
- mains · hands
- en haut · up
- en bas · down
Also sung in: Mamie et Papi, Je bouge mon corps, Que Vais-je Mettre ?, Danse avec moi, Les fleurs, La mer, Compte à Rebours, Plein et Vide and 7 more.
Practice ideas for parents
- 1Clap your mains every time the word comes up in a song.
- 2Wash hands together and name them: "mains!" before the soap goes on.
- 3Trace around both hands and count the fingers in French.
Related French words
“Hands” in other languages
Sing it in French, free
The first unit, 6 greeting songs with lyrics and English translation, is free forever. No card needed. Premium unlocks all 134 songs.
About the pronunciation: the “sounds like” spellings are rough English approximations for parents (capital letters show the stressed syllable). Frenchhas sounds English doesn't, so treat them as a starting point and let the songs be the model. Songs are original and produced with AI music tools. Ideas for using French songs with your family.