Tire les ficelles, tire les ficelles
Pull the strings, pull the strings
Song translation
Polichinelle
Edith Piaf
Learn Polichinelle by Edith Piaf with lyrics, line-by-line translation, and interactive vocabulary practice.
Learn this song interactively
46 lines, first 46 translated
About this song
Polichinelle by Edith Piaf is a great song to learn French through music. This page breaks down 46 lines with a clear, line-by-line translation, plus 7 key words such as tire, ficelles, polichinelle. Singing along is one of the fastest ways to pick up natural pronunciation and make new phrases stick — far more memorable than plain word lists. Tap any line to open interactive mode and practice the vocabulary until you own it.
Lyrics and Translation
Line-by-line practice helps you understand the meaning and remember useful phrases.
Ton polichinelle te tendra les bras
Your little friend will stretch out their arms to you
Tourne la baguette et ta marionette
Turn the wand and your puppet
Penchera la tête et te sourira
Will tilt his head and smile at you
Tant que tes doigts lestes
As long as your fingers are nimble
Commandent mes gestes
Command my actions
Tu te fous du reste
You don't care about the rest
Ça ne compte pas
It doesn't count
Tire les ficelles et polichinelle
Pull the strings and play around
Aussitôt fera ce que tu voudras
Immediately do what you want
Tire les ficelles, tire les ficelles
Pull the strings, pull the strings
Ton polichinelle fera 1000 tours
Your punch will do 1000 revolutions
Te dira "Je t'aime"
Will tell you "I love you"
Cachera ses peines
Will hide his sorrows
Cachera sa haine
Will hide his hatred
Sous les mots d'amour
Under the words of love
Tirer dans le monde
Shoot in the world
Pour que toi dans l'ombre
So that you in the shadows
Tu aies le triomphe
You have the triumph
Auquel tu as droit
To which you are entitled
Ton polichinelle
Your punchline
Fera tans de zèle
Will be so zealous
Que dès qu'on nous verra
That as soon as we are seen
On t'applaudira
We will applaud you
Sais-tu seulement si j'ai un coeur
Do you even know if I have a heart
Sais-tu seulement si j'ai une âme
Do you even know if I have a soul
C'est propre et dur dans ton programme
It's clean and hard in your program
De prestidigitateur
Of conjurer
Tire les ficelles
Pull the strings
Tire les ficelles
Pull the strings
De polichinelle
From punchline
Mais prends garde à toi
But take care
Car il est possible
Because it is possible
Que je me délivre
That I deliver myself
Des fils invisible
Invisible threads
Qui m'attachent à toi
Who attach me to you
En brisant le charme
By breaking the spell
Je retrouve une âme
I find a soul
Je redeviens femme
I become a woman again
Je redeviens moi
I become me again
Faut que t'en profites
You have to take advantage of it
On se lasse vite
We get tired quickly
Et le jour viendra
And the day will come
Où ça cassera
Where it will break
Où ça cassera
Where it will break
Où ça cassera
Where it will break
Song Vocabulary
Key words from this song. Practice them in Langooo to remember them faster.
tire
shoot
ficelles
strings
polichinelle
puppet
fera
will do
dans
In
cassera
will break
cachera
will hide