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singing

How do you talk about singing in French? There are a few words – some verbs, some nouns. The verb “to sing,” which is “chanter.” The noun “a song,” which is “une chanson.” And the noun “the singing,” which is “le chant.” There is another verb “entonner,” which means “to start singing,” or “to launch into.”

  • il chante juste (he sings in tune)
  • tu sais chanter (you can sing)
  • chanter en même temps que quelqu’un (to sing along with someone)
  • une chanson folklorique (a traditional folk song)
  • c’est une autre chanson (that another story)
  • une chanson d’amour (a love song)
  • enseigner le chant (to teach singing)
  • puis, les fidèles entonnèrent un chant religieux (then the congregation started singing a religious chant/song)
  • le chant du soliste remplissait la salle de concert (the soloist’s singing filled the concert hall)
  • entonner les louanges de quelqu’un (to start singing someone’s praises)

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