“Bonne année” is kind of an extra song that French singer Bénabar wrote for the New Year’s Eve holiday. It is a hidden track on his 2014 album Inspiré De Faits Réels.

About the Artist

Bruno Nicolini, who performs as Bénabar, is a French singer/songwriter from the suburbs of Paris. His music is part of the French Chanson genre, where an emphasis is placed on appreciation of the lyrics and where use of piano, accordion and brass instruments is prevalent.

Biographical information from Wikipedia.

Cultural References, Idioms and Explanations

‘Bonne année’ – Literally translating as ‘good year’, this is the French equivalent of the phrase ‘Happy New Year’.is to

‘santé’ – The noun ‘santé’ means ‘health’, and is commonly used in toasts, either by itself or as part of the phrase ‘à ta/votre santé’. To drink ‘à la santé de quelqu’un’ is to drink ‘to their health’, or to drink ‘a toast’ to them.

‘jambon de Bayonne’ – jambon de Bayonne or Bayonne ham in English, is a cured ham that comes from the basin of the river Adour in the southwest of France, which gets its name from the ancient port city of Bayonne. The most famous of all French hams, it can be found as part of New Year’s Eve meals.

‘ancienne’ – The adjective ‘ancien’ is one of a handful of adjectives that have different meanings depending on whether they are placed before or after the noun they are modifying. Before the noun it means ‘former’ or ‘ex-‘. After the noun it means ‘old’ or ‘ancient’.

‘quand même’ – Literally translating as ‘when same’, this phrase means ‘all the same’, ‘still’, ‘anyway’ or ‘even so’.

‘pour l’essentiel’ – Literally translating as ‘for the essential’, this phrase means ‘above all’, ‘mainly’ or ‘mostly’.

‘non plus’ – Literally translating as ‘not more’, this phrase means ‘neither’, or ‘either’ when part of a negative sentence. For example ‘moi non plus’ means ‘me neither’, but ‘je n’aime pas les chats non plus’ would be translated as ‘I don’t like cats either’.

‘de plus en plus’ – As one would expect, this phrase means ‘more and more’ or ‘increasingly’.

‘ne … plus’ – This is a common form of negation. Used in the same way as ‘ne … pas’ (sandwiched around the verb), it means ‘not anymore’ or ‘no longer’.

‘Faudrait’ – Short for ‘il faudrait, this is the conditional tense of the verb ‘falloir’. It is a unique verb, as it is only ever used in the third person singular. It conveys a necessity, or something that has to happen. It will be followed by a verb in the infinitive or the subjunctive mood. For example ‘il faut que j’aille’ (I have to go).

Activities

We’ve created flashcards, games, and exercises to practice vocabulary and grammatical concepts found in this song. Check out our Activities Page to take your learning further!

Song Lyrics with Grammatical Breakdown

Mouse over a term for grammatical information. A chart of the terms and grammatical information can be found here.

Bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year

[Chorus]
Bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year
JejeI | pron | first pers sing lèveleverto raise, lift | verb | first pers sing pres monmonmy | poss adj | masc sing verreverreglass; drink | noun | masc sing
Bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year
Ààat, to, in | prep l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing, shortened to l' before vowelsannéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing dernièredernierlast | adj | fem sing

[Verse 1]
Ononone, people, you, someone; we | pron | following verbs conjugate in third pers sing, even when used to mean 'we' nenenot, no | adv | used with another neg term, such as 'ne … pas', the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing | shortened to l' before vowelsaavoirto have | verb | third pers sing pres | aux verb used with pp to form p.c. pasne … pasnot | adverb | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech vuevoirto see, watch | verb | pp + e passerpasserto pass, go past; to spend (time) | verb | infin
Commecommelike, as; because, since | conj sisiif | conj c’cethis, that, it | pron | shortened to c' before a vowelétaitêtreto be | verb | third pers sing imperf dedeof; from | prep | de plus en plus = more and more, increasingly plusplusmore | adv | de plus en plus = more and more, increasingly enento, in | prep | de plus en plus = more and more, increasingly plusplusmore | adv | de plus en plus = more and more, increasingly courtcourtshort; brief, fleeting | adj | masc sing
Faudraitfalloirneed, be needed; have to, must | verb | third pers sing cond | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary quandquandwhen | adv, conj | quand même = all the same, still, anyway, even so mêmemêmeeven | adv | quand même = all the same, still, anyway, even so vérifiervérifierverify, confirm, prove, check, test | verb | infin
Qu’quethat, than; let | conj | shortened to qu' before vowelsononone, people, you, someone; we | pron | following verbs conjugate in third pers sing, even when used to mean 'we' n’nenot, no | adv | used with another neg term, such as 'ne … pas' | shortened to n' before vowelsaavoirto have | verb | third pers sing pres | aux verb used with pp to form p.c. pasne … pasnot | adverb | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech zappézapperflit from one thing to another; forget all about; channel-surf | verb | pp quelquesquelquesome, a little, a few | adj | masc and fem pl joursjourday | noun | masc pl

[Chorus]
Bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year
JejeI | pron | first pers sing lèveleverto raise, lift | verb | first pers sing pres monmonmy | poss adj | masc sing verreverreglass; drink | noun | masc sing
Bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year
Ààat, to, in | prep l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing, shortened to l' before vowelsannéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing dernièredernierlast | adj | fem sing

[Verse 2]
Ààat, to, in | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing santésantéhealth | noun | fem sing dedeof; from | prep nosnosour | poss adj | masc and fem pl bonnes…bongood; right, correct | adj | fem pl
Résolutionsrésolutionresolution | noun | fem pl nonnonno, not | adv tenuestenirhold; take hold of, grip, grasp; restrain; manage, run; maintain, keep | verb | pp | used as adj
JejeI | pron | first pers sing jurejurerswear, vow; curse, cuss; clash | verb | first pers sing pres sursuron, upon; on top of, above | prep ununa | indef art | masc sing jambonjambonham | noun | masc sing dedeof; from | prep BayonneBayonneBayonne | noun, prop | ancient port city in the far southwest of France
Qu’quethat, than; let | conjononone, people, you, someone; we | pron | following verbs conjugate in third pers sing, even when used to mean 'we' leslesthe | def art | masc and fem pl tiendratenirhold; take hold of, grip, grasp; restrain; manage, run; maintain, keep | verb | third pers sing fut pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech cettecettethis, that | dem adj | fem sing annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing nonnonno, not | adv | non plus = neither, either plusplusmore | adv | non plus = neither, either

[Chorus]
Bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year
JejeI | pron | first pers sing lèveleverto raise, lift | verb | first pers sing pres monmonmy | poss adj | masc sing verreverreglass; drink | noun | masc sing
Bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year
Ààat, to, in | prep l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing, shortened to l' before vowelsannéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing dernièredernierlast | adj | fem sing

[Verse 3]
Leslesthe | def art | masc and fem pl salaudssalaudbastard, son of a bitch | noun | masc pl ontavoirto have | verb | third pers pl pres | aux verb used with the pp to form the p.c. encoreencorestill, yet; again | adv triomphétriompherto triumph, prevail | verb | pp
Maismaisbut | conj çaçathis, that, it | pron c’cethis, that, it | pron | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres dedeof; from | prep l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing | shortened to l' before vowelshistoirehistoirestory; history | noun | fem sing ancienneancienold, ancient, bygone, antique | adj | fem sing
Cecethis, that | pron | masc sing soirsoirevening | noun | masc sing essayonsessayerto try | verb | first pers pl impera d’deof; from | prep | used before vowelsoublieroublierto forget | verb | infin
Qu’quethat, than; let | conjcecethis, that | pron | masc sing seraêtreto be | verb | third pers sing fut pareilpareilthe same, identical; such, like that | adj | masc sing l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing | shortened to l' before vowelsannéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing prochaineprochainnext, this coming | adj | fem sing

[Chorus]
Bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year
JejeI | pron | first pers sing lèveleverto raise, lift | verb | first pers sing pres monmonmy | poss adj | masc sing verreverreglass; drink | noun | masc sing
Bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year
Ààat, to, in | prep l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing, shortened to l' before vowelsannéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing dernièredernierlast | adj | fem sing

[Verse 4]
Cellecellethe one, that one | pron quiquiwho, which, that | pron | interr or rel débutedébuterto start, begin | verb | third pers sing pres qu’quethat, than; let | conjenenno translation | adv seraêtreto be | verb | third pers sing fut -t--t--t- | seperator | added between vowels in inversion elle ?elleshe, her, it | pron | third pers sing
Inutileinutileuseless, pointless, unnecessary | adj | masc and fem sing ououor | conj féconde ?fécondfertile; productive | adj | fem sing
Çaçathis, that, it | pron dépenddépendre dedepend on | verb | third pers sing pres dedeof; from | prep nousnouswe, us | pron | first pers pl pourpourto; for | prep | to' before verbs, 'for' before nouns or pron's | pour l'essentiel = above all, mainly, mostly l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing | shortened to l' before vowelsessentielessentielmain thing, most important thing; essentials | noun | masc sing | pour l'essentiel = above all, mainly, mostly
Ononone, people, you, someone; we | pron | following verbs conjugate in third pers sing, even when used to mean 'we' aavoirto have | verb | third pers sing pres ununa | indef art | masc sing ananyear | noun | masc sing pourpourto; for | prep | to' before verbs, 'for' before nouns or pron's répondrerépondreto answer, respond, reply | verb | infin

[Chorus]
Bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year
JejeI | pron | first pers sing lèveleverto raise, lift | verb | first pers sing pres monmonmy | poss adj | masc sing verreverreglass; drink | noun | masc sing
Bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year bonnebonnegood; right, correct | adj | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year annéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing | Bonne année = Happy New Year
Ààat, to, in | prep l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing, shortened to l' before vowelsannéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing dernièredernierlast | adj | fem sing

[Verse5]
Etetand | conj jejeI | pron | first pers sing lèveleverto raise, lift | verb | first pers sing pres monmonmy | poss adj | masc sing verreverreglass; drink | noun | masc sing
ààat, to, in | prep ceuxceuxthose, the ones | pron quiquiwho, which, that | pron | interr or rel n’nenot, no | adv | used with another neg term, such as 'ne … pas' | shortened to n' before vowelssontêtreto be | verb | third pers pl pres plusplusmore | adv | ne … plus = not anymore, no longer avecavecwith | prep nousnouswe, us | pron | first pers pl
[silence]
JejeI | pron | first pers sing lèveleverto raise, lift | verb | first pers sing pres monmonmy | poss adj | masc sing verreverreglass; drink | noun | masc sing c’cethis, that, it | pron | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres touttoutall, entirely, very | adv

[Outro]
JejeI | pron | first pers sing lèveleverto raise, lift | verb | first pers sing pres monmonmy | poss adj | masc sing verreverreglass; drink | noun | masc sing
Ààat, to, in | prep l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing | shortened to l' before vowelsannéeannéeyear | noun | fem sing dernièredernierlast | adj | fem sing

Lyrics with Translation

Songs in any language often leave room for multiple interpretations. Following is my interpretation of the song lyrics.

Bonne année
Happy New Year

[Chorus]
Bonne année bonne année
Happy New Year, Happy New Year
Je lève mon verre
I raise my glass
Bonne année bonne année
Happy New Year, Happy New Year
À l’année dernière
To last year

[Verse 1]
On ne l’a pas vue passer
We didn’t see it pass
Comme si c’était de plus en plus court
Like it was shorter and shorter
Faudrait quand même vérifier
We should still make sure
Qu’on n’a pas zappé quelques jours
That we didn’t forget about a few days

[Chorus]
Bonne année bonne année
Happy New Year, Happy New Year
Je lève mon verre
I raise my glass
Bonne année bonne année
Happy New Year, Happy New Year
À l’année dernière
To last year

[Verse 2]
À la santé de nos bonnes…
Cheers to the good…
Résolutions non tenues
Resolutions we didn’t keep
Je jure sur un jambon de Bayonne
I swear on a Bayonne ham
Qu’on les tiendra pas cette année non plus
That we won’t keep them this year either

[Chorus]
Bonne année bonne année
Happy New Year, Happy New Year
Je lève mon verre
I raise my glass
Bonne année bonne année
Happy New Year, Happy New Year
À l’année dernière
To last year

[Verse 3]
Les salauds ont encore triomphé
The bastards prevailed again
Mais ça c’est de l’histoire ancienne
But that’s ancient history
Ce soir essayons d’oublier
Tonight let’s try to forget
Qu’ce sera pareil l’année prochaine
That it will be the same next year

[Chorus]
Bonne année bonne année
Happy New Year, Happy New Year
Je lève mon verre
I raise my glass
Bonne année bonne année
Happy New Year, Happy New Year
À l’année dernière
To last year

[Verse 4]
Celle qui débute qu’en sera-t-elle ?
The one that is starting, how will it be?
Inutile ou féconde ?
Pointless or productive?
Ça dépend de nous pour l’essentiel
It mainly depends on us
On a un an pour répondre
We have a year to respond

[Chorus]
Bonne année bonne année
Happy New Year, Happy New Year
Je lève mon verre
I raise my glass
Bonne année bonne année
Happy New Year, Happy New Year
À l’année dernière
To last year

[Verse 5]
Et je lève mon verre,
And I raise my glass,
à ceux qui n’sont plus avec nous
to those who are no longer with us
[silence]
Je lève mon verre c’est tout
I raise my glass that’s all

[Outro]
Je lève mon verre
I raise my glass
À l’année dernière
To last year

Grammatical Concepts Used in this Song

• Demonstrative Adjectives:
  • Qu’on les tiendra pas cette année non plus

• poss adj
  • Je lève mon verre
  • À la santé de nos bonnes résolutions non tenues

• Other Negation:
  • à ceux qui n‘sont plus avec nous

• Regular verbs with spelling changes:
  • Je lève mon verre

• Irregular verbs
  • Mais ça c’est de l’histoire ancienne
  • Je lève mon verre c’est tout
  • On a un an pour répondre
  • à ceux qui n’sont plus avec nous

• Passé composé:
  • On ne l’a pas vue passer
  • Qu’on n’a pas zappé quelques jours
  • Les salauds ont encore triomphé

• Imperfect:
  • Comme si c’était de plus en plus court

• Conditional:
  • Faudrait quand même vérifier

• Future:
  • Qu’on les tiendra pas cette année non plus
  • Qu’ce sera pareille l’année prochaine
  • Celle qui débute qu’en sera-t-elle ?

• Imperative:
  • Ce soir essayons d’oublier