“Angela” is a song by French rapper Hatik. It is currently sitting at number one on the SNEP Top Singles for this week. And it’s chock full of slang and other idiomatic usage, which is great for learning.

About the Artist(s)

Clément Penhoat, known as Hatik, is a rapper and actor from Guyancourt, a southwestern suburb of Paris. He started writing rap texts when he was 16, and in 2014 he released his first mixtape entitled America 2 – Connaissance et style. He became known in 2018 when he began working on his musical project Chaise pliante, which consisted of a dozen singles and two albums.

Biographical information from Wikipedia.

Cultural References, Idioms and Explanations

‘J’t’ai déjà croisée’ – You might notice that the past participle ‘croisé’ here has an extra ‘e’ at the end. In the passé compsé verbs using the auxiliary verb ‘avoir’ do not usually alter the past participle to agree with the subject (unlike verbs using ‘être’). However, when a direct object precedes the past participle in the sentence, then the past participle will agree. The extra ‘e’ here is in agreement with ‘te’ as it is referring to a woman.

‘fraîche’ – In regular usage this term means ‘fresh’, ‘cool’ (regarding temperature), or ‘new’. However in French slang it is used similarly to the way Americans use the term ‘cool’.

“tél'” – The French love to shorten words. Not only is this a shortening of the word ‘télephone’, this actually really refers to the telephone number, not the phone.

‘rrain-te’ – This is an example of the form of French slang called verlan. In verlan the syllables of a word are transposed. So here the word ‘terrain’ becomes ‘rrain-te’. Even the name ‘verlan’ is verlan for the word ‘l’envers’ meaning ‘the inverse’. This example is not one of the words in verlan that are commonly used. It was likely used here as it makes a rhyme.

‘binks’ – This is a slang term for housing estate or working-class area, similar to ‘the hood’ in English.

‘avoir envie de’ – This is one of the many phrases that uses ‘avoir’ in French. Meaning ‘to want’ or ‘to feel like’, it translates literally as ‘to have a desire for’.

‘faire le dingue’ – This phrase means ‘to act crazy’ or ‘to act like a fool’, where one is behaving in a crazy manner. As opposed to ‘devenir dingue’ where someone is actually going crazy.

‘zone’ – In normal language this means ‘zone’ or ‘area’, however in slang this means a ‘rough area’ or a bad neighborhood. For lack of another term I have translated this as ‘hood’, as with ‘blinks’ above.

‘resto’ – Like I said with ‘tél” above, the French love to shorten things. This is a commonly used shortening of ‘restaurant’.

‘recette’ – While this term often means ‘recipe’, it has another meaning of ‘income’, ‘revenue’ or ‘takings’, which fits the context better here.

‘braqueur’ – This term means ‘armed robber’. The robber has to be brandishing a gun, or they are simply a ‘voleur’.

‘zouk’ – This is a style of music that originated in Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique.

‘sous’ – This is a slang term for a ‘penny’, ‘cent’ or for ‘money’ in general.

‘à petit feux’ – Literally translating as ‘on little fire’, this phrase means either ‘on low heat’ or ‘slowly’ or ‘little by little’.

‘descendre’ – In normal speech this term means ‘to go down’, ‘to get off’, ‘to get out’, ‘to lower’ or ‘to bring down’. In colloquial speech it can also mean ‘to take [someone] out’ or ‘to kill’.

Song Lyrics with Grammatical Breakdown

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

AngelaAngelaAngela | prop noun | woman's name

[Verse 1]
Tontonyour | poss adj | masc sing visagevisageface | noun | masc sing mememe | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, first pers sing ditdireto say, tell | verb | third pers sing quelque chosequelque chosesomething | pron | masc
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelst’teyou | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing | can be shortened to t' before vowels in colloquial languageaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres | aux verb used with the pp to form the p. c. déjàdéjàalready, yet | adv croiséecroisercross, cross paths with, run into | verb | pp dansdansin | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing villevillecity | noun | fem sing
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowels, and sometimes consonants in colloquial speechvaisallerto go | verb | first pers sing pres | aller + inf = to be going to do something paspasstep; footprint; speed, pace | noun | masc sing t’teyou | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing | can be shortened to t' before vowels and sometimes consonants in colloquial speechmentir,mentirto lie | verb | infin j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres | aux verb used with the pp to form the p. c. paspasstep; footprint; speed, pace | noun | masc sing matématerto subdue, quell, quash; to check out, look at | verb | pp testesyour | poss adj | masc and fem pl shoesshoesshoes | EN term
T’tuyou | pron | sec pers sing inform | may be shortened to t' before vowels in colloquial speechesêtreto be | verb | sec pers sing pres lalathe | def art | fem sing plusplusmore | adv fraîchefraiscool, chilled; fresh; new | adj | fem sing | in slang means 'cool' like US slang sisiif | conj tutuyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform veuxvouloirto want | verb | first and sec pers sing pres monmonmy | poss adj | masc sing avisavisopinion, view; notice | noun | masc sing
Vas-allerto go | verb | sec pers sing pres | vas-y = go on, go ahead, go for ityyabout him/her/it, at him/her/it, to him/her it | pron | vas-y = go on, go ahead, go for it prendsprendreto take | verb | sec pers sing impera monmonmy | poss adj | masc sing tél’téléphonetelephone (number) | noun | masc sing
Quandquandwhen | adv, conj tutuyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform veuxvouloirto want | verb | first and sec pers sing pres t’tuyou | pron | sec pers sing inform | may be shortened to t' before vowels in colloquial speechappellesappellerto call | verb | sec pers sing pres
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowels, and sometimes consonants in colloquial speechseraiêtreto be | first pers sing fut ààat, to, in | prep l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing | shortened to l' before vowelshôtel,hôtelhotel | noun | masc sing dansdansin | prep ununa | indef art | masc sing nuagenuagecloud | noun | masc sing dedeof; from | prep fuméefuméesmoke | noun | fem sing
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowels, and sometimes consonants in colloquial speechteteyou; yourself | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing voisvoirto see, watch | first pers sing pres derrièrederrièrebehind | prep leslesthe | def art | masc and fem pl vitresvitre(window) pane | noun | fem pl teintéesteintétinted | adj | fem pl
Cecethis, that | dem adj | masc sing soirsoirevening | noun | masc sing j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowels, and sometimes consonants in colloquial speechvaisallerto go | verb | first pers sing pres | aller + inf = to be going to do something quitterquitterto leave | infin l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing | shortened to l' before vowelsrrain-teterrainsite, grounds; terrain; field, pitch, court; territory | noun | masc sing | this is an example of verlan, the reversing of syllables in FR slang

[Pre-Chorus]
Regarde-regarderto watch, look at | verb | sec pers sing imperamoimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing dansdansin | prep leslesthe | def art | masc and fem pl yeux,œileye | noun | masc pl j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowels, and sometimes consonants in colloquial speechdeviensdevenirto become | verb | first pers sing pres amnésiqueamnésiqueamnesiac, amnesic | adj | masc sing
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowels, and sometimes consonants in colloquial speechcroiscroireto believe, think | verb | first pers sing pres qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowelstontonyour | poss adj | masc sing corpscorpsbody | noun | masc sing and pl mememe | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, first pers sing rappellerappelerremind; call back | verb | third pers sing pres | se rappeler = to remember desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl souvenirssouvenirmemory | noun | masc pl d’deof; from | prep | used before vowelsAmériqueAmériqueAmerica | noun | fem sing
Bébébébébaby | noun | masc sing làlàthere; here; (right) now | adv j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres | avoir envie de = to want, feel like envieenvielonging, desire, wish, yearning | noun | fem sing | avoir envie de = to want, feel like d’deof; from | prep | used before vowelsfairefaireto do; to make | verb | infin lelethe | def art | masc sing dingue,dinguelunatic, crazy person | noun | masc and fem sing | faire le dingue = act crazy, act like a fool fais-faireto do, to make | verb | sec pers sing imperamoimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing oublieroublierto forget | verb | infin lelethe | def art | masc sing binksbinksworking class area, 'the hood' | noun | masc sing
Bébébébébaby | noun | masc sing làlàthere; here; (right) now | adv j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres | avoir envie de = to want, feel like envieenvielonging, desire, wish, yearning | noun | fem sing | avoir envie de = to want, feel like d’deof; from | prep | used before vowelsfairefaireto do; to make | verb | infin lelethe | def art | masc sing dingue,dinguelunatic, crazy person | noun | masc and fem sing | faire le dingue = act crazy, act like a fool fais-faireto do, to make | verb | sec pers sing imperamoimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing oublieroublierto forget | verb | infin lelethe | def art | masc sing binksbinksworking class area, 'the hood' | noun | masc sing

[Chorus]
Angela,AngelaAngela | prop noun | woman's name appelle-appellerto call | verb | sec pers sing imperamoimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing cecethis, that | dem adj | masc sing soirsoirevening | noun | masc sing etetand | conj j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowels, and sometimes consonants in colloquial speechdémarredémarrerto start, begin; start up; get going | verb | first pers sing pres dedeof; from | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing zonezonezone; area; rough area | noun | fem sing
Angela,AngelaAngela | prop noun | woman's name appelle-appellerto call | verb | sec pers sing imperamoimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing cecethis, that | dem adj | masc sing soirsoirevening | noun | masc sing etetand | conj j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowels, and sometimes consonants in colloquial speechdémarredémarrerto start, begin; start up; get going | verb | first pers sing pres dedeof; from | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing zonezonezone; area; rough area | noun | fem sing

[Verse 2]
Bébébébébaby | noun | masc sing dis-direto say, tell | verb | sec pers sing imperamoimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing c’cethis, that, it | pron | shortened to c' before a vowelquequethat, than | conj tutuyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform veuxvouloirto want | verb | first and sec pers sing pres fairefaireto do; to make | verb | infin
Dansdansin | prep quelquelwhich, what | adj | masc sing restorestaurantnoun | masc sing tutuyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform veuxvouloirto want | verb | first and sec pers sing pres mangermangerto eat | verb | infin
Est-êtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres | est-ce que = do, does, is, are, has, have?cecethis, that | dem adj | masc sing | est-ce que = do, does, is, are, has, have? quequethat, than | conj | est-ce que = do, does, is, are, has, have? çaçathis, that, it | pron teteyou; yourself | pron | dir obj, indir obj, and reflex, sec pers sing dérangedérangerto bother, disturb; upset | verb | third pers sing pres sisiif | conj jejeI | pron | first pers sing conduisconduireto drive | verb | first pers sing pres Vite ?vitefast, quickly; soon | adv
Ououor | conj est-êtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres | est-ce que = do, does, is, are, has, have?cecethis, that | dem adj | masc sing | est-ce que = do, does, is, are, has, have? quequethat, than | conj | est-ce que = do, does, is, are, has, have? t’tuyou | pron | sec pers sing inform | may be shortened to t' before vowels in colloquial speechaimesaimerto like, to love | verb | sec pers sing pres lelethe | def art | masc sing Danger ?dangerdanger | noun | masc sing
N’nenot, no | adv | used with another neg term, such as 'ne … pas' | shortened to n' before vowelsaiesavoirto have | verb | sec pers sing impera pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech peurpeurfear | noun | fem sing | avoir peur = to be afraid non,nonno, not | adv nonnonno, not | adv
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech d’deof; from | prep | used before vowelscœur,cœurheart | noun | masc sing ouaisouaisyeah, yep | adv
Maismaisbut | conj jejeI | pron | first pers sing prendraiprendreto take | verb | first person sing fut soinsoincare, attention; treatment | noun | masc sing dedeof; from | prep toitoiyou | pron | sec pers sing, informal commecommelike, as; because, since | conj lalathe | def art | fem sing recetterecetterecipe; formula; revenue, income; takings | noun | fem sing d’deof; from | prep | used before vowelsununa | indef art | masc sing braqueur,braqueurarmed robber | noun | masc or fem sing ouais,ouaisyeah, yep | adv ouaisouaisyeah, yep | adv
HatikHatikHatik | prop noun | name of singer yo, pasne … pasnot | adv | the 'ne' may be omitted in colloquial speech hommehommeman | noun | masc sing dedeof; from | prep zoukzoukzouk(musical style) | noun | masc sing maismaisbut | conj hommehommeman | noun | masc sing dedeof; from | prep soussoupenny, cent; money | noun | masc pl
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsfaisfaireto do, to make | verb | first pers sing pres desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl tonnestonneton | noun | fem sing dedeof; from | prep billets,billetbill, banknote; ticket, pass | noun | masc sing viensvenirto come | verb | sec pers sing impera m’meme; myself | pron | first pers sing, dir obj, indir obj, and reflex | shortened to m' before vowelsenenabout it, some (of it), of them | pron prendreprendretake | verb | infin ununa | indef art | masc sing petitpetitsmall, little | adj | masc sing peupeulittle, a little (bit), not much | adv
Tutuyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform voisvoirto see, watch | first pers sing pres l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing | shortened to l' before vowelsporche,porcheporch | noun | masc sing j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelssuisêtreto be | verb | first pers sing pres enento, in | prep | en dessous = underneath, below dessous,dessousunderneath, below | adv | en dessous = underneath, below j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelssuisêtreto be | verb | first pers sing pres dansdansin | prep lelethe | def art | masc sing zoozoozoo | noun | masc sing
Maismaisbut | conj t’tuyou | pron | sec pers sing inform | may be shortened to t' before vowels in colloquial speechesêtreto be | verb | sec pers sing pres lalathe | def art | fem sing seuleseulthe only one | noun | fem sing quequethat, than | conj jejeI | pron | first pers sing laisseraislaisserto leave | verb | first pers sing cond mememe | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, first pers sing descendredescendreto go down; get off, get out; lower; bring down; take out, kill | verb | infin ààat, to, in | prep | à petit feu = on low heat; slowly, little by little petitpetitsmall, little | adj | masc sing | à petit feu = on low heat; slowly, little by little feufeufire | noun | masc sing | à petit feu = on low heat; slowly, little by little

[Chorus] x 2
Angela,AngelaAngela | prop noun | woman's name appelle-appellerto call | verb | sec pers sing imperamoimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing cecethis, that | dem adj | masc sing soirsoirevening | noun | masc sing etetand | conj j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowels, and sometimes consonants in colloquial speechdémarredémarrerto start, begin; start up; get going | verb | first pers sing pres dedeof; from | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing zonezonezone; area; rough area | noun | fem sing
Angela,AngelaAngela | prop noun | woman's name appelle-appellerto call | verb | sec pers sing imperamoimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing cecethis, that | dem adj | masc sing soirsoirevening | noun | masc sing etetand | conj j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowels, and sometimes consonants in colloquial speechdémarredémarrerto start, begin; start up; get going | verb | first pers sing pres dedeof; from | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing zonezonezone; area; rough area | noun | fem sing

Lyrics with Translation

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

Angela
Angela

[Verse 1]
Ton visage me dit quelque chose
Your face tells me something
J’t’ai déjà croisée dans la ville
I’ve run into you in town before
J’vais pas t’mentir, j’ai pas maté tes shoes
I’m not gonna lie to you, I didn’t check out your shoes
T’es la plus fraîche si tu veux mon avis
You’re the coolest if you want my opinion
Vas-y prends mon tél’
Go ahead, take my number
Quand tu veux t’appelles
When you want, you call
J’serai à l’hôtel, dans un nuage de fumée
I’ll be at the hotel, in a cloud of smoke
J’te vois derrière les vitres teintées
I see you behind the tinted windows
Ce soir j’vais quitter l’rrain-te
Tonight I’m leaving the area

[Pre-Chorus]
Regarde-moi dans les yeux, j’deviens amnésique
Look me in the eyes, I’m becoming amnesiac
J’crois qu’ton corps me rappelle des souvenirs d’Amérique
I think your body reminds me of America
Bébé là j’ai envie d’faire le dingue, fais-moi oublier le binks
Baby now I want to act crazy, make me forget the hood
Bébé là j’ai envie d’faire le dingue, fais-moi oublier le binks
Baby now I want to act crazy, make me forget the hood

[Chorus]
Angela, appelle-moi ce soir et j’démarre de la zone
Angela, call me tonight and I’ll get out of the hood
Angela, appelle-moi ce soir et j’démarre de la zone
Angela, call me tonight and I’ll get out of the hood

[Verse 2]
Bébé dis-moi c’que tu veux faire
Baby tell me what you want to do
Dans quel resto tu veux manger
What restaurant do you want to eat in
Est-ce que ça te dérange si je conduis vite ?
Do you mind if I drive fast?
Ou est-ce que t’aimes le danger ?
Or do you like danger?
N’aies pas peur non, non
Don’t be afraid no, no
J’ai pas d’cœur, ouais
I don’t have a heart, yeah
Mais je prendrai soin de toi comme la recette d’un braqueur, ouais, ouais
But I’ll take care of you like a robber’s takings, yeah, yeah
Hatik yo, pas homme de zouk mais homme de sous
Hatik yo, not a zouk man but a money man
J’fais des tonnes de billets, viens m’en prendre un petit peu
I make tons of money (bills), come take some from me
Tu vois l’porche, j’suis en dessous, j’suis dans le zoo
You see the porch, I’m underneath, I’m in the zoo
Mais t’es la seule que je laisserais me descendre à petit feu
But you’re the only one I’d let kill me slowly

[Chorus] x 2
Angela, appelle-moi ce soir et j’démarre de la zone
Angela, call me tonight and I’ll get out of the hood
Angela, appelle-moi ce soir et j’démarre de la zone
Angela, call me tonight and I’ll get out of the hood