French/Texts/National anthems/La Marseillaise

Introduction

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The song was written and composed in 1792 by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strastburg during the French Revolution, and was originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin". It was adopted as the national anthem in 1795. It acquired its nickname after being sung in Paris by people marching on the capital.

How To Read The Anthem

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You will not get much out of the anthem if you skim through it or only know the meanings of half the words. There are two ways you can read it. The first is to read the French text and English translation below. The second way will lead to a greater understanding of the anthem, but is more time consuming. Read a line, look up words you don't know, then continue on to the next line. When you finish reading a verse, you should reread both in French and English to make sure you understand both the overall picture and each line. It may be necessary to repeat this several times. After reading the entire anthem once, quickly read it a second time. You should be able to reread it in no time at all. If you find yourself having trouble rereading the anthem, read it a third time until you are comfortable reading it.

Vocabulary

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Word English meaning
la Patrie fatherland
le citoyen citizen

The Anthem

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French lyrics English Translation
I.
Allons enfants de la Patrie
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
Contre nous de la tyrannie
L'étendard sanglant est levé (bis)
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldats ?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras.
Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes !
Verse I
Arise children of our fatherland,
The day of glory has arrived!
Against us, tyranny,
Has raised its bloodied banner, (1)
Do you hear in the fields
The howling of these fearsome soldiers?
They are coming up into your arms (2)
To slit the throats of your sons and consorts!
Refrain :
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
Refrain
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
II.
Que veut cette horde d'esclaves
De traîtres, de rois conjurés ?
Pour qui ces ignobles entraves
Ces fers dès longtemps préparés ? (bis)
Français, pour nous, ah ! quel outrage
Quels transports il doit exciter ?
C'est nous qu'on ose méditer
De rendre à l'antique esclavage !
Verse II
What does this horde of slaves,
Traitors, and plotting kings want?
For whom these vile chains
These long-prepared irons?
Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage,
What fury must it arouse?
It is us they dare plan
To return to the old slavery!
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
III.
Quoi ces cohortes étrangères !
Feraient la loi dans nos foyers !
Quoi ! ces phalanges mercenaires
Terrasseraient nos fils guerriers ! (bis)
Grand Dieu ! par des mains enchaînées
Nos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient
De vils despotes deviendraient
Les maîtres des destinées.
Verse III
What! These foreign cohorts!
They would make laws in our courts!
What! These mercenary phalanxes
Would cut down our warrior sons
Good Lord! By chained hands
Our brow would yield under the yoke
The vile despots would have themselves be
The masters of destiny
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
IV.
Tremblez, tyrans et vous perfides
L'opprobre de tous les partis
Tremblez ! vos projets parricides
Vont enfin recevoir leurs prix ! (bis)
Tout est soldat pour vous combattre
S'ils tombent, nos jeunes héros
La France en produit de nouveaux,
Contre vous tout prêts à se battre.
Verse IV
Tremble, tyrants and traitors
The shame of all good men
Tremble! Your parricidal schemes
Will receive their just reward
Against you we are all soldiers
If they fall, our young heroes
France will bear new ones
Ready to join the fight against you
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
V
Français, en guerriers magnanimes
Portez ou retenez vos coups !
Épargnez ces tristes victimes
À regret s'armant contre nous (bis)
Mais ces despotes sanguinaires
Mais ces complices de Bouillé
Tous ces tigres qui, sans pitié
Déchirent le sein de leur mère !
Verse V
Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors
Bear or hold back your blows
Spare these sad victims
That they regret taking up arms against us
But not these bloody despots
These accomplices of Bouillé
All these tigers who mercilessly
Ripped out their mothers' wombs
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
VI.
Amour sacré de la Patrie
Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs
Liberté, Liberté chérie
Combats avec tes défenseurs ! (bis)
Sous nos drapeaux, que la victoire
Accoure à tes mâles accents
Que tes ennemis expirants
Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire !
Verse VI
Sacred patriotic love
Lead [and] support our avenging arms
Liberty, cherished liberty
Fight back with your defenders
Under our flags, let victory
Hurry to your manly tone
So that your enemies, in their last breath [before death]
See your triumph and our glory!
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
VII. Couplet des enfants
Nous entrerons dans la carrière
Quand nos aînés n'y seront plus
Nous y trouverons leur poussière
Et la trace de leurs vertus (bis)
Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre
Que de partager leur cercueil
Nous aurons le sublime orgueil
De les venger ou de les suivre !
Verse VII
We shall enter the career (3)
When our elders will no longer be there
There we shall find their ashes [lit. dust]
And the mark of their virtues
[We are] Much less jealous of surviving them
Than of sharing their coffins
[For] We shall have the sublime pride
Of avenging or joining [lit. following] them
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
VIII. Couplet supprimé par Servan, Ministre de la Guerre en 1792
Dieu de clémence et de justice
Vois nos tyrans, juge nos coeurs
Que ta bonté nous soit propice
Défends-nous de ces oppresseurs
Tu règnes au ciel et sur terre
Et devant Toi, tout doit fléchir
De ton bras, viens nous soutenir
Toi, grand Dieu, maître du tonnerre.
English
God of mercy and justice
See our tyrants, judge our hearts
Thy goodness be with us
Defend us from these oppressors
You reign in heaven and on earth
And before You all must bend
In your arms, come support us
You Great God, Lord of the thunder.
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
Couplets supplémentaires - Additional Verses
IX.
Peuple français, connais ta gloire ;
Couronné par l'Égalité,
Quel triomphe, quelle victoire,
D'avoir conquis la Liberté ! (bis)
Le Dieu qui lance le tonnerre
Et qui commande aux éléments,
Pour exterminer les tyrans,
Se sert de ton bras sur la terre.
English
French people, know thy glory
Crowned by Equality,
What a triumph, what a victory,
To have won Liberty!
The God who throws thunder
And who commands the elements,
To exterminate the tyrants
Uses your arm on earth.
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
X.
Nous avons de la tyrannie
Repoussé les derniers efforts ;
De nos climats, elle est bannie ;
Chez les Français les rois sont morts. (bis)
Vive à jamais la République !
Anathème à la royauté !
Que ce refrain, partout porté,
Brave des rois la politique.
English
Of tyranny, we have
Rebuffed its last efforts;
From our climes, it is banished;
Among the French the kings are dead.
May the Republic live forever!
Anathema to royalty!
May this refrain, sung everywhere,
Defy politics to kings.
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
XI.
La France que l'Europe admire
A reconquis la Liberté
Et chaque citoyen respire
Sous les lois de l'Égalité ; (bis)
Un jour son image chérie
S'étendra sur tout l'univers.
Peuples, vous briserez vos fers
Et vous aurez une Patrie !
English
France that Europe admires
Has reconquered Liberty
And every citizen breathes
Under the laws of Equality;
One day its beloved image
Will extend throughout the universe.
Peoples, you will break your chains
And you will have a fatherland!
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
XII.
Foulant aux pieds les droits de l'Homme,
Les soldatesques légions
Des premiers habitants de Rome
Asservirent les nations. (bis)
Un projet plus grand et plus sage
Nous engage dans les combats
Et le Français n'arme son bras
Que pour détruire l'esclavage.
English
Trampling on the rights of Man,
The soldierly legions
Of Rome's first inhabitants
Enslaved nations.
A larger project, and wiser,
Engages us in battle
And the Frenchman only arms himself
In order to destroy slavery.
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
XIII.
Oui ! déjà d'insolents despotes
Et la bande des émigrés
Faisant la guerre aux Sans-Culottes
Par nos armes sont altérés ; (bis)
Vainement leur espoir se fonde
Sur le fanatisme irrité,
Le signe de la Liberté
Fera bientôt le tour du monde.
English
Yes! already insolent despots
And the band of emigrants
Waging war on the sans-culottes
By our weapons are altered;
Vainly their hope is based
On piqued fanaticism
The sign of Liberty
Will soon spread around the world.
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
XIV.
O vous ! que la gloire environne,
Citoyens, illustres guerriers,
Craignez, dans les champs de Bellone,
Craignez de flétrir vos lauriers ! (bis)
Aux noirs soupçons inaccessibles
Envers vos chefs, vos généraux,
Ne quittez jamais vos drapeaux,
Et vous resterez invincibles.
English
O you! that glory surrounds,
Citizens, illustrious warriors,
Fear, in the fields of Bellona,
Fear the sullying of your laurels!
To dark unfounded suspicions
Towards your leaders, your generals,
Never leave your flags,
And you will remain invincible.
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)
XV.
Enfants, que l'Honneur, la Patrie
Fassent l'objet de tous nos vœux !
Ayons toujours l'âme nourrie
Des feux qu'ils inspirent tous deux. (bis)
Soyons unis ! Tout est possible ;
Nos vils ennemis tomberont,
Alors les Français cesseront
De chanter ce refrain terrible :
English
Children, let Honor and the Fatherland
Be the object of all our wishes!
Let us always have souls nourished
By fires that might inspire both.
Let us be united! Anything is possible;
Our vile enemies will fall,
Then the French will cease
To sing this terrible refrain:
(refrain)
French
Aux armes citoyens
Formez vos bataillons
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
English
To arms, citizens!
Form your battalions!
Let us march, let us march!
Let impure blood (of our enemies)
Soak the furrows (of our fields)

(1) The sentence (in French) is inverted, the non-literal translation is : "The bloody banner of tyranny is raised against/before us" but it may be also "Protect us against tyranny, The bloody banner is raised"
(2) Here and in the next line, this is often sung as "nos" ("our") rather than "vos" ("your"); "vos" remains official.
(3) "la carrière" ("the career"), that is, of being in the army.

Questions

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