tête, épaules, genoux et pieds
In French, head, shoulders, knees and toes is tête, épaules, genoux et pieds, the opening lyric of the French version of the children's song.
Tête, épaules, genoux et pieds is the title and central lyric of the French version of the popular action song in which children touch each body part as they sing it.
What does it mean word for word?
tête means head, épaules means shoulders, genoux means knees and pieds means feet.
Which one should you use?
The French version uses pieds, the word for feet, instead of the specific word for toes. This fits the rhythm of the song and the way it is commonly sung.
Did you know?
- The word tête actually shares its origins with the Latin word for a 'pot' or a 'jug', rather than the word for a biological 'head'.
- While tête is the common word for head, French still uses the older word chef in specific idioms, such as chef-d'œuvre for a 'masterpiece'.
- The word pieds in the song refers to the entire foot, yet in French measurement, a pied was historically used as a unit of length similar to the English 'foot'.
Examples in context
- Il a eu une blessure au genou.He had a knee injury.
- On chante tête, épaules, genoux et pieds !Let's sing head, shoulders, knees, and toes!
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are playing a music game together.
- NathanQuelle chanson veux-tu chanter, Emma ?Which song do you want to sing, Emma?
- EmmaJe veux chanter tête, épaules, genoux et pieds !I want to sing head, shoulders, knees, and toes!
- NathanC'est une super idée, Nathan adore ça.That's a great idea, Nathan loves that.
- EmmaAlors, on commence la danse maintenant !So, let's start the dance now!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries et, tête, CC BY-SA 4.0.
