Chanter is the most common and straightforward way to say “to sing” in French. But just like in English, there are many other nuances and expressions you can use! As you dive deeper into the beautiful world of French, you might find yourself wanting to express different types of singing, from crooning a lullaby to belting out a pop song. Let’s explore nine fantastic ways to say “to sing” (and sometimes more!) in French, adding a richer melody to your vocabulary!

The standard 'to sing' – chanter

The standard "to sing" – chanter

Chanter is the most basic, common verb for "to sing" in French. It refers to the act of producing musical sounds with the voice.

Good news for learners! Chanter is a regular -ER verb, making its conjugation relatively straightforward across various tenses. This means it follows predictable patterns.

Here's how chanter is conjugated in the present tense, reflecting who is doing the singing:

• Je chante (I sing)
• Tu chantes (You sing - informal singular)
• Il/Elle/On chante (He/She/One sings)
• Nous chantons (We sing)
• Vous chantez (You sing - formal singular or plural)
• Ils/Elles chantent (They sing)

Most often, chanter is used literally to describe the act of vocalizing music. Whether it's a professional singer, someone humming in the shower, or a group singing a song, chanter is the verb you'll use.

Beyond its literal meaning, chanter appears in several common expressions:

• Faire chanter quelqu'un: To blackmail someone (literally 'to make someone sing')
• Chanter les louanges de quelqu'un: To sing someone's praises, to extol someone
• Chanter juste/faux: To sing in tune/out of tune

To talk about singing in the past, you'll typically use the passé composé. As an -ER verb, chanter uses the auxiliary verb avoir:

• J'ai chanté (I sang/have sung)
• Nous avons chanté (We sang/have sung)

For future actions, the futur simple is formed by adding the appropriate endings to the infinitive chanter:

• Je chanterai (I will sing)
• Vous chanterez (You will sing)

The simplicity of chanter makes it a fundamental verb in French. Don't overthink it; if you mean 'to sing,' chanter is almost always the correct choice. Pay attention to the context for its idiomatic uses, but for the basic action, it's very straightforward.

💡 * Elle aime chanter sous la douche. (She likes to sing in the shower.)

• Nous avons chanté toute la nuit. (We sang all night.)
• Les enfants chantent une comptine. (The children are singing a nursery rhyme.)
• Il chantera une chanson pour son anniversaire. (He will sing a song for his birthday.)
• Ne chantez pas si faux ! (Don't sing so out of tune!)

To hum or croon – fredonner

The verb for "to hum" or "to croon" in French is fredonner.

While English distinguishes between humming (making a tune with closed lips) and crooning (singing in a soft, low tone), the French verb fredonner encompasses both. It refers to producing a melody with the voice, typically softly and often without articulated words.

You'll typically use fredonner when someone is quietly singing to themselves, perhaps while working, thinking, or simply enjoying a moment. It implies a gentle, often spontaneous, vocalization of a tune.

It's important to distinguish fredonner from chanter (to sing). While chanter implies a full, often louder and more deliberate vocal performance with lyrics, fredonner suggests a more subdued, often wordless, or simply melodic rendering of a tune.

Imagine someone walking down the street, humming a catchy jingle, or a parent softly crooning a lullaby to a child. These are perfect situations for using fredonner.

Fredonner is a regular -ER verb, making its conjugation straightforward. For example, in the present tense: je fredonne, tu fredonnes, il/elle fredonne, nous fredonnons, vous fredonnez, ils/elles fredonnent.

This versatile verb captures the intimate and often unconscious act of bringing a melody to life, whether it's a quiet hum or a gentle croon, adding a touch of musicality to everyday moments.

💡 * Elle fredonne toujours quand elle cuisine. (She always hums when she cooks.)

• Il aime fredonner de vieilles chansons. (He likes to croon old songs.)
• Le bébé s'est endormi pendant qu'elle lui fredonnait une berceuse. (The baby fell asleep while she hummed him a lullaby.)
• Arrête de fredonner et chante les paroles ! (Stop humming and sing the lyrics!)

To sing softly or to yourself – chantonner

To sing softly or to yourself – chantonner is a delightful French verb that perfectly captures the act of humming or singing in a low, gentle voice.

While chanter simply means 'to sing,' chantonner adds the nuance of performing the action softly, under one's breath, or to oneself. It implies a more personal, less performative act.

Good news for learners: chantonner is a regular -er verb! This means its conjugation follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -er, making it relatively easy to master.

You'll often hear chantonner used to describe someone humming a tune while doing chores, a child singing quietly to a toy, or a person humming a melody absentmindedly.

This verb often evokes a sense of contentment, thoughtfulness, or relaxation. It's the sound of someone lost in thought or simply enjoying a moment of quiet musicality.

💡 * Il chantonnaille une mélodie en travaillant. (He hums a tune while working.)* Elle chantonait doucement pour elle-même. (She was singing softly to herself.)* L'enfant chantonait une berceuse. (The child hummed a lullaby.)* Je chantonnerai souvent quand je suis heureux. (I often hum when I'm happy.)

To strike up a song or intone a melody – entonner

The verb entonner translates to 'to strike up,' 'to intone,' or 'to begin to sing' in English. It specifically refers to starting a song, melody, or chant.

It is typically used when someone initiates a song, often with a sense of purpose, solemnity, or a strong voice, rather than just singing casually.

While it can describe starting any song, entonner is frequently associated with more formal contexts, such as intoning an anthem, a hymn, or a ceremonial chant.

💡 * Le chœur a commencé à entonner un cantique. (The choir began to intone a hymn.)

• Il a entonné une vieille chanson populaire. (He struck up an old folk song.)
• L'assemblée a entonné l'hymne national. (The assembly intoned the national anthem.)
• Qui va entonner la première strophe ? (Who will strike up the first verse?)

To sing a little song (often casually) – pousser la chansonnette

The French expression pousser la chansonnette literally translates to "to push the little song," but idiomatically means "to sing a little song," often in an informal or casual manner.

This phrase is used to describe someone singing, usually a short, spontaneous, or lighthearted tune, rather than a formal performance. It implies a casual, often impromptu act of singing.

The diminutive suffix '-ette' in chansonnette (from chanson, 'song') emphasizes the 'little' or 'light' nature of the song, reinforcing the idea of a casual, often simple tune.

You might hear pousser la chansonnette when someone hums a tune while working, sings quietly to themselves, or entertains a small, informal group without much fanfare. It's perfect for describing a spontaneous moment of song.

Remember that pousser is a regular -er verb, so it will be conjugated according to the subject (e.g., Je pousse, Tu pousses, Il/Elle pousse).

💡 * Il aime bien pousser la chansonnette sous la douche. (He really likes to sing a little song in the shower.)

• Après le dîner, ma grand-mère a poussé la chansonnette pour nous. (After dinner, my grandmother sang a little song for us.)
• N'hésite pas à pousser la chansonnette si tu connais les paroles ! (Don't hesitate to sing a little song if you know the lyrics!)
• Même s'il n'est pas chanteur, il aime bien pousser la chansonnette de temps en temps. (Even if he's not a singer, he likes to sing a little song from time to time.)

To sing with a powerful voice or loudly – donner de la voix

The French expression donner de la voix literally translates to “to give of the voice.” It is used to mean “to sing with a powerful voice or loudly,” or more generally, “to speak loudly or vociferously.”

Its most common application is in the context of singing. When someone donne de la voix, they are not just singing, but doing so with significant volume, strength, or passion. Think of a powerful opera singer, a lead vocalist belting out a song, or a choir singing in full force.

Beyond singing, donner de la voix can also describe someone who speaks loudly, often to make themselves heard in a noisy environment, to express strong feelings, or to make a point emphatically. It implies using one's voice with purpose and intensity.

You'll often hear this phrase in situations where a voice needs to project or dominate: during a concert, a public speech, a protest, or even when someone is simply trying to get attention across a distance. It highlights the act of using the voice effectively and with impact.

Remember that donner de la voix is an idiomatic expression. While it involves “giving” and “voice,” the meaning is specific to the act of projecting one's voice powerfully, whether in song or speech. It’s a vivid way to describe vocal force.

💡 *Le chanteur a vraiment donné de la voix ce soir, c'était incroyable ! (The singer really sang powerfully tonight, it was incredible!)
*Dans le chœur, il faut tous donner de la voix pour être entendu. (In the choir, everyone needs to sing loudly to be heard.)
*Elle a dû donner de la voix pour se faire entendre au-dessus du bruit de la foule. (She had to speak loudly to be heard above the crowd's noise.)
*Les manifestants ont donné de la voix pour exprimer leur colère. (The protesters spoke out loudly to express their anger.)

To vocalize or practice vocal exercises – vocaliser

The French verb vocaliser directly translates to 'to vocalize' or 'to practice vocal exercises' in English.

It is primarily used in the context of music, singing, or speech therapy, referring to the act of producing sounds or performing exercises to improve vocal quality, range, or control.

As a regular -er verb, vocaliser follows standard conjugation patterns, making it relatively easy to use once you know the basic endings.

💡 *Avant chaque concert, la chanteuse aime vocaliser pendant une heure. (Before each concert, the singer likes to vocalize for an hour.)
*Les étudiants du conservatoire doivent vocaliser tous les jours. (The conservatory students must practice vocal exercises every day.)
*Il est important de bien vocaliser pour protéger ses cordes vocales. (It's important to vocalize well to protect one's vocal cords.)
*Elle vocalise pour atteindre les notes aiguës. (She vocalizes to reach the high notes.)

To perform or interpret a song – interpréter (une chanson)

The verb interpréter primarily means "to perform" or "to interpret" a piece of music, particularly a song. It goes beyond simply singing notes; it implies conveying the meaning and emotion of the work.

While chanter means "to sing," interpréter suggests a deeper engagement, a personal rendition that brings out the essence of the song. It's about how an artist makes the song their own.

As a transitive verb, interpréter directly takes an object, such as une chanson (a song), un morceau (a piece of music), or even un rôle (a role in a play or film), emphasizing the act of performing or embodying something.

Beyond music, interpréter is also used in acting to mean "to play" or "to interpret" a character or role, highlighting the shared concept of bringing a creative work to life through performance.

💡 *La chanteuse a magnifiquement interprété sa nouvelle chanson. (The singer beautifully performed her new song.)
*Il est connu pour interpréter les classiques avec une émotion profonde. (He is known for interpreting classics with deep emotion.)
*Les musiciens vont interpréter une pièce complexe. (The musicians are going to perform a complex piece.)
*Elle a toujours rêvé d'interpréter ce rôle au théâtre. (She always dreamed of interpreting this role in the theater.)

To sing along or in chorus – chanter en chœur

The most common and direct way to say 'to sing along' or 'to sing in chorus' in French is chanter en chœur.

Literally translating to 'to sing in choir' or 'to sing in chorus', the phrase chanter en chœur emphasizes the act of multiple voices singing together, either in unison or harmony. The noun chœur (masculine) refers to a choir or chorus.

This expression is versatile and can be used in various contexts where people are singing collectively. Whether it's a formal choir performance, friends singing together at a party, or an audience joining in at a concert, chanter en chœur perfectly captures the collective vocal effort. It implies a shared experience of singing.

💡 * Tout le public a chanté en chœur les paroles de la chanson. (The whole audience sang along to the song's lyrics.)

• La chorale a chanté en chœur une mélodie magnifique. (The choir sang in chorus a magnificent melody.)
• Nous avons chanté en chœur toutes nos chansons préférées autour du feu de camp. (We sang along to all our favorite songs around the campfire.)
• Les enfants chantaient en chœur la comptine à la maternelle. (The children sang the nursery rhyme in chorus at kindergarten.)

Are there other ways to say 'to sing' in French?

Are there other ways to say ‘to sing’ in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say ‘to sing’ in French. But as with any language, French has a rich vocabulary, including various terms for singing, from formal to informal, and even regional expressions this author might not be aware of!

You can also do an online search for “comment dire chanter en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might find some interesting synonyms for chanter. Of course, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — especially songs! You may discover different ways to talk about singing.

And if you’re looking for more nuanced ways to talk about singing, or words related to music and voice in French, the WordReference entry for chanter is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s a quote about the power of song, courtesy of Victor Hugo: La musique exprime ce qui ne peut être dit et sur quoi il est impossible de rester silencieux. (Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.)