Frère Jacques

Frère Jacques is a well-known children's song in French. This song can be sung as a round with up to four parts. Translations of the song with the same tune are found for almost every European language, including English, though many English-speaking children grow up learning the French original as well.

In French (original)

Frère Jacques
Frère Jacques
Dormez-vous?
Dormez-vous?

Sonnez les matines,
Sonnez les matines.
Ding, dang, dong.
Ding, dang, dong.

Music and lyrics to Frère Jacques

Translations

This song has been translated into many different languages. Some preserve the exact structure of the original; others alter various details to better fit a rhyme scheme, syllable structure, or general euphony.

In English

Are you sleeping,
Are you sleeping,
Brother John?
Brother John?
Morning bells are ringing,
Morning bells are ringing.
Ding, dang, dong.
Ding, dang, dong.

Here the first two lines are reversed, the name is changed to "John" (the literal translation of "Jacques" would be either "Jacob" or "James"), and the third line is rendered as "Morning bells are ringing" instead of the imperative "Ring the morning bells" (this last change also to be seen in the Dutch translation).

In German

Bruder Jakob,
Bruder Jakob,
Schläfst du noch?
Schläfst du noch?
Hörst du nicht die Glocken,
Hörst du nicht die Glocken?
Ding, dang, dong!
Ding, dang, dong!

Here and in all the Germanic languages other than English and Dutch, the third line is changed from a command to ring the matins bells to a query—"Don't you hear the bells?"

In Italian

Fra' Martino,
Campanaro,
Dormi tu?
Dormi tu?
Suona le campane,
Suona le campane,
Din, don, dan,
Din, don, dan.

The name is completely changed ("Giacomo" would be the expected translation) and "Fra Martino"'s position as bell-ringer ("campanaro") is made explicit.

In Spanish

¡Fray Felipe!
¡Fray Felipe!
¿Duermes tú?
¿Duermes tú?
Suenan las campanas ✽,
Suenan las campanas.
¡Ding, dang, dong!
¡Ding, dang, dong!

✽Some dialects use "Tocan las campañas"

Another variation of the Spanish version is:

¡Martinillo!
¡Martinillo!
¿Dónde estás?
¿Dónde estás?
Suenan las campanas,
Suenan las campanas.
¡Din, don, dan!
¡Din, don, dan!

While the first version is closer to the French, this version uses the same name (Martin) as the Italian. It also asks, not whether Martin is sleeping ("¿Duermes tú?") but where he is ("¿Dónde estás? ").

In Icelandic

Meistari Jakob,
Meistari Jakob!
Sefur þú,
Sefur þú?
Hvað slær klukkan,
Hvað slær klukkan?
Hún slær þrjú,
Hún slær þrjú.

In Danish

Mester Jakob,
Mester Jakob,
Sover du?
Sover du?
Hører du ej klokken?
Hører du ej klokken?
Bim, bam, bum,
Bim, bam, bam.

In Dutch

Vader Jakob,
Vader Jakob,
Slaapt gij nog?
Slaapt gij nog?
Alle klokken luiden,
Alle klokken luiden,
Bim bam bom,
Bim bam bom.

In Afrikaans

Vader Jakob,
Vader Jakob,
Slaap jy nog?
Slaap jy nog?
Hoor hoe lui die kerkklok,
Hoor hoe lui die kerkklok,
Ding dong dell,
Ding dong dell.

In Polish

Panie Janie
Panie Janie
Rano wstań
Rano wstań
Wszystkie dzwony biją
Wszystkie dzwony biją
Bim bam bom
Bim bam bom

Frère Jacques Alterations

The song, like many other children's songs, has had other lyrics made popular to its melody, such as "Where is Thumbkin?":

Where is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am!
Here I am!
How are you today, Sir?
I'm very well, thank you!
Run and hide!
Run and hide!

(Another version goes "run away" instead of "run and hide".)

In India, English-speaking children are taught another version of this rhyme in the nursery. Perhaps, its related with the monsoon season in the Indian subcontinent.

I hear thunder,
I hear thunder,
Hark don't you? (oh don't you)
Hark don't you? (oh don't you)
Pit-a-patter raindrops,
Pit-a-patter raindrops,
I'm wet through,
I'm wet through (so are you).

In Hebrew

The Hebrew verse sung to this tune is named "Ahinu Ya'akov" (Hebrew: אחינו יעקב, Brother Jacob), but is not a translation:

אחינו יעקב!
אחינו יעקב!
סע לאט!
סע לאט!
אם תסע מהר,
יתפוס אותך שוטר!
סע לאט!
סע לאט!

Brother Jacob!
Brother Jacob!
Drive slowly!
Drive slowly!
If you drive fast,
A policeman will catch you!
Drive slowly!
Drive slowly!