Italian Nursery Rhymes and Children’s Songs with English Translation
Do you remember the songs you used to sing as a kid in kindergarten? I do, even if it’s been over 30 years since those days.
Children’s songs aid memory, stick in the mind and cram plenty of vocabulary into a few lines. Easy songs are extremely valuable in learning Italian, because they embed vocabulary and grammar in a meaningful context.
In this post, we will be looking at some of the most popular Italian nursery rhymes and children’s songs.
Un elefante si dondolava
“Un elefante si dondolava” is a very popular children’s repetitive song. It’s basically a single verse repeated over and over again, each time with an elephant more. Here are the lyrics:
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Un elefante si dondolava | One elephant was swingin |
| Un elefante si dondolava sopra un filo di una ragnatela, trovando la cosa molto interessante, andò a chiamare un altro elefante. Due elefanti si dondolavano Tre elefanti si dondolavano Quattro elefanti… |
One elephant was swinging on the thread of a spider web, and considering how appealing it was, he went to call another elephant. Two elephants were swinging Three elephants were swinging Four elephants… |
Se sei felice e tu lo sai
“Se sei felice e tu lo sai” is another popular children’s repetitive song. It has its almost literal equivalent in the English song “If you’re happy and you know it”. Here are the lyrics:
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Se sei felice e tu lo sai | If you’re happy and you know it |
| Se sei felice e tu lo sai, batti le mani, Se sei felice e tu lo sai, batti le mani! Se sei felice e tu lo sai, e mostrarmelo dovrai, Se sei felice e tu lo sai, batti i piedi, Se sei felice e tu lo sai, e mostrarmelo dovrai, Se sei felice e tu lo sai, fai un salto, Se sei felice e tu lo sai, e mostrarmelo dovrai Se sei felice e tu lo sai, dimmi “Ciao”, Se sei felice e tu lo sai, e mostrarmelo dovrai Se sei felice e tu lo sai, fai tutto insieme, Se sei felice e tu lo sai, e mostrarmelo potrai |
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands, If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands! If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it, If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet, If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it, If you’re happy and you know it, take a jump, If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it, If you’re happy and you know it, say “Hello”, If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it, If you’re happy and you know it, do all four, If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it, |
Nella vecchia fattoria
“Nella vecchia fattoria” is a very popular nursery rhyme about a farmer named Tobia and the animals that live in his lovely farm.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Nella vecchia fattoria | On the old farm |
| Nella vecchia fattoria ia-ia-o Quante bestie ha zio Tobia ia-ia-o C’è la capra, capra, ca-ca-capra Nella vecchia fattoria ia-ia-o. Attaccato a un carrettino ia-ia-o Tra le casse e i ferri rotti ia-ia-o Tanto grasso e tanto grosso ia-ia-o Poi sull’argine del fosso ia-ia-o Nella stalla silenziosa ia-ia-o |
On the old farm ia-ia-o How many animals does uncle Tobia have, ia-ia-o There’s the goat-go-go-goat On the old farm, ia-ia-o. Harnessed to a small cart, ia ia-o Amongst trunks and broken irons ia-ia-o So big and fat ia-ia-o By the bank of the ditch ia-ia-o In the quiet barn ia-ia-o |
Giro girotondo
The equivalent of the English song “Ring Around the Rosie”, “Giro girotondo” is one of the most popular Italian nursery rhymes and playground singing games. Note that in Italian the word “terra” means both ground and Earth.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Giro girotondo | We turn, turn around |
| Giro girotondo, il mare è fondo, tonda è la Terra, tutti giù per terra! Giro girotondo, Giro girotondo, Giro girotondo, |
We turn, turn around, the world is spinning, the Earth is turning, we all fall down to the ground! We turn, turn around, We turn, turn around, We turn, turn around, We turn, turn around, |
La canzone della felicità
This is one of my favorites. “La canzone della felicità” is joyful and easy as it gets, and the structure of the lines is super simple.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| La canzone della felicità | The song of happiness |
| Se sei triste e ti manca l’allegria, vuoi scacciare la malinconia? Vieni con me, ti insegnerò la canzone della felicità! Bom bom bom Batti le ali, |
If you are sad and you miss the joy, do you want to get rid of melancholy? Come with me, I will teach you the song of happiness! Bom bom bom Flap your wings, |
Ci vuole un fiore
“Ci vuole un fiore” is perfect for Italian beginners. The structure is simple, regular and repetitive, and you can easily get the hang of the words, because they have been arranged into a progression.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Ci vuole un fiore | You need a flower |
| Le cose di ogni giorno raccontano segreti a chi le sa guardare ed ascoltare. Per fare un tavolo ci vuole il legno Per fare un fiore ci vuole un ramo Per fare un tavolo ci vuole il legno |
To make a table you need wood To make the wood you need a tree To make the tree you need a seed To make the seed you need a fruit To make the fruit you need a flower You need a flower, you need a flower, To make a table you need a flower. (x2) To make a flower you need a branch, To make a table you need wood, |
La bella lavanderina
“La bella lavanderina” is great to learn from, because you listen to a lot of verbs in the imperative (imperativo). Here are the lyrics:
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| La bella lavanderina | The beautiful washerwoman |
| La bella lavanderina che lava i fazzoletti per i poveretti della città. Fai un salto, fanne un altro. Fai la giravolta, falla un’altra volta. Guarda in su, guarda in giù. Dai un bacio a chi vuoi tu. |
The beautiful washerwomen washing the hankies for the poor people in the city. Take a jump, take another one. Turn around, turn again. Look up, look down. Give a kiss to whoever you want. |
Il coccodrillo come fa?
“Il coccodrillo come fa?” is great for learning new vocabulary. Pronouns, interrogatives and even verbs in the subjunctive mood are peppered throughout it.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Il coccodrillo come fa? | How does the crocodile go? |
| Oggi tutti insieme cercheremo di imparare come fanno per parlare tra di loro gli animali. Come fa il cane? Bau bau! Il coccodrillo come fa? Però quando è tranquillo come fa ‘sto coccodrillo? Il coccodrillo come fa? Guardo sui giornali, non c’è scritto niente Il coccodrillo come fa? Però quando è tranquillo come fa ‘sto coccodrillo? Il coccodrillo come fa? Adesso ripetiamo Come fa il cane? Bau bau! Il coccodrillo come fa? Però quando è tranquillo come fa ‘sto coccodrillo? Il coccodrillo come fa? Avete capito come fa il coccodrillo? |
Today we will try and learn all together how the animals talk to each other. How does the dog go? Woof, woof! How does the crocodile go? But then, when he is calm, how does the crocodile go? How does the crocodile go? I look in the newspapers How does the crocodile go? But then, when he is calm, how does the crocodile go? How does the crocodile go? Now, let’s repeat How does the dog go? Woof, woof! How does the crocodile go? But then, when he is calm, how does the crocodile go? How does the crocodile go? Do you now understand how the crocodile goes? |
La tartaruga
“La tartaruga” is perfect to learn new vocabulary and verbs. Here are the lyrics:
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| La tartaruga | The turtle |
| La bella tartaruga che cosa mangerà? Chi lo sa? Chi lo sa? Due foglie di lattuga, poi si riposerà Ah ah ah, ah ah ah. La tartaruga un tempo fu un animale che correva a testa in giù, La tartaruga d’allora in poi La bella tartaruga nel mare va perché? Un bosco di carote |
What will the beautiful turtle eat? Who knows? Who knows? Two leaves of lettuce and then she’ll rest ha ha ha, ha ha ha The turtle once was an animal that ran upside down From then on the turtle The beautiful turtle goes into the sea, but why? The turtle slow as she is A forest of carrots |
La canzone della cacca
We wrap up this list with a song about bowel movements! This humorous song is a party of useful, interesting vocabulary and verbs. Here are the lyrics:
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| La canzone della cacca | The poo song |
| Sento che qualcosa sta spingendo nella pancia, Forse un ippopotamo o forse il re di Francia, O un gran bastimento che dall’argine si stacca… Forse, forse, forse… è la mia cacca! C’è qualcosa dentro che vorrebbe uscire fuori, Forse, forse, forse… è la mia cacca! Sento un movimento che si vuole liberare, Forse, forse, forse… è la mia cacca! Sento un gran tumulto che tra poco scoppierà, Forse, forse, forse… è la mia cacca! |
I feel something that is pushing in my belly, maybe it’s a hippo or maybe the king of France, or a big ship that is leaving the banks… Maybe maybe maybe… it’s my poo! There is something that wants to come out, Maybe maybe maybe… it’s my poo! I feel a movement seeking for freedom, Maybe maybe maybe… it’s my poo! I feel a great riot that soon will blow up, Maybe maybe maybe… it’s my poo! |
So, have a go with these nursery rhymes, children’s songs and playground singing games, a treasure trove of Italian lessons waiting to be discovered.
