7 March

Pierre

Le vieux MacDonald is the French version of Old MacDonald had a farm, a traditional English song with lyrics dating back to at least the early 18th century.

The story of the song

Old Macdonald Had A Farm is one of the oldest nursery rhymes in English might have been written in 1706 at the latest.

The song was probably written by Thomas D'Urfey for an opera that year before it became a very popular folk song amongst people in the UK, Ireland and Northern America.

The song can be cumulative (similar to Mon âne), with the animal sounds from all the earlier verses added to each subsequent verse.

Mon Grand-Est

Farm in the Lorraine region © French Moments

Le vieux MacDonald

Lyrics, music, free download... let's learn more about the popular song:

The lyrics in French

There are several versions of the song in French.

Couplet 1

Le vieux MacDonald a une ferme
hi ha hi ha ho
Et qu’est-ce qu’il a donc dans sa ferme ?
Hi ha hi ha ho
Il a des poules et des dindons
Il a des chèvres et des cochons
Le vieux MacDonald a une ferme
Hi ha hi ha ho


Couplet 2

Le vieux MacDonald a une ferme
Hi ha hi ha ho
Et qu’est ce qu’il a donc dans sa ferme ?
hi ha hi ha ho
Il a des poules et des dindons
Il a des chèvres et des cochons
Il a des boeufs et des moutons
Le vieux MacDonald a une ferme
Hi ha hi ha ho


Couplet 3

Le vieux MacDonald a une ferme
Hi ha hi ha ho
Et qu’est ce qu’il a donc dans sa ferme ?
Hi ha hi ha ho
Il a des poules et des dindons
Il a des chèvres et des cochons
Il a des boeufs et des moutons
Il a des oies et des pigeons
Le vieux MacDonald a une ferme
Hi ha hi ha ho


Couplet 4

Le vieux MacDonald a une ferme
Hi ha hi ha ho
Et qu’est ce qu’il a donc dans sa ferme ?
Hi ha hi ha ho
Il a des poules et des dindons
Il a des chèvres et des cochons
Il a des boeufs et des moutons
Il a des oies et des pigeons
Il a des biches et des oursons
Le vieux MacDonald a une ferme
Hi ha hi ha ho


Couplet 5

Le vieux MacDonald a une ferme
Hi ha hi ha ho
Et qu’est ce qu’il a donc dans sa ferme ?
Hi ha hi ha ho
Il a des poules et des dindons
Il a des chèvres et des cochons
Il a des boeufs et des moutons
Il a des oies et des pigeons
Il a des biches et des oursons
Des fourmis et des hannetons
Le vieux MacDonald a une ferme
Hi ha hi ha ho

Translation of the lyrics into English

Here is an approximative translation into English:

Verse 1

Old MacDonald has a farm
hi ha hi ha ho
And what does he have on his farm?
Hi ha hi ha ho
He's got chickens and turkeys
He's got goats and pigs
Old MacDonald has a farm
Hi ha hi ha ho


Verse 2

Old MacDonald has a farm
Hi ha hi ha ho
And what does he have on his farm?
hi ha hi ha ho
He's got chickens and turkeys
He's got goats and pigs
He's got oxen and sheep
Old MacDonald has a farm
Hi ha hi ha ho


Verse 3

Old MacDonald has a farm
Hi ha hi ha ho
And what does he have on his farm?
Hi ha hi ha ho
He's got chickens and turkeys
He's got goats and pigs
He has oxen and sheep
He's got geese and pigeons
Old MacDonald has a farm
Hi ha hi ha ho


Verse 4

Old MacDonald has a farm
Hi ha hi ha ho
And what does he have on his farm?
Hi ha hi ha ho
He's got chickens and turkeys
He's got goats and pigs
He has oxen and sheep
He has geese and pigeons
He's got deer and cubs
Old MacDonald has a farm
Hi ha hi ha ho


Verse 5

Old MacDonald has a farm
Hi ha hi ha ho
And what does he have on his farm?
Hi ha hi ha ho
He's got chickens and turkeys
He's got goats and pigs
He has oxen and sheep
He has geese and pigeons
He has deer and cubs
Ants and beetles
Old MacDonald has a farm
Hi ha hi ha ho

Download the Lyrics for FREE!

No need to type name or email 😀

Le vieux MacDonald © French Moments

Dans la ferme à Mathurin

Another French version of the rhyme is called "Dans la ferme à Mathurin" (In Mathurin's Farm).

This version is an excellent way to teach small children the calls of farm animals and their phonetics.

French Nursery Rhymes

My challenge for the year 2023 is to publish 80 French Nursery Rhymes lyrics and descriptions (list below). Come back as time goes by to discover the new articles:

French Nursery Rhymes Cover by French Moments
French Nursery Rhymes
A la claire fontaine © French Moments
Ah ! dis-moi donc bergère © French Moments
Ah ! Les crocodiles © French Moments
Ah ! vous dirai-je, maman © French Moments
Ainsi font, font, font © French Moments
Alouette gentille alouette © French Moments
Au clair de la lune © French Moments
Au feu les pompiers © French Moments
Au royaume de Diguedondaine © French Moments
Auprès de ma blonde © French Moments
Aux marches du palais © French Moments
Blanc Blanc Blanc belle rose © French Moments
Bon voyage Monsieur Dumollet © French Moments
Buvons un coup ma serpette est perdue © French Moments
C'est la mère Michel © French Moments
C'était Anne de Bretagne © French Moments
Cadet Rousselle © French Moments
Car c’est un bon camarade © French Moments
Chère Élise © French Moments
Chevaliers de la table ronde © French Moments
Colchiques dans les prés © French Moments
Compagnons de la Marjolaine © French Moments
Dame Tartine © French Moments
Dans les prisons de Nantes © French Moments
Dansons la capucine © French Moments
Dodo, l'enfant do © French Moments
En passant par la Lorraine © French Moments
Fais dodo © French Moments
Fleur d’épine © French Moments
Frère Jacques © French Moments
Gentil coquelicot © French Moments
Il court, il court, le furet © French Moments
Il était un petit cordonnier © French Moments
Il était un petit navire © French Moments
Il était une bergère © French Moments
Il pleut, il pleut, bergère © French Moments
J'ai du bon tabac © French Moments
J'ai un gros nez rouge © French Moments
J'fais pipi sur le gazon © French Moments
Je te tiens par la barbichette © French Moments
Joyeux anniversaire © French Moments
La bonne aventure ô gué © French Moments
La danse des canards © French Moments
La légende de saint Nicolas © French Moments
Le bon roi Dagobert © French Moments
Le carillon de Vendôme © French Moments
Le coucou © French Moments
Le facteur n'est pas passé © French Moments
Le fermier dans son pré © French Moments
Le temps des cerises © French Moments
Le temps du muguet © French Moments
Le vieux MacDonald © French Moments
Les filles de La Rochelle © French Moments
Maman les p'tits bateaux © French Moments
Malbrough s'en va-t-en guerre © French Moments
Meunier, tu dors © French Moments
Mignonne allons voir si la rose © French Moments
Mon âne © French Moments
Mon père m'a donné un mari © French Moments
Ne pleure pas Jeannette © French Moments
Nous n'irons plus au bois © French Moments
Ô gai, vive la rose © French Moments
Passe passe passera © French Moments
Pirouette Cacahuète © French Moments
Plantons la vigne © French Moments
Pomme de reinette et pomme d'api © French Moments
Pomme, pêche, poire, abricot © French Moments
Promenons-nous dans les bois © French Moments
Savez-vous planter les choux ? © French Moments
Sur la route de Dijon © French Moments
Sur la route de Louviers © French Moments
Sur le pont d'Avignon © French Moments
Sur le pont du nord © French Moments
Tout va très bien madame la marquise © French Moments
Trois jeunes tambours © French Moments
Un éléphant ça trompe énormément © French Moments
Un kilomètre à pied © French Moments
Un, deux, trois, nous irons au bois © French Moments
Une chanson douce © French Moments
Une poule sur un mur © French Moments
Une souris verte © French Moments
V'la le bon vent © French Moments
Voici le mois de mai © French Moments
Y avait dix filles dans un pré © French Moments
About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of the Discovery Course on the Secrets of the Eiffel Tower and the Christmas book "Voyage au Pays de Noël".

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