What is the meaning of the Frère Jacques nursery rhyme?

Frère Jacques tells the story of a monk who has overslept and missed his duty to ring the bells for the early morning prayers, known as les matines.

Are there printable resources for Frère Jacques?

Yes, we provide downloadable PDF posters and educational worksheets including tracing and coloring activities for preschool and kindergarten children.

What skills do these nursery rhyme worksheets teach?

Our worksheets focus on fine motor skills through tracing, basic math through counting exercises, and early literacy through lyric recognition.

Frère Jacques nursery rhyme poster for classroom wall with whimsical illustrations

Discover the charming story behind the Frère Jacques nursery rhyme. In the original French lyrics, we meet a friar (monk) who has accidentally slept through his alarm! He is supposed to be ringing the bells for les matines (early morning prayers). While the French version commands him to “Ring the bells!”, the popular English translation suggests the bells are already chiming.

Frère Jacques - Comptine

Frère Jacques

Frère Jacques,

Dormez-vous ?

Sonnez les matines !

Ding, ding, dong !

Une comptine traditionnelle française

What is the story of Frère Jacques?

The Character: A friar (monk) who has overslept.
The Conflict: He is missing his duty to ring the bells for morning prayers (les matines).
French vs. English: In French, he is told to wake up and ring the bells; in English, the bells are already ringing.
The Goal: This classic nursery rhyme is designed to teach rhythm and simple French vocabulary to young learners.