wiggle wiggle eyebrows

Marinette, asking Kim why he won't run for class president

En: So, what did Chloé say to you this time? She offered to go on a date with you?

Fr: Alors raconte, elle t'a dit quoi Chloé cette fois-ci ? Qu'elle ne sortirait jamais avec toi ?

So, tell me, what did Chloé tell you this time? That she would never go out with you?

Love how the English dub just said the absolute opposite of the French one.

Marinette when Alya asks her about her election program

En: Uh, I have no idea. I still can't believe I raised my hand.

Fr: Oh, j'ai pas encore réfléchi. Oh pourquoi je me suis mis dans un pétrin pareil ?

Oh, I haven't thought about it yet. Oh why did I put myself in such a mess (lit. in a kneader)?

In French, when you say you're in a kneading machine it means you're in trouble. It can be seen as a clever pun here since Marinette is a boulangerie girl.

Overall, the English dub is more about on the campaign and speech, when in French the focus is put on Marinette's program and how she's actually gonna represent the students once she's elected.

Armand d'Argencourt talking about his ancestor's story

En: Until he was overthrown thence by a wealthy Frenchman who used his dirty gold to buy the loyalties of the common people.

Fr: Jusqu'au triste jour où il fut renversé par un roturier, qui se servit de son or pour acheter la loyauté du bas peuple de Paris.

Until the sad day where he was overthrown by a commoner, who used his gold to buy the loyalty of the common/lower people of Paris.

Classist much?

Related to the previous point, d'Argencourt has a very old mannered way of speaking which is shown a little bit differently in French. He uses a tense called "passé simple" which is today only used in writing but never orally, except by old or very conservative/aristocratic people. He also uses very old mannered sayings. An example of that is at the end of the fencing class when he says "le cours se termine séance tenante", which could be translated as "the class ends forthwith".

Nadja's catchphrase

En: Don't be bemused, it's just the news.

Fr: Si vous voulez de l'info, j'ai ce qu'il vous faut.

If you want info, I have what you need.

"-fo" and "faut" are pronounced the same way in French, which makes her catchphrase rhyme.

Nadja, quoting mean comments about d'Argencourt to him

En: [...] That you're "stuck in the dark ages, like a stubborn old rusted battle axe".

Fr: [...] Que vous êtes "un fossile moyenâgeux" et que vous êtes "buté et complètement dépassé".

That you're "a medieval fossil", and that you are "stubborn and completely outdated".

D'Argencourt

En: Poisonous wretch.

Fr: Palsambleu.

Can't really translate that one, but it's a very old curse word. It comes from shortening "par le sang de Dieu", which literally means "by God's blood". Indeed, it used to be frowned upon to use God's name to swear, and the word was replaced by "bleu" (blue), of which the final sound is the same, as a euphemism. "Palsambleu" is today not used by anyone, and you can only find it in old comic theater plays.

Chloé to Sabrina

En: Why do I bother?

Fr: Roooh, t'es un vrai boulet.

Roooh (the sound French people make when they want to complain about something), you're a real "boulet".

I've explained before what boulet means, but it's interesting to notice that Chloé is using it for someone other than Marinette for once, especially considering that Sabrina is supposed to be her friend.

Marinette to Rose

En: Your cushions could be very pink.

Fr: Ton coussin pourrait être rose pailleté.

Your cushion could be glittery pink.

Can't forget about the glitter!!

Darkblade's knight

En: Listen or be imprisoned.

Fr: Écoutez-le ou vous serez embastillé.

Listen to him or you will be imprisoned in the Bastille.

The French language has a specific word to say "sent to the Bastille".

Chat Noir to the knights

En: Guys. Do you only know heavy metal?

Fr: Mais c'est qu'elles sont dangereuses les boîtes de conserve.

These tin cans sure are dangerous.

I can't translate the exact turn of words he uses there literally, but the point is that his pun is different as he calls Darkblade's knights tin cans.

Marinette after she sees Chat Noir get tackled by knights

En: Ouch! Cat Noir. Hurry.

Fr: Aie, alors ça ça doit pas faire du bien.

Ouch, this thing can't feel good.

Adrien's poem

English:

Your hair is dark as night

Your pretty bluebell eyes

I wonder who you are

Beneath that strong disguise.

Every day we see each other,

And I hope that you'll be mine.

Together, our love could be so true,

Please, will you be my Valentine?

French:

Tes cheveux sont noir de jais

Et tes yeux bleus comme les cieux.

Je me demande qui tu es,

Derrière ce masque mystérieux.

Je te vois tous les jours

Et j'aimerais que tu me fasses signe.

Je t'aimerai jusqu'à la fin de mes jours,

Veux-tu être ma Valentine ?

You hair is jet black

And your eyes blue as the skies.

I wonder who you are

Behind this mysterious mask.

I see you every day

And I'd like you to give me a sign.

I'll love you until the end of my days,

Will you be my Valentine?

In French, the lines rhyme in an ABAB pattern (alternating), while we have intermittent rhymes in English. Otherwise, the poems are quite similar.

Kim to Max

En: I better get a home run with this one. You gotta have a strategy or you'll strike out. But if you aim right, you'll hit it outta the ballpark. Score!

Fr: Je vais pas me prendre de carton rouge avec ça. L'amour, c'est comme le foot, pas vrai ? Faut avoir une stratégie sinon tu sors. Mais si tu vises bien tu passes pile entre les poteaux et BUUUUT !!!

I won't get a red card with this. Love is like football, right? You need a strategy or you're out. But if you aim well you go right between the posts and GOAAAL!!!

I guess they just went for a different sport in the metaphor.

Max - Kim

En: Lovely metaphor. - Meta-who?

Fr: Très belle métaphore - Que je mette quoi ?

Very pretty metaphor. - That I put what?

In French métaphore sounds exactly like "mets ta ~phore~", which would mean "put your ~phor~". Kim doesn't know the word for the figure of speech, so that's how he interpretes what Max is trying to tell him. Hence the "I put what?".

When Max maps out Kim's route, he says he needs to go 10 miles per hour in English, and 16km/h in French, which are pretty much equivalent. However, he says he'll be there a minute and a half early ("une minute et demi") in French but a whole "four and a half minute advance" in English.

Kim just before leaving

En: Thanks, you guys.

Fr: Merci Marinette !

Thank you Marinette!

Marinette - Tikki

En: I sound like a total dorkasaurus. - Only when you say words like "dorkasaurus".

Fr: J'écris comme une grosse débilosaure. - Y'a que toi pour utiliser des mots comme "débilosaure".

I write like a big "débilosaure". - Only you could use words like "débilosaure".

Débilosaure is a made up word built the same way as dorkasaurus but with the word "débile" (stupid/moron).

Alya

En: Since ancient times, the ladybug has been a symbol of love, guiding hearts on the paths of devotion.

Fr: Depuis toujours, la coccinelle est connue pour porter bonheur et pour guider les amoureux sur le chemin du bonheur.

Since ancient times (lit. since forever), the ladybug is known to bring luck and to guide lovers on the path to happiness.

Chloé after rejecting (humiliating) Kim

En: Don't you just hate how harsh love can be?

Fr: Ouh ça doit être dur de se prendre un vent comme ça, hein ?

Ouch, it must be hard to get blown off (lit. get yourself a wind) like that, uh?

In French when someone gets ignored/ditched you'll say that they "got/received a wind" (il/elle s'est pris un vent). All of this to say that Chloé made a pun, since Kim just got an empty bag of crisps blown on his face by the wind.

Alya about Chloé

En: What a witch!

Fr: Oh mais quelle peste !

Oh, what a pest!

"Pest" is the insulting nickname everyone uses for Chloé.

Chat Noir

En: Fallen for me already m'lady?

Fr: Ah bah tu tombes à point ma lady.

Well, you're coming (lit. falling) just on time my lady.

Chloé - Ladybug

En: But how could he possibly have a vandetta against me? - Who doesn't? - Duh. It's because of this. (Chloé points to the gigantic framed ad of Adrien.) Everyone would love to get their hands on it. That's Adrien, a super hot guy in my class. And rich, too. He's hot for me, of course.

Fr: Mais pourquoi cet imbécile de Kim m'en voudrait personnellement ? - Je sais pas, a ton avis ? - Ah, c'est à cause de ce truc. Il doit être jaloux, un truc comme ça. Lui c'est Adrien, un garçon trop mignon de ma classe. Et en plus il est super riche. Et bien sûr il est fou de moi.

But why would that fool of Kim resent me personally? - I don't know, what do you think? - Ah, it's because of that thing (She points to the gigantic framed ad of Adrien). He must be jealous, something like that. That's Adrien, a super cute boy in my class. And he's also super rich. And of course he's crazy about me.

Dark Cupid to Chloé

En: I don't need to waste this arrow on you. Your heart is so dark and shriveled, there's no room for love.

Fr: Tu mérites pas que je gâche une flèche pour toi. Tout le monde sait que t'as pas de cœur, alors je vois pas à quoi ça servirait.

You don't deserve for me to waste an arrow on you. Everyone knows you have no heart, so I don't see how it would be useful.

Chat Noir

En: I've often wondered what would happen if I used my cataclysm on someone.

Fr: Je m'suis toujours demandé ce que ça ferait si j'utilisais mon cataclysme sur quelqu'un.

I've always wondered what would happen if I used my cataclysm on someone.

"Always"? 😳 Well I guess he does now. Adding this to the list of lines that hit different post season 5.

Ladybug

En: And now for the pussycat.

Fr: Et maintenant à ton tour mon minet !

And now it's your turn my kitten.

"Minet" is a word that means "kitty", but can also in some contexts be used to mean "pretty boy".

Chat Noir

En: Happy Valentine's Day.

Fr: Joyeuse Saint Valentin ma belle.

Happy Valentine's Day ma belle.

"Ma belle" (lit. "my beautiful") basically means sweetheart :)).

Marinette when talking to Tikki

En: If I want to win over Adrien.

Fr: Si je veux qu'Adrien m'aime.

If I want Adrien to love me.

The French way of saying things just sounds so much more romantic.

Marinette's poem

In the episode, you can read her poem directly on the card (in French). However, the written version isn't exactly the same as what Adrien reads out loud, so I included both.

English (read by Adrien):

Your hair shines like the sun,

Your eyes are gorgeous green,

I look at you and wonder,

Your innermost thoughts and dreams.

Yes, your valentine I will be,

Our love will be so true,

Together for eternity,

My heart belongs to you.

As read out loud by Adrien:

Tes cheveux sont dorés,

Tes yeux vert irisé.

Quand je te regarde j'aimerais partager

Tes rêves et tes pensées.

Oui je veux être ta Valentine

Ensemble nous serons bien.

Je t'aimerai pour toujours,

Mon cœur t'appartient.

Your hair is golden,

Your eyes iridescent green.

When I look at you I would like to share

Your dreams and your thoughts.

Yes I want to be your Valentine

Together we will be good.

I will love you forever,

My heart belongs to you.

The rhymes are AAAA BCDC.

The poem written on the card:

Tes cheveux brillent comme le soleil

Tes yeux sont du vert de la chance,

Je te regarde et me demande,

Tes pensées et rêves.

Oui, ta Valentine je serais,

Notre amour sera si vrai,

Ensemble pour l'éternité,

Mon cœur t'appartient.

Your hair shines like the sun

Your eyes are of the green of luck,

I look at you and wonder,

Your thoughts and dreams.

Yes, your Valentine I will be, (lit. "I would be", but it's probably just a typo. French people are bad at conjugating verbs properly lol.)

Our love will be so true,

Together for eternity,

My heart belongs to you.