What is "Chanter en Yaourt"? The Funny French Phrase for Faking Lyrics

Have you ever turned up the radio, gotten swept away by a catchy French song, and belted out the chorus with absolute confidence—only to realize you have no idea what the actual words are?

You’re hitting the melody. You’re nailing the rhythm. But the sounds coming out of your mouth are just emotional gibberish.

If you have done this, congratulations! You have officially mastered the art of "Chanter en yaourt."

What Does "Chanter en Yaourt" Mean?

Literally translated, chanter en yaourt means "to sing in yogurt."

It is one of the most evocative and funny idioms in the French language. It describes the act of singing a song using made-up sounds or faux-English (or faux-French) instead of the real lyrics.

Why yogurt? Picture someone trying to talk (or sing) with a mouth full of yogurt. The sounds are mushy, fluid, and indistinguishable. The consonants disappear, and everything blends into a vowel-heavy slurry.

The Hall of Fame: 5 Viral Examples of "Yogurt Singing"

To truly understand this concept, you have to hear it. Here are 5 legendary examples shared by the French community on Reddit that perfectly capture the spirit of yaourt.

1. The Masterpiece of Gibberish: "Prisencolinensinainciusol"

One Reddit user, CheeseboardPatster, pointed out the ultimate example of this phenomenon.

Did you know there is a hit song from the 70s written specifically to sound like American English to Italians, even though the words mean absolutely nothing?

Italian singer Adriano Celentano wrote this track to prove that Italians would love anything that sounded American. It is the definition of "perfect yaourt"—it sounds exactly like English, but your brain can't quite grab the words because they don't exist!

Watch Adriano Celentano's Masterpiece

2. The "Ken Lee" Phenomenon (Mariah Carey)

This is the gold standard of "yogurt singing." On a reality singing competition, a contestant confidently announced she would sing "Ken Lee."

Judge: "You mean « Without You »?"

Contestant: "No. « Ken Lee »."

She then proceeds to belt out "Ken Lee... tulibu dibu douchoo." She nailed the emotion, but the lyrics were pure confident gibberish.

Watch the hilarious "Ken Lee" moment

3. The French "Mondegreen": Sound of da Police

Sometimes, chanter en yaourt happens because your brain forces French words into English songs. A classic example in France is the hip-hop track "Sound of da Police" by KRS-One.

For decades, French listeners—and even protesters—have confidently sung the chorus not as "Sound of da police," but as "Assassin de la police" (Assassin of the police). It fits the rhythm perfectly and was even popularized in the cult French movie La Haine.

Watch: Can you hear "Assassin de la Police"?

4. The Rock Star "Yogurt": Pearl Jam

It’s not just French learners who do this! As another Reddit user noted, Pearl Jam’s "Yellow Ledbetter" is a "yaourt d'origine."

The lead singer, Eddie Vedder, mumbles so heavily that even native English speakers have no idea what he is saying. Fans have even made viral videos subtitling the "misheard lyrics" (like "Make me fries" instead of... well, nobody knows).

Watch: The Misheard Lyrics of Pearl Jam

5. The Ultimate Embarrassment: Justice vs. Red Hot Chili Peppers

Imagine meeting your idol and trying to sing their song, only to realize you don't know the words. This happened to Xavier de Rosnay (from the famous French electronic duo Justice).

In a documentary, he tries to sing "Under the Bridge" to the original singer, Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He plays the piano beautifully, but the lyrics? 100% yogurt. It is the perfect example of French confidence meeting English gibberish.

Watch: Justice singing "Yogurt" to Anthony Kiedis

How to Stop Singing in Yogurt (And Start Speaking French)

While "yogurt singing" is fun in the shower, your goal at GoSimplyFrench is to speak clearly and confidently.

Here are three steps to turn that "yogurt" into crisp, clear French:

1. Read the "Paroles" (Lyrics)

Don’t just listen passively. Look up the paroles of your favorite French tracks. Reading along while listening bridges the gap between the sounds you think you hear and the words that are actually being said.

1. Identify the Liaisons

French is famous for linking words together. "Les amis" sounds like "lezami." Often, you are singing "yogurt" because you can't tell where one word ends and the next begins. Spotting these liaisons in the lyrics will sharpen your ear.

1. Slow it Down

Use YouTube or your music player to slow the track down to 0.75x speed. This removes the "mushy" quality and allows you to hear the distinct articulation of every syllable.

Ready to Master the Lyrics?

You don't have to fake it forever. At GoSimplyFrench, we break down the language so you can understand the nuance, the culture, and yes—even the fast-paced lyrics of your favorite songs.

[Explore our courses] and stop singing in yogurt today!