“Dormez-vous?” is the correct continuation of “Frère Jacques”: “Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?” In English, the repeated phrase means “Are you sleeping?”
The French nursery song addresses Brother Jacques, a friar who appears to have overslept. The singer then urges him to ring the matins bells, the early prayers traditionally associated with the start of the liturgical day. Its familiar sound pattern—followed by “Sonnez les matines” and “Din, din, don”—helps make it memorable for children learning French.
The song is commonly performed as a four-part canon, with each group entering after the previous one begins. Its authorship and early history are debated, although some music historians have linked it to Jean-Philippe Rameau. The traditional English version changes the character’s name to Brother John and translates the opening as “Are you sleeping?” The answer “nuit” may seem plausible because it relates to nighttime, but it is not part of the canonical line.