Bonsoir Lyrics in English Francesca Michielin
Ancòra (with the accent on the 'o') means 'still', 'yet', or 'again'. It's a common word, but the song cleverly plays on its similarity to àncora (with the accent on the 'a'), which means 'anchor'.
The lyrics state: "Basta spostare l'accento, l'àncora diventa ancòra" (Just move the accent, the anchor becomes again/still). This wordplay is a beautiful and poetic way to show how a small change can transform meaning, making ancòra particularly interesting and memorable in the context of this song.
"Bonsoir" plays with the idea that a single word can shift meaning depending on how you say it, the same way a relationship can look completely different once you change your point of view. Francesca Michielin opens by moving an accent so "anchor" becomes "still" — a small pun that sets up the whole song's theme of transformation.
From there the lyrics move through vivid, specific images: tides going low, the lights of a sunset, the green cross of a pharmacy, the ice outside a fish shop. These aren't grand metaphors, they're the ordinary details of a life shared with someone, stitched together with real places like Mont Saint-Michel and Naples.
The chorus greets a lover in French ("Bonsoir, my love") before switching back to Italian, capturing that mix of playfulness and tenderness. By the end, she returns to the river from the opening line: everything around her has changed, but underneath it all, things feel just the same.
