# Račke

"Račke" ("Little Ducks") is a lively Slovenian action song in which children turn into ducks — making beaks with their fingers, flapping their elbows, wiggling and quacking — and cheer that being a duck, splashing and never hungry, is the best.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Slovenia |
| Sung in | Slovenian |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | Slovenian children's action song; author unknown |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | dancing, playful |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/racke/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (sl)

S prsti kljunček narediš
in s komolci poletiš,
z ritko migaš sem in tja,
gagagaga.

### Verse 2 (sl)

V krogu račka zdaj stoji,
urno hitro en dva tri,
vsakdo naj se zavrti,
gagagaga.

### Verse 3 (sl)

In če kdo je še zaspan
in še siten in bolan,
naj bo račka vsaj en da,
gagagaga.

### Verse 4 (sl)

Res lepo je račka bit,
v vsaki luži imaš za pit,
nikdar lačen, vedno sit,
gagagaga.

### Verse 5 (sl)

To zares lepo je,
če smo račke vsi,
radi se imamo,
pa čofotamo,
se vsak smeji,
gagagaga.

### English translation (en)

You make a little beak with your fingers
and fly off with your elbows,
you wiggle your bottom this way and that,
quack-quack-quack-quack.

Now the little duck stands in a circle,
quick and fast, one two three,
everyone give a twirl,
quack-quack-quack-quack.

And if someone's still sleepy
and still grumpy and unwell,
let them be a duck at least for a day,
quack-quack-quack-quack.

It really is lovely to be a duck:
in every puddle you've a drink,
never hungry, always full,
quack-quack-quack-quack.

It truly is lovely,
when we're all little ducks,
we like each other,
and we splash about,
and everyone laughs,
quack-quack-quack-quack.

## How to sing it

1. Make a beak with your fingers and flap your elbows like little wings.
2. Wiggle your bottom side to side and quack "gaga-gaga".
3. Stand in a circle and, on cue, everyone twirls around — even the sleepy or grumpy get to be a duck for a day.

## Common questions

**How do you play "Račke"?**

As an action song. You make a duck's beak with your fingers, "fly" by flapping your elbows, wiggle your bottom this way and that, and quack "gaga-gaga". Then everyone stands in a circle and twirls, and even a child who is sleepy, grumpy or a bit poorly is invited to be a duck at least for the day.

**What does "Račke" celebrate?**

The good life of a duck — splashing in every puddle, always with a drink to hand, never hungry, always full. Its cheerful message is that everything is nicer when we do it together, all splashing and laughing as one happy flock.

**Who wrote "Račke"?**

No author is recorded; it is treated here as a traditional Slovenian children's action song, of the kind used to get a whole group moving together.

## Sources

- [Trzalica.com — Račke (besedilo z akordi)](https://www.trzalica.com/akordi/racke/)