Essential French Vocabulary – The Weather
Talking about the weather, a favorite topic of small talk, is a great way to break the ice. Luckily, France provides enough variety weather-wise to keep the topic relevant. Different parts of France enjoy different climates with different types of weather at the same time of year.
This guide will make you familiar with some of the words and expressions you're most likely to hear (and use) while talking about the weather in France.
|
Phrase in French |
Phrase in English |
Pronunciation |
|
Le temps or La météo |
The weather |
Luh tahn/Lah may-tay-oh |
|
Quel temps fait-il ? |
What's the weather like ? |
Kell tahn fay till ? |
|
Il fait beau. |
It is sunny. |
Ill fay bow |
|
Il fait chaud. |
It is hot. |
Ill fay show |
|
Froid |
Cold |
Frwah |
|
Aujourd'hui il fait froid et il pleut. |
Today it is cold and it is raining. |
Oh-zhoord-wee ill fay frwah eh ill pluh |
|
Il y a du vent. |
It is windy. |
Ill yah doo vahn |
|
Il fait du brouillard. |
It is foggy. |
Ill fay doo broo-e-yahr |
|
Il neige. |
It's snowing. |
Ill nehzh |
|
Orageux |
Stormy |
Oh-ra-zhuh |
|
Nuageux |
Cloudy |
Nyoo-ah-zhuh |
|
Il gèle. |
It's freezing. |
Ill zhayl |
|
Humide |
Humid |
Eeyou-meed |
|
Un parapluie |
Umbrella |
Uhn Pah-ra-ploo-ee |
|
Éclairs |
Lightning |
Eh-claire |
|
Tonnerre |
Thunder |
Toh-naire |
|
Un arc-en-ciel. |
Rainbow |
Ahn Ark-uhn-see-el. |
|
Il fait frais. |
It is cool outside. |
Ill fay fray |
|
La température |
The temperature |
Lah tahn-pay-rah-tyoor |
|
Degrés |
Degrees |
Duh-gray |
|
Le soleil |
The sun |
Luh sow-layee |
|
Le climat |
Climate |
Luh Clee-mah |
|
La canicule |
Heat wave |
Lah kah-nee-kyool |
|
La lune |
The moon |
Lah lyoon |
|
Un nuage |
A cloud |
Uhn Nyoo-ahzh |
|
Il fait moins 2 degrés. |
It is minus 2 degrees. |
Ill fay mwahn duh duh-gray |
|
La tempête storm |
Storm |
Lah tahn-pet |
|
La grêle |
Hail |
Lah grelle |
Slang/Commonly Used Expressions:
|
Phrase in French |
Phrase in English |
Pronunciation |
|
Un temps de chien. |
Terrible weather. |
Uhn tahn duh she-ahhn |
|
Ça caille. |
It's very, very cold. |
Sa kaii |
|
Coup de foudre. |
Bolt of lightning, love at first sight. |
Coo duh foo-druh |
|
Il fait un temps à ne pas mettre le nez dehors. |
Very, very horrible weather. |
Ill fay un than ah nuh pa met-truh luh nay duh-hor. |
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