By 
Mose Hayward Last updated:
Mose Hayward Last updated: Weather in French: 172 French Words, Expressions and Phrases for the Weather
Whether you’d like to take part in the timeless Parisian sport of complaining about the weather, or if you’re one of those classier types who actually has a destination and wants to understand a forecast, this post will cover the vocabulary you need.
I’ll start with the absolute basic words, followed by intermediate vocab and a few fun expressions, among other things.
Finally, I’ll give you some tips on how to express your opinions about the weather in French.
Let’s get cracking!
Contents
- Everyday French Words for the Weather
- French Words for Extreme Weather Conditions
- Scientific French Weather Terms
- French Words for Weather Instruments
- Il fait… — When the sky is making things
- C’est… — “This is” just how it is
- Il + [verb] — It’s doing something
- Intermediate Weather Expressions
- French Questions Related to the Weather
- French Expressions Related to the Weather
- French Proverbs Related to the Weather
- Advanced: Getting Philosophical About the Weather in French
- How to Practice French Weather Vocabulary with a Language Partner
- And one more thing...
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Everyday French Words for the Weather
| Basic French Weather Words | English Translation | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| temps | weather | Il fait beau temps aujourd'hui. | The weather is nice today. |
| ciel | sky | Le ciel est dégagé ce soir. | The sky is clear tonight. |
| soleil | sun | Le soleil brille intensément en été. | The sun shines brightly in the summer. |
| lune | moon | La lune est pleine ce soir. | The moon is full tonight. |
| étoiles | stars | Les étoiles scintillent dans le ciel de la nuit. | The stars twinkle in the nighttime sky. |
| nuages | clouds | Les nuages couvrent le ciel aujourd'hui. | The clouds cover the sky today. |
| vent | wind | Le vent souffle fort près de la côte. | The wind is blowing strongly near the coast. |
| brise | breeze | Une légère brise rafraîchit l'air en été. | A gentle breeze cools the air in the summer. |
| pluie | rain | La pluie tombe depuis ce matin. | The rain has been falling since this morning. |
| goutte de pluie | raindrop | Une seule goutte de pluie déclencha des éclats de rire joyeux. | A single raindrop triggered bursts of joyful laughter. |
| neige | snow | La neige recouvre tout le paysage en hiver. | The snow covers the entire landscape in winter. |
| flocon de neige | snowflake | C'est beau à Paris quand il neige à gros flocons. | It's beautiful in Paris when large flakes of snow are falling. |
| brouillard | fog | Le brouillard réduit la visibilité sur la route. | The fog reduces visibility on the road. |
| rosée | dew | La rosée du matin brille sur les feuilles. | The morning dew glistens on the leaves. |
| givre | hoarfrost | Les arbres sont couverts de givre, créant un paysage féerique. | The trees are covered in hoarfrost, creating a magical landscape. |
| météo changeante | changing weather | La météo changeante rend difficile la planification des activités. | The changing weather makes it difficult to plan activities. |
| chaleur | heat | La chaleur est écrasante en plein été. | The heat is overwhelming in the middle of summer. |
| fraîcheur | coolness | J'apprécie la fraîcheur de l'air en automne. | I appreciate the coolness of the air in the fall. |
| froid | cold | Il fait vraiment froid dehors aujourd'hui. | It's really cold outside today. |
| climat | climate | Le climat de cette région est plutôt doux en général. | The climate of this region is generally mild. |
| averse | shower | Attends un moment, il y a une averse passagère. | Wait a moment, there's a passing shower. |
| crépuscule | twilight | Le crépuscule offre des couleurs magnifiques dans le ciel. | Twilight provides beautiful colors in the sky. |
| aube | dawn | Les oiseaux chantent à l'aube. | The birds sing at dawn. |
| marée | tide | Les marées sont influencées par la position de la lune. | Tides are influenced by the position of the moon. |
| arc-en-ciel | rainbow | Le drapeau arc-en-ciel est utilisé par la communauté LGBT. | The rainbow flag is used by the LGBT community. |
French Words for Extreme Weather Conditions
| French Words Related to Extreme Weather | English Translation | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| tempête | storm | Une tempête approche rapidement. | A storm is approaching rapidly. |
| ouragan | hurricane | Les habitants ont été évacués en prévision de l'ouragan. | The residents were evacuated in anticipation of the hurricane. |
| a été frappé par un ouragan | was hit by a hurricane | Le village côtier a été frappé par un ouragan dévastateur. | The coastal village was struck by a devastating hurricane. |
| saison des ouragans | hurricane season | Les préparatifs sont intenses pendant la saison des ouragans chaque année. | Preparations are intense during the hurricane season every year. |
| alerte ouragan | hurricane warning | Les résidents surveillent attentivement les alertes ouragans pour se préparer. | Residents closely monitor hurricane advisories to prepare themselves. |
| tornade | tornado | Une tornade a causé des dégâts importants dans la région. | A tornado caused significant damage in the area. |
| typhon | typhoon | Le typhon s'approche des côtes avec des vents violents. | The typhoon is approaching the coast with strong winds. |
| cyclone | cyclone | Le cyclone a laissé derrière lui une traînée de destruction. | The cyclone left a trail of destruction behind. |
| trombe | waterspout | Nous avons pu observer une trombe au large. | We were able to observe a waterspout out at sea. |
| rafale | gust | Les rafales de vent ont atteint des vitesses impressionnantes. | The gusts of wind reached impressive speeds. |
| éclair | lightning | L'éclair illumina le ciel pendant une fraction de seconde. | The lightning illuminated the sky for a split second. |
| tonnerre | thunder | Le tonnerre grondait au loin pendant l'orage. | The thunder rumbled in the distance during the storm. |
| grêle | hail | La grêle a endommagé les cultures dans les champs. | The hail damaged the crops in the fields. |
| grêler | to hail (hailstones falling); to cause damage by hail | L'orage a grêlé la voiture. | The hail storm caused damage to the car. |
| neige abondante | heavy snowfall | Une neige abondante a provoqué des fermetures d'écoles. | Heavy snowfall led to school closures. |
| avalanche | avalanche | Une avalanche s'est produite en montagne sans avertissement. | An avalanche occurred in the mountains without warning. |
| blizzard | blizzard | Le blizzard rendait la visibilité presque nulle sur la route. | The blizzard made visibility nearly zero on the road. |
| canicule | heatwave | La canicule a entraîné des températures record dans la région. | The heatwave resulted in record temperatures in the region. |
| gelée | frost | La gelée matinale a recouvert les champs d'une fine couche de glace. | The morning frost covered the fields with a thin layer of ice. |
| verglas | black ice | Faites attention en conduisant, il pourrait y avoir du verglas sur la route. | Be careful while driving, there might be black ice on the road. |
| pluie torrentielle | torrential rain | Les rues étaient inondées à cause de la pluie torrentielle. | The streets were flooded due to the torrential rain. |
| inondation | flood | Les habitants ont été évacués en raison de l'inondation. | The residents were evacuated due to the flood. |
| être inondé | to be flooded | La maison a été inondée. | The house was flooded. |
| sécheresse | drought | La sécheresse prolongée a eu un impact sur les réserves d'eau. | The prolonged drought has had an impact on water reserves. |
Scientific French Weather Terms
| French Weather Terms Used in Scientific Contexts | English Translation | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| prévisions météorologiques | weather forecast | Les prévisions météorologiques annoncent des averses pour demain matin. | The weather forecast predicts showers for tomorrow morning. |
| humidité | humidity | L'humidité est élevée après la pluie. | The humidity is high after the rain. |
| pression atmosphérique | atmospheric pressure | La pression atmosphérique est en train de chuter, ce qui pourrait indiquer une tempête. | The atmospheric pressure is dropping, which could indicate a storm. |
| rayonnement solaire | solar radiation | Le rayonnement solaire est plus intense à midi. | Solar radiation is more intense at noon. |
| prévisions | prediction | Les prévisions annoncent des averses pour demain. | The weather predictions forecast showers for tomorrow. |
| front | front (weather system) | Un front froid arrive du nord, apportant des températures plus basses. | A cold front is coming from the north, bringing lower temperatures. |
| météorologie | meteorology | La météorologie étudie les phénomènes atmosphériques. | Meteorology studies atmospheric phenomena. |
| climatologie | climatology | La climatologie se penche sur les schémas climatiques à long terme. | Climatology examines long-term climate patterns. |
| température | temperature | La température est en constante évolution. | The temperature is constantly changing. |
| précipitations | precipitation | Les précipitations annuelles moyennes varient d'une région à l'autre. | Average annual precipitation varies from one region to another. |
| éruption volcanique | volcanic eruption | L'éruption volcanique a provoqué une évacuation d'urgence. | The volcanic eruption triggered an emergency evacuation. |
| échelle de Beaufort | Beaufort scale | L'échelle de Beaufort mesure la force du vent. | The Beaufort scale measures wind strength. |
| condensation | condensation | La condensation forme des gouttes d'eau sur les surfaces froides. | Condensation forms water droplets on cold surfaces. |
| anticyclone | anticyclone | L'anticyclone apporte généralement des conditions ensoleillées. | An anticyclone typically brings sunny conditions. |
| dépression | depression | Une dépression s'accompagne souvent d'un temps pluvieux. | Depression often comes with rainy weather. |
| changement climatique | climate change | Le changement climatique a des répercussions mondiales. | Climate change has global repercussions. |
| réchauffement climatique | global warming | Le réchauffement climatique contribue à la fonte des glaces. | Global warming contributes to ice melting. |
| effet de serre | greenhouse effect | L'effet de serre retient la chaleur dans l'atmosphère. | The greenhouse effect traps heat in the atmosphere. |
| couches atmosphériques | atmospheric layers | Les couches atmosphériques varient en composition et en densité. | Atmospheric layers vary in composition and density. |
| stratosphère | stratosphere | La stratosphère abrite la couche d'ozone. | The stratosphere houses the ozone layer. |
| troposphère | troposphere | La troposphère est la couche la plus proche de la surface terrestre. | The troposphere is the layer closest to the Earth's surface. |
| ionosphère | ionosphere | L'ionosphère joue un rôle dans la propagation des ondes radio. | The ionosphere plays a role in the propagation of radio waves. |
| degré | degree | Il fait vingt degrés. | It's 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). |
French Words for Weather Instruments
| Weather Instruments in French | English Translation | Example Sentence | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| thermomètre | thermometer | J'ai consulté le thermomètre pour vérifier la température extérieure. | I checked the thermometer to verify the outdoor temperature. |
| baromètre | barometer | Le baromètre indique que la pression atmosphérique est en baisse. | The barometer indicates that the atmospheric pressure is dropping. |
| hygromètre | hygrometer | L'hygromètre mesure l'humidité relative dans l'air. | The hygrometer measures the relative humidity in the air. |
| anémomètre | anemometer | L'anémomètre tourne rapidement à cause du vent fort. | The anemometer is spinning rapidly due to the strong wind. |
| pluviomètre | rain gauge | Le pluviomètre enregistre la quantité de précipitations tombées ce mois-ci. | The rain gauge records the amount of precipitation that has fallen this month. |
| girouette | weather vane | La girouette indique la direction d'où vient le vent. | The weather vane indicates the direction from which the wind is coming. |
| pyranomètre | pyranometer | Le pyranomètre mesure le rayonnement solaire reçu à la surface de la Terre. | The pyranometer measures the solar radiation received at the Earth's surface. |
| néphélémètre | nephelometer | Le néphélémètre est utilisé pour évaluer la concentration de particules dans l'air. | The nephelometer is used to assess the concentration of particles in the air. |
| radiosonde | radiosonde | La radiosonde collecte des données atmosphériques pendant son ascension en ballon. | The radiosonde collects atmospheric data during its ascent on a balloon. |
| télémètre laser | laser rangefinder | Le télémètre laser est employé pour mesurer la distance entre deux points précis. | The laser rangefinder is used to measure the distance between two precise points. |
| aérosol compteur de particules | aerosol particle counter | L'aérosol compteur de particules détecte et mesure la concentration de particules fines dans l'air. | The aerosol particle counter detects and measures the concentration of fine particles in the air. |
| posemètre | light meter | Le posemètre indique l'intensité de la lumière dans un endroit donné. | The light meter indicates the intensity of light in a given location. |
| sonde de température | temperature probe | La sonde de température mesure la chaleur dans le sol. | The temperature probe measures the heat in the ground. |
| sonde d'humidité | humidity sensor | La sonde d'humidité surveille le niveau d'humidité dans l'air. | The humidity sensor monitors the humidity level in the air. |
| célomètre | ceilometer | Le célomètre mesure la hauteur de la base des nuages au-dessus du sol. | The ceilometer measures the height of the cloud base above the ground. |
Il fait… — When the sky is making things
Il fait literally means “it makes” and you’ll use it with some of the most basic weather expressions, as follows:
| "Il fait" Weather Expressions | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Il fait froid. | It's cold. |
| Il fait très froid. | It's very cold. |
| Il fait frais. | It's cool (temperature). |
| Il fait beau. | It's nice out (Literally: It makes beautiful). |
| Il fait chaud. | It's hot. |
| Il fait mauvais. | The weather is bad. |
| Il fait moche. | The weather is bad (Literally: It makes ugly). |
| Il y a du vent. | It's windy. |
| Il y a du soleil. | It's sunny. |
| Il y a du brouillard. | It's foggy. (Literally: There is fog). |
C’est… — “This is” just how it is
You can also start your basic weather sentences with c’est (lit., this/that is), followed by an adjective:
| "C'est" Weather Expressions | English Translation |
|---|---|
| C'est nuageux. | It's cloudy. |
| C'est gelé. | It's icy. |
| C'est glacé. | It's icy cold. |
| C'est orageux. | It's stormy. |
| C'est humide. | It's humid. |
Il + [verb] — It’s doing something
The verbs pleuvoir (to rain) and neiger (to snow) are used in the third-person singular:
| Verb | English Translation | "Il" + Verb | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| pleuvoir | to rain | Il pleut. | It's raining. |
| neiger | to snow | Il neige. | It's snowing. |
Intermediate Weather Expressions
| Intermediate French Weather Expressions | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Le ciel est clair. | The sky is clear. |
| Il pleut à seaux. | It's raining buckets. |
| On crève de chaud. | The heat is killing us! |
| J’adore quand il pleut. | I love it when it rains. |
| Je déteste quand il fait trop chaud. | I hate it when it’s too hot. |
French Questions Related to the Weather
| How to Ask About the Weather in French | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Quel temps fait-il ? | What is the weather like? |
| Quel temps fait-il à ... ? | What is the weather like in ... ? (replace ... with a specific place like Montreal, New York, etc.) |
| Quel temps fait-il aujourd'hui ? | What's the weather like today? |
| Comment sera le temps demain ? | What will the weather be like tomorrow? |
| Est-ce qu'il va pleuvoir aujourd'hui ? | Is it going to rain today? |
| Est-ce qu'il fait chaud dehors ? | Is it hot outside? |
| Est-ce qu'il y aura du soleil ce weekend ? | Will there be sunshine this weekend? |
| Est-ce qu'il va neiger demain ? | Is it going to snow tomorrow? |
| Quelle est la température prévue pour cet après-midi ? | What's the forecasted temperature for this afternoon? |
| Est-ce qu'il y a du vent aujourd'hui ? | Is it windy today? |
| Est-ce qu'il fera plus frais ce soir ? | Will it be cooler tonight? |
| Est-ce que le temps sera nuageux demain ? | Will the weather be cloudy tomorrow? |
| Est-ce qu'il y aura des averses cette semaine ? | Will there be showers this week? |
| Est-ce que le temps s'améliorera plus tard ? | Will the weather improve later? |
| Quand est-ce que la chaleur va diminuer ? | When will the heat decrease? |
| Comment est la météo en ce moment ? | How is the weather right now? |
| Est-ce qu'il y a un risque d'orage ce soir ? | Is there a chance of thunderstorms tonight? |
| Est-ce qu'il fera plus froid qu'hier ? | Will it be colder than yesterday? |
| Quelle est la prévision pour la semaine prochaine ? | What's the forecast for next week? |
| Est-ce qu'il fait doux dehors ? | Is it mild outside? |
| Est-ce que le temps est agréable aujourd'hui ? | Is the weather pleasant today? |
| Quand est-ce que le soleil se couche ? | When does the sun set? |
French Expressions Related to the Weather
| French Weather Idioms | Literal Translation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Il pleut des cordes | It's raining ropes | It's raining cats and dogs |
| Il pleut comme vache qui pisse | It's raining like a pissing cow | It's raining hard |
| Il fait un froid de canard | It's duck cold | It's freezing cold |
| Avoir le vent en poupe | To have the wind in one's sails | To have good luck or favorable conditions |
| Prendre le vent | To catch the wind | To gain an advantage from a situation |
| Faire la pluie et le beau temps | To make the rain and the nice weather | To be in control, to have power |
| Ventiler quelqu'un | To fan someone | To criticize or scold someone |
| Tomber comme des grêlons | To fall like hailstones | To fall in great numbers or rapidly |
| C'est du vent | It's wind | It's empty talk or a promise that won't be fulfilled |
| Faire un froid de loup | To be cold (like a wolf) | To be extremely cold |
| Il fait un temps de chien | The weather has gone to the dogs | The weather is horrible |
| Il pleut des hallebardes | It's raining halberds | It's pouring buckets |
| Une pluie battante | "Beating" rain | Pounding rain |
| Trempé comme une soupe | Soaked like a soup | Soaked to the skin |
| Être trempée jusqu’aux os | Soaked to the bone | Soaked to the bone |
| Ça caille | To curdle (like curdling milk) | It's freezing. |
| Il fait un soleil de plomb | The sun is made of lead | It's blistering hot. |
| Un été pourri | A rotten summer | A horrible summer (ruined by bad weather or rain) |
| Il y a un brouillard à couper au couteau | The fog is so thick you could cut it with a knife | The _______ is so thick you could cut it with a knife (replace the blank with anything that can be considered "thick," like an accent) |
| Il fait un temps de Toussaint | It's All Saints' weather | Gloomy and cold weather typical of the month of November |
| Le fond de l’air est frais | The back of the air is cool | The weather is actually colder than it seems |
| Noël sous la neige | Christmas under the snow | A white Christmas |
| Les saints de glace | Ice saints | A period of three days in the month of May when it’s believed that the weather can suddenly turn cold and there’s a risk of frost. The saints referred to are St. Mamertus, St. Pancras and St. Servatius, whose feast days are celebrated on May 11, 12 and 13 respectively. |
French Proverbs Related to the Weather
| French Weather Proverbs | English Translation | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| En avril, ne te découvre pas d'un fil. | In April, do not shed a thread. | It's cautioning against being too quick to shed warm clothing in April, as the weather can still be unpredictable. |
| Quand le vent est au sud, il fait bon pour la bouche ; quand le vent est à l'est, il fait bon pour la charcuterie ; quand le vent est à l'ouest, il fait bon pour la forêt ; quand le vent est au nord, il n'est bon pour personne. | When the wind is from the south, it's good for your mouth; when the wind is from the east, it's good for cured meats; when the wind is from the west, it's good for the forest; when the wind is from the north, it's good for no one. | This proverb uses humor to suggest that winds from different directions have specific effects or benefits. |
| Soleil levant, pluie avant. | Rising sun, rain to come. | If the sun rises while it's still raining, it's likely that the rain will continue. |
| Rosée du soir, il fera beau le lendemain. | Evening dew, it will be fine tomorrow. | If there's dew in the evening, the next day is likely to be sunny. |
| Arc-en-ciel le soir, fait bon espoir; arc-en-ciel le matin, pluie en chemin. | Rainbow in the evening, good hope; rainbow in the morning, rain on the way. | Seeing a rainbow in the evening can be a sign of good weather ahead, while a morning rainbow often predicts rain. |
| Neige en janvier, blé au grenier. | Snow in January, wheat in the granary. | If it snows in January, it's a positive sign for the upcoming harvest. |
| Orage de nuit, peu de mal, mais bien du bruit. | A storm at night doesn’t do a lot of damage, but makes a lot of noise. | Don’t worry, it will all be okay in the morning. |
| Le soleil du matin ne dure pas tout le jour. | The morning sun doesn't last all day. | A project that starts well can sometimes end in disaster. |
| Le soleil brille après la pluie. | The sun shines after the rain. | After a difficult period, things will get better. |
| Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps. | One swallow does not a summer make. | Don't jump to conclusions on the basis of one hint or sign. |
| Noël au balcon, Pâques au tison. | Christmas on the balcony, Easter at the embers. | A warm Christmas will mean a cold Easter. |
| En mai, fais ce qu’il te plait. | In May, do as you please. | You can dress however you want in May. |
| En juin, tu te vêtiras d’un rien. | In June, you don't have to wear much. | In June, it's so hot that you don't need to wear too many layers of clothes. |
| Chaleur d’août, c’est du bien partout. | In the heat of August, everything’s fine. | Everything is good in August since it's the height of summer. |
Advanced: Getting Philosophical About the Weather in French
The following dialogue was written by Raymond Queneau:
LA PASSANTE : Vous vous intéressez à la météorologie, Monsieur ?
ETIENNE : Un peu. Je possède un parapluie.
(PASSERBY: Are you interested in meteorology, sir?
ETIENNE: A little. I own an umbrella.)
Etienne’s quip illustrates the silliness of weather as a subject of passionate interest and conversation.
Honoré de Balzac takes a similar criticism in a more metaphorical direction:
(It’s part of the French character to get excited, upset and passionate for passing weather patterns, for the floating sticks that are the news. The collective bodies, the peoples, will they therefore be without memories?)
Note that météore can be a meteor, but also any phenomenon observed in the atmosphere.
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How to Practice French Weather Vocabulary with a Language Partner
If you have a language exchange partner or fellow learner, you can practice your weather vocabulary using the phrases above.
Google Images is also useful for getting pictures of the weather to talk about in practice conversations, use in classrooms and copy for online flashcards.
You can also create flashcards to study up for your conversation, whether you do it by hand the old-fashioned way, or with a specialized flashcard app like Anki.
Now that you have all of these French weather vocabulary, take out that umbrella, get your French-speaking friend to tag along and start chatting!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
And one more thing...
If you like learning French on your own time and from the comfort of your smart device, then I'd be remiss to not tell you about FluentU.
FluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:
FluentU brings native French videos with reach. With interactive captions, you can tap on any word to see an image, definition and useful examples.
For example, if you tap on the word "crois," you'll see this:
Practice and reinforce all the vocabulary you've learned in a given video with learn mode. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning, and play the mini-games found in our dynamic flashcards, like "fill in the blank."
All throughout, FluentU tracks the vocabulary that you’re learning and uses this information to give you a totally personalized experience. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned.
Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)
