{"id":118253,"date":"2024-02-05T22:40:50","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T03:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/weather-in-french\/"},"modified":"2025-01-16T23:22:42","modified_gmt":"2025-01-17T04:22:42","slug":"weather-in-french","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/french\/weather-in-french\/","title":{"rendered":"162 French Weather Vocabulary Terms and Expressions [With Audio]"},"content":{"rendered":"

“The weather” in French is le temps<\/strong><\/em> or la m\u00e9t\u00e9o<\/em><\/strong>,<\/em> which is usually used to talk about the weather forecast.\u00a0Being able to talk about the weather in French is useful for making small talk and understanding the forecast when you’re traveling in the French-speaking world<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This post will cover all the vocabulary you need, from the most common words and phrases to some popular idioms and expressions.\u00a0We’ll also show you how to ask questions about the weather in French so you know what to expect when you step out for the day.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]
\n<\/p>\n

Phrases for Talking About the Weather in French<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Many phrases about the weather in French start with Il fait, C’est<\/em> or Il.\u00a0<\/em>We’ll show you how to use each one below.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Il fait<\/em>\u2026<\/strong> + [adjective]<\/h3>\n

Il fait <\/em>literally means \u201cit makes\u201d and you\u2019ll use it with an adjective<\/a> to form some of the most basic weather expressions, as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
French<\/th>English<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Il fait froid.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's cold.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il fait tr\u00e8s froid.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's very cold.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il fait frais<\/em>. <\/a>\n <\/td>It's cool (temperature).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il fait beau.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's nice out (Literally: It makes beautiful<\/a>).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il fait chaud.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's hot.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il fait mauvais.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>The weather is bad.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il fait moche.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>The weather is bad (Literally: It makes ugly).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il y a du vent.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's windy.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il y a du soleil.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's sunny.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il y a\u00a0du brouillard.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's foggy. (Literally: There is fog).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

C’est<\/em>… + [adjective]<\/h3>\n

You can also start your basic weather sentences with\u00a0c’est<\/em> (literally, “this\/that is”), also followed by an adjective:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
French<\/th>English<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
C'est nuageux.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's cloudy.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
C'est gel\u00e9.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's icy.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
C'est glac\u00e9.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's icy cold.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
C'est orageux.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's stormy.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
C'est humide.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's humid.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Il<\/em> + [verb]\u00a0<\/h3>\n

The verbs pleuvoir<\/strong><\/em> (to rain) and neiger<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(to snow) are used in the third-person singular:<\/p>\n

Il pleut.<\/em> (It’s raining.)<\/p>\n

Il neige.<\/em> (It’s snowing.)<\/p>\n

Expressions About the Weather in French<\/h2>\n

\"woman-with-umbrella-in-Paris\"<\/p>\n

Here are some more common French expressions for commenting on the weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
French expression<\/th>English <\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Le ciel est clair.<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>The sky is clear.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Le temps est clair.<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>The weather is clear.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il y a des \u00e9claircies.<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>There are clear spells.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Le soleil brille.<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>The sun is shining.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
La m\u00e9t\u00e9o est variable.<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>The weather is changeable.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il y a de l'orage.<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>There's a storm.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Le temps est maussade.<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>The weather is gloomy.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il pleut \u00e0 seaux.<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's raining buckets.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
On cr\u00e8ve de chaud.<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>The heat is killing us!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
J\u2019adore quand il pleut.<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>I love it when it rains.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Je d\u00e9teste quand il fait trop chaud.<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>I hate it when it\u2019s too hot.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

How to Ask About the Weather in French<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

These questions will help you ask about the weather so you know what to expect and can be well prepared:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
French Question<\/th>English Translation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Quel temps fait-il ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>What is the weather like?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Quel temps fait-il \u00e0 ... ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>What is the weather like in ... ? (a specific place)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Quel temps fait-il aujourd'hui ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>What's the weather like today?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Comment sera le temps demain ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>What will the weather be like tomorrow?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est-ce qu'il va pleuvoir aujourd'hui ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Is it going to rain today?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est-ce qu'il fait chaud dehors ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Is it hot outside?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est-ce qu'il y aura du soleil ce weekend ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Will there be sunshine this weekend?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est-ce qu'il va neiger demain ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Is it going to snow tomorrow?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Quelle est la temp\u00e9rature pr\u00e9vue pour cet apr\u00e8s-midi ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>What's the forecasted temperature for this afternoon?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est-ce qu'il y a du vent aujourd'hui ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Is it windy today?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est-ce qu'il fera plus frais ce soir ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Will it be cooler tonight?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est-ce que le temps sera nuageux demain ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Will the weather be cloudy tomorrow?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est-ce qu'il y aura des averses cette semaine ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Will there be showers this week?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est-ce que le temps s'am\u00e9liorera plus tard ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Will the weather improve later?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Quand est-ce que la chaleur va diminuer ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>When will the heat decrease?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Comment est la m\u00e9t\u00e9o en ce moment ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>How is the weather right now?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est-ce qu'il y a un risque d'orage ce soir ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Is there a chance of thunderstorms tonight?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est-ce qu'il fera plus froid qu'hier ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Will it be colder than yesterday?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Quelle est la pr\u00e9vision pour la semaine prochaine ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>What's the forecast for next week?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est-ce qu'il fait doux dehors ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Is it mild outside?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est-ce que le temps est agr\u00e9able aujourd'hui ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Is the weather pleasant today?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Quand est-ce que le soleil se couche ?<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>When does the sun set?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Everyday French Weather Vocabulary\u00a0<\/h2>\n

\"rainbow-in-Soliers-France\"<\/p>\n

We’ve compiled a list of some common French terms that often come up in small talk about the weather. You may need to review our guide on French nouns<\/a> to use them properly in conversation.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
French<\/th>English<\/th>Example Sentence<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
temps<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>weather<\/td> Il fait beau temps<\/b> aujourd'hui.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The weather is nice today.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ciel<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>sky<\/td> Le ciel<\/b> est d\u00e9gag\u00e9 ce soir.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The sky is clear tonight.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
soleil<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>sun<\/td> Le soleil<\/b> brille intens\u00e9ment en \u00e9t\u00e9.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The sun shines brightly in the summer<\/a>.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
lune<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>moon<\/td> La lune<\/b> est pleine ce soir.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The moon is full tonight.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00e9toiles<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>stars<\/td> Les \u00e9toiles<\/b> scintillent dans le ciel de la nuit.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The stars twinkle in the nighttime sky.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nuages<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>clouds<\/td> Les nuages<\/b> couvrent le ciel aujourd'hui.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The clouds cover the sky today.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
vent<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>wind<\/td> Le vent<\/b> souffle fort pr\u00e8s de la c\u00f4te.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The wind is blowing strongly near the coast.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
brise<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>breeze<\/td> Une l\u00e9g\u00e8re brise<\/b> rafra\u00eechit l'air en \u00e9t\u00e9.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(A gentle breeze cools the air in the summer.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pluie<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>rain<\/td> La pluie<\/b> tombe depuis ce matin.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The rain has been falling since this morning.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
goutte de pluie<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>raindrop<\/td> Une seule goutte de pluie<\/b> d\u00e9clencha des \u00e9clats de rire joyeux.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(A single raindrop triggered bursts of joyful laughter.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
neige<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>snow<\/td> La neige<\/b> recouvre tout le paysage en hiver.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The snow covers the entire landscape in winter.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
flocon de neige<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>snowflake<\/td> C'est beau \u00e0 Paris quand de gros flocons de neige<\/b> tombent.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(It's beautiful in Paris when large snowflakes are falling.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
brouillard<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>fog<\/td> Le brouillard<\/b> r\u00e9duit la visibilit\u00e9 sur la route.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The fog reduces visibility on the road.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ros\u00e9e<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>dew<\/td> La ros\u00e9e<\/b> du matin brille sur les feuilles.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The morning dew glistens on the leaves.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
givre<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>hoarfrost<\/td> Les arbres sont couverts de givre<\/b>, cr\u00e9ant un paysage f\u00e9erique.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The trees are covered in hoarfrost, creating a magical landscape.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
m\u00e9t\u00e9o changeante<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>changing weather<\/td> La m\u00e9t\u00e9o changeante<\/b> rend difficile la planification des activit\u00e9s.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The changing weather makes it difficult to plan activities.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
chaleur<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>heat<\/td> La chaleur<\/b> est \u00e9crasante en plein \u00e9t\u00e9.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The heat is overwhelming in the middle of summer.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
fra\u00eecheur<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>coolness<\/td> J'appr\u00e9cie la fra\u00eecheur<\/b> de l'air en automne.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(I appreciate the coolness of the air in the fall.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
froid<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>cold<\/td> Il fait vraiment froid<\/b> dehors aujourd'hui.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(It's really cold outside today.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
climat<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>climate<\/td> Le climat<\/b> de cette r\u00e9gion est plut\u00f4t doux en g\u00e9n\u00e9ral.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The climate of this region is generally mild.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
averse<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>shower<\/td> Attends un moment, il y a une averse<\/b> passag\u00e8re.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Wait a moment, there's a passing shower.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
cr\u00e9puscule<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>twilight<\/td> Le cr\u00e9puscule<\/b> offre des couleurs magnifiques dans le ciel.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Twilight provides beautiful colors in the sky.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
aube<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>dawn<\/td> Les oiseaux chantent \u00e0 l'aube<\/b>.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The birds sing at dawn.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
mar\u00e9e<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>tide<\/td> Les mar\u00e9es<\/b> sont influenc\u00e9es par la position de la lune.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Tides are influenced by the position of the moon.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
arc-en-ciel<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>rainbow
\n<\/td>		 Il y a un arc-en-ciel<\/b>.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(There's a rainbow.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

French Terms for Extreme Weather Conditions<\/h2>\n

\"lightning-in-French-countryside\"<\/p>\n

Hopefully, you won’t have to experience any of these extreme weather conditions, but it’s important to understand them and know how to use them just in case!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
French <\/th>English <\/th>Example Sentence<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
temp\u00eate<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>storm<\/td> Une temp\u00eate<\/b> approche rapidement.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(A storm is approaching rapidly.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ouragan<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>hurricane<\/td> Les habitants ont \u00e9t\u00e9 \u00e9vacu\u00e9s en pr\u00e9vision de l'ouragan<\/b>.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The residents were evacuated in anticipation of the hurricane.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
a \u00e9t\u00e9 frapp\u00e9 par un ouragan<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>was hit by a hurricane<\/td> Le village c\u00f4tier a \u00e9t\u00e9 frapp\u00e9 par un ouragan<\/b> d\u00e9vastateur.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The coastal village was struck by a devastating hurricane.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
saison des ouragans<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>hurricane season<\/td> Les pr\u00e9paratifs sont intenses pendant la saison des ouragans<\/b> chaque ann\u00e9e.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Preparations are intense during the hurricane season every year.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
alerte ouragan<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>hurricane warning<\/td> Les r\u00e9sidents surveillent attentivement les alertes ouragans<\/b> pour se pr\u00e9parer.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Residents closely monitor hurricane advisories to prepare themselves.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
tornade<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>tornado<\/td> Une tornade<\/b> a caus\u00e9 des d\u00e9g\u00e2ts importants dans la r\u00e9gion.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(A tornado caused significant damage in the area.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
typhon<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>typhoon<\/td> Le typhon<\/b> s'approche des c\u00f4tes avec des vents violents.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The typhoon is approaching the coast with strong winds.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
cyclone<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>cyclone<\/td> Le cyclone<\/b> a laiss\u00e9 derri\u00e8re lui une tra\u00een\u00e9e de destruction.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The cyclone left a trail of destruction behind.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
trombe<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>waterspout<\/td> Nous avons pu observer une trombe<\/b> au large.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(We were able to observe a waterspout out at sea.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
rafale<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>gust<\/td> Les rafales<\/b> de vent ont atteint des vitesses impressionnantes.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The gusts of wind reached impressive speeds.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00e9clair<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>lightning<\/td> L'\u00e9clair<\/b> illumina le ciel pendant une fraction de seconde.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The lightning illuminated the sky for a split second.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
tonnerre<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>thunder<\/td> Le tonnerre<\/b> grondait au loin pendant l'orage.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The thunder rumbled in the distance during the storm.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gr\u00eale<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>hail<\/td> La gr\u00eale<\/b> a endommag\u00e9 les cultures dans les champs.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The hail damaged the crops in the fields.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gr\u00ealer<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>to hail (hailstones falling); to cause damage by hail<\/td> L'orage a gr\u00eal\u00e9<\/b> la voiture.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The hail storm caused damage to the car.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
neige abondante<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>heavy snowfall<\/td> Une neige abondante<\/b> a provoqu\u00e9 des fermetures d'\u00e9coles.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Heavy snowfall led to school closures.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
avalanche<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>avalanche<\/td> Une avalanche<\/b> s'est produite en montagne sans avertissement.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(An avalanche occurred in the mountains without warning.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
blizzard<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>blizzard<\/td> Le blizzard<\/b> rendait la visibilit\u00e9 presque nulle sur la route.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The blizzard made visibility nearly zero on the road.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
canicule<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>heatwave<\/td> La canicule<\/b> a entra\u00een\u00e9 des temp\u00e9ratures record dans la r\u00e9gion.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The heatwave resulted in record temperatures in the region.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gel\u00e9e<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>frost<\/td> La gel\u00e9e<\/b> matinale a recouvert les champs d'une fine couche de glace.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The morning frost covered the fields with a thin layer of ice.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
verglas<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>black ice<\/td> Faites attention en conduisant, il pourrait y avoir du verglas<\/b> sur la route.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Be careful while driving, there might be black ice on the road.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pluie torrentielle<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>torrential rain<\/td> Les rues \u00e9taient inond\u00e9es \u00e0 cause de la pluie torrentielle<\/b>.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The streets were flooded due to the torrential rain.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
inondation<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>flood<\/td> Les habitants ont \u00e9t\u00e9 \u00e9vacu\u00e9s en raison de l'inondation<\/b>.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The residents were evacuated due to the flood.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00eatre inond\u00e9<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>to be flooded<\/td> La maison a \u00e9t\u00e9 inond\u00e9e<\/b>.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The house was flooded.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
s\u00e9cheresse<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>drought<\/td> La s\u00e9cheresse<\/b> prolong\u00e9e a eu un impact sur les r\u00e9serves d'eau.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The prolonged drought has had an impact on water reserves.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Scientific French Weather Terms<\/h2>\n

\"wind-sock-against-blue-sky\"<\/p>\n

If you’re going to be watching or reading the news in French<\/a>, or if you’re specifically interested in science, it will help to know some of these scientific weather terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
French<\/th>English<\/th>Example Sentence<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
pr\u00e9visions m\u00e9t\u00e9orologiques<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>weather forecast<\/td> Les pr\u00e9visions m\u00e9t\u00e9orologiques<\/b> annoncent des averses pour demain matin.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The weather forecast predicts showers for tomorrow morning)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
humidit\u00e9<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>humidity<\/td> L'humidit\u00e9<\/b> est \u00e9lev\u00e9e apr\u00e8s la pluie.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The humidity is high after the rain.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
thermom\u00e8tre<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>thermometer<\/td> J'ai consult\u00e9 le thermom\u00e8tre<\/b> pour v\u00e9rifier la temp\u00e9rature ext\u00e9rieure.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(I checked the thermometer to verify the outdoor temperature.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
barom\u00e8tre<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>barometer<\/td> Le barom\u00e8tre<\/b> indique que la pression atmosph\u00e9rique est en baisse.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The barometer indicates that the atmospheric pressure is dropping.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pluviom\u00e8tre<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>rain gauge<\/td> Le pluviom\u00e8tre<\/b> enregistre la quantit\u00e9 de pr\u00e9cipitations tomb\u00e9es ce mois-ci.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The rain gauge records the amount of precipitation that has fallen this month.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
girouette<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>weather vane<\/td> La girouette<\/b> indique la direction d'o\u00f9 vient le vent.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The weather vane indicates the direction from which the wind is coming.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pression atmosph\u00e9rique<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>atmospheric pressure<\/td> La pression atmosph\u00e9rique<\/b> est en train de chuter, ce qui pourrait indiquer une temp\u00eate.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The atmospheric pressure is dropping, which could indicate a storm.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
rayonnement solaire<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>solar radiation<\/td> Le rayonnement solaire<\/b> est plus intense \u00e0 midi.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Solar radiation is more intense at noon.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pr\u00e9visions<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>prediction<\/td> Les pr\u00e9visions<\/b> annoncent des averses pour demain.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The weather predictions forecast showers for tomorrow.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
front<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>front (weather system)<\/td> Un front<\/b> froid arrive du nord, apportant des temp\u00e9ratures plus basses.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(A cold front is coming from the north, bringing lower temperatures.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
m\u00e9t\u00e9orologie<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>meteorology<\/td> La m\u00e9t\u00e9orologie<\/b> \u00e9tudie les ph\u00e9nom\u00e8nes atmosph\u00e9riques.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Meteorology studies atmospheric phenomena.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
climatologie<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>climatology<\/td> La climatologie<\/b> se penche sur les sch\u00e9mas climatiques \u00e0 long terme.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Climatology examines long-term climate patterns.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
temp\u00e9rature<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>temperature<\/td> La temp\u00e9rature<\/b> est en constante \u00e9volution.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The temperature is constantly changing.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
pr\u00e9cipitations<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>precipitation<\/td> Les pr\u00e9cipitations<\/b> annuelles moyennes varient d'une r\u00e9gion \u00e0 l'autre.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Average annual precipitation varies from one region to another.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00e9ruption volcanique<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>volcanic eruption<\/td> L'\u00e9ruption volcanique<\/b> a provoqu\u00e9 une \u00e9vacuation d'urgence.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The volcanic eruption triggered an emergency evacuation.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00e9chelle de Beaufort<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Beaufort scale<\/td> L'\u00e9chelle de Beaufort<\/b> mesure la force du vent.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The Beaufort scale measures wind strength.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
condensation<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>condensation<\/td> La condensation<\/b> forme des gouttes d'eau sur les surfaces froides.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Condensation forms water droplets on cold surfaces.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
anticyclone<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>anticyclone<\/td> L'anticyclone<\/b> apporte g\u00e9n\u00e9ralement des conditions ensoleill\u00e9es.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(An anticyclone typically brings sunny conditions.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
d\u00e9pression<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>depression<\/td> Une d\u00e9pression<\/b> s'accompagne souvent d'un temps pluvieux.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Depression often comes with rainy weather.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
changement climatique<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>climate change<\/td> Le changement climatique<\/b> a des r\u00e9percussions mondiales.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Climate change has global repercussions.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
r\u00e9chauffement climatique<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>global warming<\/td> Le r\u00e9chauffement climatique<\/b> contribue \u00e0 la fonte des glaces.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Global warming contributes to ice melting.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
effet de serre<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>greenhouse effect<\/td> L'effet de serre<\/b> retient la chaleur dans l'atmosph\u00e8re.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The greenhouse effect traps heat in the atmosphere.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
couches atmosph\u00e9riques<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>atmospheric layers<\/td> Les couches atmosph\u00e9riques<\/b> varient en composition et en densit\u00e9.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(Atmospheric layers vary in composition and density.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
stratosph\u00e8re<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>stratosphere<\/td> La stratosph\u00e8re<\/b> abrite la couche d'ozone.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The stratosphere houses the ozone layer.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
troposph\u00e8re<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>troposphere<\/td> La troposph\u00e8re<\/b> est la couche la plus proche de la surface terrestre.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The troposphere is the layer closest to the Earth's surface.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ionosph\u00e8re<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>ionosphere<\/td> L'ionosph\u00e8re<\/b> joue un r\u00f4le dans la propagation des ondes radio.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(The ionosphere plays a role in the propagation of radio waves.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
degr\u00e9<\/b><\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>degree<\/td> Il fait vingt\u00a0degr\u00e9s<\/b>.<\/em> <\/a>\n
\n(It's 20 degrees Celsius\/68 degrees Fahrenheit.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

French Idioms Related to the Weather<\/h2>\n

\"snow-in-Paris\"<\/p>\n

Understanding commonly used idioms in French is helpful so you don’t take them literally and get confused. You’ll really impress your French-speaking friends if you learn them well enough to use them in conversation!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
French Idiom<\/th>Literal Translation<\/th>Meaning<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Il pleut des cordes<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's raining ropes<\/td>It's raining cats and dogs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il pleut comme vache qui pisse<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's raining like a pissing cow<\/td>It's raining hard<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il fait un froid de canard<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's duck cold<\/td>It's freezing cold<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Avoir le vent en poupe<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>To have the wind in one's sails<\/td>To have good luck or favorable conditions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Prendre le vent<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>To catch the wind<\/td>To gain an advantage from a situation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faire la pluie et le beau temps<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>To make the rain and the nice weather<\/td>To be in control, to have power<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ventiler quelqu'un<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>To fan someone<\/td>To criticize or scold someone<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tomber comme des gr\u00ealons<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>To fall like hailstones<\/td>To fall in great numbers or rapidly<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
C'est du vent<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's wind<\/td>It's empty talk or a promise that won't be fulfilled<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faire un froid de loup<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>To be cold (like a wolf)<\/td>To be extremely cold<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il fait un temps de chien<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>The weather has gone to the dogs<\/td>The weather is horrible<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il pleut des hallebardes<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's raining halberds<\/td>It's pouring buckets<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Une pluie battante<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>\"Beating\" rain<\/td>Pounding rain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tremp\u00e9 comme une soupe<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Soaked like a soup<\/td>Soaked to the skin
\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00catre tremp\u00e9e jusqu\u2019aux os<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Soaked to the bone<\/td>Soaked to the bone<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00c7a caille<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>To curdle (like curdling milk)<\/td>It's freezing.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il fait un soleil de plomb<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>The sun is made of lead<\/td>It's blistering hot.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Un \u00e9t\u00e9 pourri<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>A rotten summer<\/td>A horrible summer (ruined by bad weather or rain)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il y a un brouillard \u00e0 couper au couteau<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>The fog is so thick you could cut it with a knife<\/td>You can replace \"fog\" with anything thick, such as tension or an accent.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Il fait un temps de Toussaint<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>It's All Saints' weather<\/td>Gloomy and cold weather typical of the month of November<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Le fond de l\u2019air est frais<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>The back of the air is cool<\/td>The weather is actually colder than it seems<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
No\u00ebl sous la neige<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Christmas under the snow<\/td>A white Christmas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Les saints de glace<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Ice saints<\/td>A period of three days in the month of May<\/a> when it\u2019s believed that the weather can suddenly turn cold and there\u2019s a risk of frost. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

French Proverbs Related to the Weather<\/h2>\n

\"rain-on-window-in-Paris\"<\/p>\n

Many French proverbs involve the weather, and being familiar with them will make you that much more like a native speaker. Here we’ve compiled some of the most common weather-related proverbs in French.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
French Proverb<\/th>English Translation<\/th>Explanation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
En avril, ne te d\u00e9couvre pas d'un fil.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>In April, do not shed a thread.<\/td>It's cautioning against being too quick to shed warm clothing in April, as the weather can still be unpredictable.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Soleil levant, pluie avant.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Rising sun, rain to come.<\/td>If the sun rises while it's still raining, it's likely that the rain will continue.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ros\u00e9e du soir, il fera beau le lendemain.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Evening dew, it will be fine tomorrow.<\/td>If there's dew in the evening, the next day is likely to be sunny.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Arc-en-ciel le soir, fait bon espoir; arc-en-ciel le matin, pluie en chemin.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Rainbow in the evening, good hope; rainbow in the morning, rain on the way.<\/td>Seeing a rainbow in the evening can be a sign of good weather ahead, while a morning rainbow often predicts rain.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Neige en janvier, bl\u00e9 au grenier.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Snow in January, wheat in the granary.<\/td>If it snows in January, it's a positive sign for the upcoming harvest.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Orage de nuit, peu de mal, mais bien du bruit.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>A storm at night doesn\u2019t do a lot of damage, but makes a lot of noise.<\/td>Don\u2019t worry, it will all be okay in the morning.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Le soleil du matin ne dure pas tout le jour.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>The morning sun doesn't last all day.<\/td>A project that starts well can sometimes end in disaster.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Le soleil brille apr\u00e8s la pluie.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>The sun shines after the rain.<\/td>After a difficult period, things will get better.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>One swallow does not a summer make.<\/td>Don't jump to conclusions on the basis of one hint or sign.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
No\u00ebl au balcon, P\u00e2ques au tison.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>Christmas on the balcony, Easter at the embers.<\/td>A warm Christmas will mean a cold Easter.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
En mai, fais ce qu\u2019il te plait.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>In May, do as you please.<\/td>You can dress however you want in May.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
En juin, tu te v\u00eatiras d\u2019un rien.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>In June, you don't have to wear much.<\/td>In June, it's so hot that you don't need to wear too many layers of clothes.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chaleur d\u2019ao\u00fbt, c\u2019est du bien partout.<\/em> <\/a>\n <\/td>In the heat of August, everything\u2019s fine.<\/td>Everything is good in August since it's the height of summer.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

How to Practice French Weather Vocabulary\u00a0<\/h2>\n

If you have a language exchange partner<\/a> or fellow learner, you can practice your weather vocabulary using the phrases above.<\/p>\n

We also recommend creating flashcards to study up for your conversation. You can make your own using pictures from Google Images<\/a> or use a specialized flashcard app<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Another good practice method is using an immersive language program like FluentU<\/a>.

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n

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You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

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