Lesson 20: Discussing Weather in French

Introduction

Discussing weather in French is today’s focus in Lesson 20! This lesson, designed for English speakers, aims to enhance conversational skills in French. Learning to talk about the weather is essential for daily communication and planning activities. Welcome!

Discussing the Weather in French

Key Vocabulary

Here’s how to answer the question ‘What’s the weather like today?

Il fait quel temps aujourd’hui ? What’s the weather like today?

1.1 Using “Il fait” for General Conditions

• Il fait chaud. (It’s hot.)
• Il fait très chaud en été. (It’s very hot in summer.)
• Il fait chaud aujourd’hui, n’est-ce pas ? (It’s hot today, isn’t it?)
• Il fait froid. (It’s cold.)
• Il fait trop froid pour sortir sans manteau. (It’s too cold to go out without a coat.)
• Il fait froid ce matin. (It’s cold this morning.)
• Il fait beau. (The weather is nice.)
• Il fait beau au printemps. (The weather is nice in spring.)
• Quand il fait beau, j’aime aller à la plage. (When the weather is nice, I like to go to the beach.)
• Il fait mauvais. (The weather is bad.)
• Il fait mauvais toute la semaine. (The weather is bad all week.)
• Il fait souvent mauvais en novembre. (The weather is often bad in November.)

1.2 Using “Il y a” for Specific Phenomena

• Il y a du brouillard. (There is fog.)
• Il y a du brouillard sur la route ce matin. (There is fog on the road this morning.)
• Il y a souvent du brouillard en automne. (There is often fog in autumn.)
• Il y a du vent. (It’s windy.)
• Il y a beaucoup de vent aujourd’hui. (It’s very windy today.)
• Il y a du vent, ferme la fenêtre. (It’s windy, close the window.)
• Il y a du soleil. (It’s sunny.)
• Il y a du soleil, mettons de la crème solaire. (It’s sunny, let’s put on some sunscreen.)
• Il y a enfin du soleil après une semaine de pluie. (There is finally sun after a week of rain.)

1.3 Using “Il + Verb” for Weather Actions

• Il pleut. (It’s raining.)
• Il pleut, prends ton parapluie. (It’s raining, take your umbrella.)
• Il pleut des cordes. (It’s pouring rain.)
• Il neige. (It’s snowing.)
• Il neige, l’école est annulée. (It’s snowing, school is cancelled.)
• Regarde comme il neige ! (Look how it’s snowing!)

These expanded examples provide a richer understanding of how to discuss various weather conditions in French, adding depth to your vocabulary and conversational skills. Practice using these phrases to become more comfortable talking about the weather in French.

The Weather in French : conclusion

Discussing weather in French is a fundamental skill that will help you in daily conversations, making plans, and understanding forecasts. Practice these exercises to improve your fluency in discussing weather. Bonne chance!

Keywords: Discussing weather in French, French time expressions, Learn French, French vocabulary, French for English speakers