In French, the four seasons are le printemps, l’été, l’automne and l’hiver. They are used to talk about the weather, changes in nature and activities throughout the year. For example, we say au printemps, les fleurs poussent, en été, il fait chaud, en automne, les feuilles tombent and en hiver, il fait froid. This vocabulary is also used to situate everyday habits, such as vacations, harvests, celebrations or clothing.

The order of the seasons follows the cycle of the year. In general, we begin with spring, then comes summer, followed by autumn, and finally winter. After winter, spring returns. This sequence repeats every year. To talk about a specific moment, we can say au début du printemps, au milieu de l’été or à la fin de l’automne. The word saison therefore designates a period of the year that returns regularly.

Cyclical order of the seasons

Idea
The word spring comes after winter and announces the return of mild days.
The word summer follows spring and corresponds to the warmest season.
The word autumn comes after summer and marks the return of cooler weather.
The word winter ends the cycle before the return of spring.

Spring evokes the return of flowers, buds and longer days. Nature awakens, the trees turn green and the air gradually warms up. We often talk about pluie légère, redoux and fraîcheur du matin. The expressions les fleurs fleurissent and les journées s’allongent are common. In everyday life, spring often corresponds to milder weather and more enjoyable outings.

pollenverdurefleurjour qui s allongeprintempspluie finebourgeonredoux

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Fine poudre des fleurs portée par le vent au printempsCouleur verte de la nature quand tout reverditSaison du renouveau où la nature reprend vieJour qui dure plus longtemps au fil des semainesPetite pluie légère qui tombe sans faire de gros oragesPetit bouton de plante qui s ouvre avant la feuille ou la fleurPartie colorée d une plante qui apparaît souvent au printempsRetour d une température plus douce après une période froide

Spring vocabulary

Word	Definition
printemps	Season of renewal when nature comes back to life.
fleur	Colorful part of a plant that often appears in spring.
pluie fine	Small, gentle rain that falls without major thunderstorms.
redoux	Return of milder temperatures after a cold period.
jour qui s allonge	Day that lasts longer as the weeks go by.
bourgeon	Small plant bud that opens before the leaf or flower.
pollen	Fine flower powder carried by the wind in spring.
verdure	Green color of nature when everything turns green again.

Scramble

Summer is the season of heat and sunshine. We say il fait chaud, le soleil brille and les journées sont longues. Summer vocabulary also includes les vacances, la plage, la mer, la baignade and le voyage. Many people associate this season with meals outside, evening walks and outdoor activities. When the temperature rises, we talk about forte chaleur or canicule.

étéplagechaleurbaignadevacancesjournée longuevent chaudsoleil

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Lieu de sable ou de galets au bord de la merJour qui dure tard avec beaucoup de lumièreAction de se mettre dans l eau pour nager ou se rafraîchirSaison la plus chaude de l année dans beaucoup de régionsTemps libre sans cours ni travail pour se reposer ou voyagerAstre lumineux qui réchauffe les journées d étéTempérature élevée qui fait transpirer et chercher l ombreCourant d air tiède agréable en été

Summer vocabulary

Word	Definition
été	Warmest season of the year in many regions.
chaleur	High temperature that makes people sweat and seek shade.
soleil	Luminous star that warms summer days.
vacances	Free time without classes or work to rest or travel.
plage	Place with sand or pebbles by the sea.
journée longue	Day that lasts late with lots of light.
vent chaud	Mild air current that is pleasant in summer.
baignade	Act of getting into the water to swim or cool off.

Scramble

Autumn brings cooler temperatures and a visible change in nature. The leaves turn yellow, red or brown, then fall. We talk about froid léger, fraîcheur, pluie and vent. Autumn is also the season of rentrée scolaire, harvested fields and days that grow shorter. The colors of this period are often associated with a calm and changing atmosphere.

rentrée scolairefeuillevent fraiscouleur changeanterécolteautomnefraîcheurbrume

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Moment où l on cueille les fruits ou les légumes mûrsFine vapeur dans l air qui rend le paysage flouRetour à l école après les vacances d étéPartie plate des arbres qui change souvent de couleurVent un peu froid qui annonce la saison suivanteTempérature agréable mais un peu fraîche en fin de journéeSaison de transition entre la chaleur et le froidTeinte qui varie du jaune au rouge au fil des jours

Autumn vocabulary

Word	Definition
automne	Season of transition between warmth and cold.
feuille	Flat part of trees that often changes color.
fraîcheur	Pleasant but slightly cool temperature at the end of the day.
rentrée scolaire	Return to school after the summer vacation.
couleur changeante	Shade that varies from yellow to red as the days go by.
récolte	Time when people pick ripe fruit or vegetables.
vent frais	Slightly cold wind that announces the next season.
brume	Fine vapor in the air that makes the landscape blurry.

Scramble

Winter is the season of cold. There may be neige, gel, verglas and vent froid. The days are short and night falls early. We then wear warm clothes such as a coat, a scarf and gloves. Winter is also associated with end-of-year celebrations, family meals and activities such as skiing or playing in the snow.

flocongelfêteshivermanteaujournée courteneigefroid

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Petit morceau de neige qui tombe doucementEau transformée en glace à cause du froidPetits flocons blancs qui tombent du ciel quand il gèleSaison la plus froide de l année dans beaucoup de paysVêtement chaud porté pour sortir en hiverMoments de célébration souvent nombreux en fin d annéeJour qui se termine tôt avec peu de lumièreTempérature basse qui oblige à se couvrir

Winter vocabulary

Word	Definition
hiver	Coldest season of the year in many countries.
froid	Low temperature that makes you bundle up.
neige	Small white flakes that fall from the sky when it freezes.
gel	Water turned into ice because of the cold.
fêtes	Times of celebration often numerous at the end of the year.
journée courte	Day that ends early with little light.
manteau	Warm garment worn when going out in winter.
flocon	Small piece of snow that falls gently.

Scramble

To say the season in French, we often use au printemps, en été, en automne and en hiver. With printemps, we use au because the word begins with a consonant sound. With été, automne and hiver, we use en. The names of the seasons are generally written in lowercase, except at the beginning of a sentence. We say au printemps je voyage, en été il fait chaud, en automne les feuilles tombent and en hiver la neige arrive.

The seasons do not bring the same weather everywhere. In the north, winter can be colder and longer. Near the sea, the temperature often changes less quickly. In the south, summer is often hotter and drier. In some mountainous regions, snow lasts longer and spring arrives late. In French-speaking countries outside France, the seasons have the same names, but the climate can be very different depending on the location.

été très chaudhiver très froidautomne brumeuxhiver douxtemps changeantneige en montagne

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Présence fréquente de neige dans les régions alpinesChaleur estivale marquée dans de nombreuses régionsHiver souvent modéré sur la côte ou dans le sudAutomne parfois couvert avec de la brume le matinMétéo variable avec des saisons qui se mélangent parfoisHiver souvent plus rigoureux avec beaucoup de neige

Regional variations of the seasons

Region	Variant	Definition	Example
France	hiver doux	Often moderate winter on the coast or in the south.	Dans le sud, l hiver doux est agréable.In the south, the mild winter is pleasant.
Canada	hiver très froid	Often harsher winter with lots of snow.	Au Canada, un hiver très froid est courant.In Canada, a very cold winter is common.
Switzerland	neige en montagne	Frequent presence of snow in Alpine regions.	En Suisse, la neige en montagne attire les skieurs.In Switzerland, snow in the mountains attracts skiers.
Belgium	temps changeant	Variable weather with seasons that sometimes blend together.	En Belgique, le temps changeant surprend souvent.In Belgium, the changeable weather often surprises people.
Morocco	été très chaud	Marked summer heat in many regions.	Au Maroc, l été très chaud dure longtemps.In Morocco, the very hot summer lasts a long time.
Germany	automne brumeux	Sometimes overcast autumn with mist in the morning.	En Allemagne, un automne brumeux est fréquent.In Germany, a foggy autumn is common.

Scramble