French temperature vocabulary helps you describe the weather, talk about your health, and understand everyday situations involving heat or cold. This guide covers common words and phrases, including how to express temperatures in degrees Celsius.
Common Temperature Words
These are the basic words used to talk about temperature in French.
French Common Temperature Words Part of Speech English Common Temperature Words Part of Speech
la température noun temperature noun
le degré noun degree noun
chaud adjective hot adjective
froid adjective cold adjective
tiède adjective warm / lukewarm adjective
glacial adjective freezing adjective
brûlant adjective scorching / burning adjective
doux / douce adjective mild adjective
le thermomètre noun thermometer noun
la météo noun weather forecast noun
These words form the foundation of all temperature-related conversation in French.
Temperature-Related Weather Terms
These words help you describe the weather conditions related to temperature.
French Temperature-Related Weather Terms Part of Speech English Temperature-Related Weather Terms Part of Speech
le temps noun weather noun
le climat noun climate noun
la chaleur noun heat noun
le froid noun cold noun
la fraîcheur noun coolness noun
la canicule noun heatwave noun
le gel noun frost noun
la neige noun snow noun
le brouillard noun fog noun
l’humidité noun humidity (f) noun
Learning these words allows you to talk about the temperature in the context of the weather.
French Temperature Expressions
These common expressions and phrases will help you talk about temperature naturally in French.
French French Temperature Expressions Usage English French Temperature Expressions Usage
quelle est la température ? asking about the temperature what is the temperature?
il fait chaud describing hot weather it is hot
il fait froid describing cold weather it is cold
il fait 20 degrés expressing a specific temperature it is 20 degrees
il fait frais describing cool weather it is cool
j’ai chaud expressing personal heat I am hot
j’ai froid expressing personal cold I am cold
la température monte the temperature is rising the temperature is rising
la température baisse the temperature is dropping the temperature is dropping
le thermomètre indique 30 degrés the thermometer reads 30 degrees the thermometer reads 30 degrees
These phrases are useful for everyday conversations about the weather and temperature.
Health and Temperature
These words and phrases are useful for talking about body temperature and health in French.
French Health and Temperature Words Part of Speech English Health and Temperature Words Part of Speech
avoir de la fièvre phrase to have a fever phrase
avoir 38 degrés phrase to have a temperature of 38 degrees phrase
la fièvre noun fever noun
le médecin noun doctor noun
prendre la température phrase to take (someone’s) temperature phrase
être en sueur phrase to be sweating phrase
frissonner verb to shiver verb
se couvrir phrase to cover up (wear warmer clothes) phrase
se déshabiller phrase to undress (wear lighter clothes) phrase
malade adjective sick adjective
These terms are especially helpful when discussing health or visiting a doctor.
Fill in the blank: « J’_____ de la fièvre depuis hier soir. »
ai
The correct phrase is J’ai de la fièvre, meaning 'I have a fever.'
Temperature Measurements in French
French uses the metric system, so temperatures are given in degrees Celsius. Here’s how to talk about measuring and stating temperatures.
French Temperature Measurements Usage English French Temperature Measurements Usage
un degré Celsius one degree Celsius one degree Celsius
moins dix degrés minus ten degrees minus ten degrees
trente degrés au-dessus de zéro thirty degrees above zero thirty degrees above zero
zéro degré zero degrees zero degrees
quel est le point de congélation ? asking about freezing point what is the freezing point?
le point d’ébullition noun boiling point noun
le thermomètre indique trente degrés noun the thermometer reads thirty degrees noun
la température moyenne noun average temperature noun
mesurer la température verb to measure the temperature verb
la température maximale / minimale noun maximum / minimum temperature noun
These phrases will help you understand and communicate numerical temperature values in French.
Fill in the blank: « Le point d’ébullition de l’eau est à _____ degrés Celsius. »
cent
L’eau bout à cent degrés Celsius (100°C).
Summary
French temperature vocabulary covers common words, weather terms, expressions, health-related phrases, and measurement conventions. These building blocks enable you to talk about temperature accurately and naturally in a variety of contexts.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
