The French word for “climate” is climat. Here are some of the important categories of climate-related vocabulary, including key nouns, adjectives, and verbs along with example sentences.
Key Climate Nouns
- French nouns related to climate and weather.
- Example sentences to show them in context.
| French Noun | English Noun | Example Sentence (French) | Example Sentence (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| le climat | climate | Le climat de cette région est très humide. | The climate of this region is very humid. |
| la météo | weather (forecast) | La météo prévoit de la pluie demain. | The weather forecast predicts rain tomorrow. |
| la température | temperature | La température a baissé ce soir. | The temperature dropped this evening. |
| l’humidité (f.) | humidity | L’humidité est élevée aujourd’hui. | The humidity is high today. |
| la pluie | rain | La pluie a commencé en fin d’après-midi. | The rain started late in the afternoon. |
| le vent | wind | Le vent souffle fort sur la côte. | The wind is blowing hard on the coast. |
| le soleil | sun | Le soleil brille dans le ciel bleu. | The sun is shining in the blue sky. |
| la neige | snow | La neige recouvre les montagnes. | The snow covers the mountains. |
| la tempête | storm | Une tempête approche de la ville. | A storm is approaching the city. |
| l’orage (m.) | thunderstorm | L’orage a duré toute la nuit. | The thunderstorm lasted all night. |
Complete the French sentence with the correct noun for “wind:” The wind is blowing hard on the coast. – Le _____ souffle fort sur la côte.
vent
"Vent" means "wind" in French, matching the context of wind blowing on the coast.
Climate Adjectives
- Adjectives used to describe climates and weather conditions.
- Illustrated with example sentences.
| French Adjective | English Adjective | Example Sentence (French) | Example Sentence (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| chaud / chaude | hot / warm | Il fait chaud en été. | It’s hot in summer. |
| froid / froide | cold | L’hiver est souvent froid ici. | Winter is often cold here. |
| humide | humid | Le climat est humide et tropical. | The climate is humid and tropical. |
| sec / sèche | dry | Cette région est très sèche. | This region is very dry. |
| ensoleillé / ensoleillée | sunny | La journée était ensoleillée. | The day was sunny. |
| nuageux / nuageuse | cloudy | Le ciel est nuageux ce matin. | The sky is cloudy this morning. |
| venteux / venteuse | windy | Il fait venteux aujourd’hui. | It’s windy today. |
| orageux / orageuse | stormy | Le temps est orageux cette après-midi. | The weather is stormy this afternoon. |
| doux / douce | mild | Le climat est doux au printemps. | The climate is mild in spring. |
| extrême | extreme | Certaines régions ont un climat extrême. | Some regions have an extreme climate. |
Climate Verbs
- Common French verbs to talk about climate and weather.
- Each verb is shown in a weather context.
| French Verb (infinitive) | English Verb | Example Sentence (French) | Example Sentence (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| faire | to do / make (used for weather) | Il fait froid ce matin. | It’s cold this morning. |
| pleuvoir | to rain | Il pleut depuis deux heures. | It has been raining for two hours. |
| neiger | to snow | Il neige souvent en hiver. | It often snows in winter. |
| souffler | to blow | Le vent souffle très fort. | The wind is blowing very hard. |
| briller | to shine | Le soleil brille dans le ciel. | The sun is shining in the sky. |
| tomber | to fall (used for rain/snow) | La neige tombe doucement. | The snow falls gently. |
| éclater (un orage) | to break out (a storm) | Un orage a éclaté dans la soirée. | A storm broke out in the evening. |
| changer | to change | Le temps peut changer rapidement. | The weather can change quickly. |
| prévoir | to predict / forecast | La météo prévoit du soleil demain. | The weather forecast predicts sun tomorrow. |
| geler | to freeze | Il gèle la nuit en hiver. | It freezes at night in winter. |
Climate-Related Expressions
- Useful French expressions for talking about the climate and weather.
- Example sentences to show how they’re used naturally.
| French Expression | English Expression | Example Sentence (French) | Example Sentence (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Il fait + adjective | It is + adjective | Il fait chaud aujourd’hui. | It is hot today. |
| Il y a + noun | There is / there are + noun | Il y a de la neige sur les montagnes. | There is snow on the mountains. |
| Le temps est + adjective | The weather is + adjective | Le temps est nuageux ce matin. | The weather is cloudy this morning. |
| prendre le soleil | to sunbathe | Nous allons prendre le soleil à la plage. | We are going to sunbathe at the beach. |
| avoir froid / chaud | to be cold / hot | J’ai froid, allume le chauffage. | I’m cold, turn on the heater. |
| tomber à l’eau | to rain heavily (lit. fall into the water) | Notre pique-nique est tombé à l’eau. | Our picnic got rained out. |
| un temps de chien | terrible weather | Quel temps de chien aujourd’hui ! | What terrible weather today! |
| faire un froid de canard | to be very cold | Ce matin, il fait un froid de canard. | This morning, it is freezing cold. |
| sous la pluie | in the rain | Nous avons marché sous la pluie. | We walked in the rain. |
| dans le vent | fashionable / in the wind | Cette couleur est dans le vent cet été. | This color is trendy this summer. |
Conclusion
You now have a solid foundation of French climate vocabulary, from key nouns and adjectives to essential verbs and expressions. These building blocks will help you describe the weather, discuss environmental topics, and understand French conversations about the climate.
Flashcards (1 of 40)
- English Noun: climate
- Example Sentence (English): The climate of this region is very humid.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
