The weather (AQA GCSE French): Revision Notes
The weather
Introduction to weather vocabulary
Understanding how to talk about the weather is essential for travel and tourism conversations in French. Whether you're planning outdoor activities, discussing holiday plans, or simply making small talk, weather vocabulary forms a crucial part of everyday communication. In French, there are specific patterns and expressions used to describe different weather conditions across various tenses.
Essential weather vocabulary
| French | English | Pronunciation tip |
|---|---|---|
| le temps | weather | Silent 's' - sounds like "tahn" |
| après-midi (m) | afternoon | Masculine noun |
| beau/belle | beautiful | Changes with gender |
| brouillard (m) | fog | Roll the 'r' |
| chaud(e) | hot | Silent 'd' |
| ciel (m) | sky | Sounds like "see-ell" |
| froid(e) | cold | Silent 'd' |
| il neige | it's snowing | From verb "neiger" |
| il pleut | it's raining | From verb "pleuvoir" |
| jour (m) | day | Different from "journée" |
| matin (m) | morning | Masculine |
| mauvais(e) | bad | Pronounced "mo-vay" |
| neige (f) | snow | Feminine noun |
| soir (m) | evening | Masculine |
| soleil (m) | sun | Masculine |
| vent (m) | wind | Silent 't' |
| pluie (f) | rain | Feminine noun |
Pronunciation Focus: Pay special attention to silent letters in French weather vocabulary. Many adjectives like "chaud" and "froid" have silent final consonants, while "temps" has a silent 's'. The word "brouillard" is particularly challenging as it requires mastering the French 'r' sound.
Weather expressions across tenses
French uses specific patterns to describe weather conditions. The main structures involve "il fait" (literally "it makes") with adjectives, or "il y a" (there is/are) with nouns.
Present tense weather descriptions
When describing current weather conditions, French speakers commonly use these patterns:
Present Tense Weather Examples:
Using "il fait" + adjective:
- Il fait chaud. (It's hot.)
- Il fait beau. (It's nice weather.)
Using "il" + weather verb:
- Il pleut. (It's raining.)
- Il neige. (It's snowing.)
Using "il y a" + noun:
- Il y a du soleil. (It's sunny/There's sunshine.)
- Il y a du vent. (It's windy.)
Past tense weather descriptions
For describing weather that occurred in the past, you'll typically use the imperfect tense as weather is considered a background condition:
Past Tense Weather Examples:
Recent past (passé composé):
- Il a fait chaud. (It was hot.)
- Il y a eu du soleil. (It was sunny.)
Background conditions (imperfect):
- Il faisait chaud. (It was hot.)
- Il y avait de la pluie. (There was rain.)
- Il y avait du soleil. (It was sunny.)
Future tense weather descriptions
When discussing upcoming weather conditions, use the near future (aller + infinitive) or simple future:
Future Tense Weather Examples:
Near future (aller + infinitive):
- Il va faire chaud. (It's going to be hot.)
- Il va pleuvoir. (It's going to rain.)
Simple future:
- Il fera chaud. (It will be hot.)
- Il y aura du soleil. (It will be sunny.)
Asking and answering about weather
The standard question for asking about weather conditions uses this pattern:
Weather Question and Responses:
The Question:
- Quel temps fait-il? (What's the weather like?)
Common Responses:
- Il y a du brouillard. (It's foggy.)
- Il fait chaud. (It's hot.)
- Il fait froid. (It's cold.)
- Il fait beau. (It's fine/nice weather.)
- Il fait mauvais. (It's bad weather.)
- Il y a du vent. (It's windy.)
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Essential Grammar Rules:
Key grammar patterns:
- Use "il fait" + adjective for general weather conditions
- Use "il y a" + du/de la + noun for specific weather phenomena
- Weather adjectives like chaud(e), froid(e), beau/belle agree with what they describe when used attributively
- The verb "pleuvoir" (to rain) is only used in third person: il pleut, il pleuvait, il va pleuvoir
Critical Pronunciation Points:
- Many weather adjectives have silent final consonants (chaud, froid)
- "Brouillard" requires practice with the French 'r' sound
- "Temps" has a silent 's' - don't pronounce it like the English word "temps"
Translation practice exercises
Translation Practice:
French to English
- J'aime quand il fait chaud en vacances.
- Mon père adore la neige.
English to French
- When it's cold, we go to the mountains.
- If it's windy, my parents aren't happy.
Answers
- I like it when it's hot on holiday.
- My father loves snow.
- Quand il fait froid, nous allons à la montagne.
- S'il y a du vent, mes parents ne sont pas heureux.
Key Points to Remember:
- Use "il fait" with adjectives (il fait chaud) and "il y a" with nouns (il y a du vent)
- Weather descriptions often use imperfect tense in the past as they describe ongoing conditions
- "Quel temps fait-il?" is the standard way to ask about weather conditions
- Remember that "journée" means "day" (duration), not "journey" - don't confuse with "jour"
- Weather vocabulary is essential for travel conversations and describing holiday experiences