Bonjour les amis ! I’m writing this just before heading off on holiday, so by the time you read it, I’ll (hopefully!) be sunning myself in the summer heat, enjoying a well-earned break. Before I go, I wanted to share some of my favourite ways to talk about the beautiful weather in French.
Enfin, l’été est arrivé, le ciel est clair et le soleil brille ! At last, summer has arrived, the sky is blue, and the sun is shining. Whether you’re in France, in the UK, or anywhere else with a bit of sunshine, it’s a great time to boost your vocabulary and sound more French when talking about the weather.
One of the quirks of French is that, where we say “It is hot/sunny/etc.”, French often uses il fait, which literally means “it makes”. It can feel a bit odd at first, but trust me, the more you use it, the more natural it becomes. If you want to talk about the beautiful weather in French, this little phrase is your new best friend.
My go-to sunny weather phrases
Here are some of my go-to sunny weather phrases:
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Il fait beau – The weather is beautiful
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Il fait chaud – It is hot
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Il fait soleil – It is sunny
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Il fait trente degrés – It is 30 degrees
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Il y a du soleil – It is sunny (literally, “there is sun”)
You might hear il fait du soleil, but that’s not really correct French. Stick with il y a du soleil and you’ll sound more authentic.
If you’re lucky enough to be somewhere warm (or just dreaming about it), you might also find these useful:
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la chaleur – the heat
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un temps sec – dry weather
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la sécheresse – drought
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une brise – a breeze
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c’est la canicule ! – It’s a heatwave!
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le soleil de plomb – the blazing heat
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on crève de chaud ! – We’re dying of the heat!
One of my favourite French expressions is “Une pluie d’été ne dure jamais” – summer rain never lasts. I love the optimism of it (even if I’ve spent a few British holidays in soggy jeans muttering about un été pourri – a rotten summer!).
There’s also the saying: “En juin, tu te vêtiras d’un rien” – In June, you’ll wear very little. Sounds about right, doesn’t it?
Why This Matters
I hope this little guide helps you feel more confident when you want to talk about the beautiful weather in French. Whether you’re packing your suitcase or just heading out for an ice cream, try one or two of these phrases next time the sun shines.
Je croise les doigts et je vous souhaite une belle journée ensoleillée.
Frannie x
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