Quel temps fait-il ?
How is the weather? In French is Quel temps fait-il ?
The phrase is used to ask about the current atmospheric conditions outside. You might respond by describing the state of the sky, such as using ensoleillé for sunny, pluvieux for rainy or neigeux for snowy.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, Quel temps fait-il ? translates to 'What weather does it make?'
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In informal situations, you can use Il fait quel temps ? to ask what the weather is like.
How does it change in a sentence?
In French, you use the verb faire (to do/make) to describe weather conditions rather than the verb être (to be).
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying Comment est le temps ? While this is a literal translation of the English 'How is the weather?', it is not a natural way to ask this question in French.
Did you know?
- When the weather is very mild or pleasant, a French person might say il fait bon, using a word that usually describes the taste of food.
- While Quel temps fait-il ? is the standard question, French people often use the phrase Il fait moche to describe bad weather, which literally means 'it is ugly'.
- The word temps in this phrase refers to both the weather and the concept of time. While English distinguishes between 'time' and 'weather', French uses the same noun for both, which can lead to poetic double meanings.
Examples in context
- Salut! Quel temps fait-il aujourd'hui ?Hi! How is the weather today?
