très chaud
The English phrase "very hot" is translated into French as très chaud.
très chaud is used to describe something that has a high temperature, such as an object or the weather. To express that a person feels hot, you should use the construction avoir très chaud instead of describing the person directly with the adjective.
Which one should you use?
While très chaud is used to describe the temperature of an object or the weather, the phrase avoir très chaud is the correct way to say a person feels hot.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, particularly in France, the term étouffant is used to describe stifling heat.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective chaud must agree in gender with the noun it describes. Therefore, you should use très chaude when describing a feminine noun.
What mistakes should you avoid?
When talking about the weather being hot, avoid saying Il est très chaud. Instead, use the impersonal construction Il fait très chaud.
Did you know?
- If you say Je suis chaud, you might accidentally communicate that you are 'up for it' or sexually aroused, rather than just feeling the heat.
- In French slang, the expression c'est chaud is often used to describe a situation that is 'risky' or 'tense' rather than physically hot.
- The word chaud is a relative of the English word 'cauldron', as both derive from the Latin root for heat.
Examples in context
- Il fait très chaud.The weather is very hot.This sentence is useful for describing the weather.Tatoeba #3642828 by sacredceltic, translation #1785461 by Eldad
- Ce thé est très chaud.This tea is very hot.This sentence is useful for describing the temperature of a drink.Tatoeba #2715704 by Micsmithel, translation #61267 by CK
- Il faisait très chaud.It was very hot.This sentence is useful for describing past weather conditions.Tatoeba #3652184 by sacredceltic, translation #275958 by CK
- Il fait très chaud aujourd'hui.It is very hot today.
- Attention ! Le sable est brûlant.Watch out! The sand is very hot.
- C'est vraiment caniculaire aujourd'hui, on va se liquéfier !It's really scorching today, we're going to melt!
- Il fait une chaleur torride ici, je peux à peine respirer.It's extremely hot here, I can barely breathe.
- L'humidité est étouffante, l'air est écrasant aujourd'hui.The humidity is suffocating, the air is crushing today.
- 65 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are sitting on a terrace on a summer afternoon.
- NathanIl fait très chaud aujourd'hui.It is very hot today.
- EmmaOui, j'ai besoin d'une boisson froide.Yes, I need a cold drink.
- NathanJe vais commander une citronnade pour nous.I will order a lemonade for us.
- EmmaC'est une excellente idée, Nathan.That is an excellent idea, Nathan.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
