Brrr! When the temperature drops, knowing how to express "it's cold" in French is essential, whether you're chatting with friends or just complaining about the weather. While you might already know a basic phrase, the French language, much like its varying climates, offers a rich vocabulary to describe the chill.

From a simple shiver to a truly freezing day, there are many nuanced ways to convey the cold. Let's explore 9 different expressions that will help you sound like a native when discussing the frosty air!

The standard 'it's cold' – il fait froid

The standard 'it's cold' – il fait froid

Il fait froid is the most common and standard way to say “it’s cold” when referring to the general weather or ambient temperature in French.

Literally, il fait froid translates to “it makes cold” or “it does cold.” This might seem strange, but in French, the verb faire (to do, to make) is almost exclusively used for expressing general weather conditions, not être (to be).

This pattern, il fait + adjective, is consistent for many weather expressions. You’ll see it with other conditions like il fait chaud (it’s hot), il fait beau (it’s beautiful/nice weather), or il fait mauvais (it’s bad weather).

You can easily modify the intensity of the cold by adding adverbs. For instance, you can say il fait très froid (it’s very cold) or il fait un peu froid (it’s a bit cold).

It’s crucial to distinguish il fait froid (the weather is cold) from j’ai froid (I am cold). While in English we use 'to be cold' for both, French uses avoir froid (literally 'to have cold') to express a personal sensation of coldness.

Similarly, when an object is cold, you would use être froid. For example, la soupe est froide (the soup is cold) or mes mains sont froides (my hands are cold). This is for the intrinsic temperature of something, not the general atmospheric condition.

Remember: il fait froid for the weather, j'ai froid for your personal feeling, and c'est froid (or il/elle est froid(e)) for objects.

💡 *Il fait froid aujourd'hui, mets un manteau. (It's cold today, put on a coat.)
*Quand il fait froid, j'aime boire du chocolat chaud. (When it's cold, I like to drink hot chocolate.)
*Il ne fait pas si froid que ça pour un mois de décembre. (It's not that cold for December.)
*Est-ce qu'il fait toujours froid en hiver ici ? (Is it always cold in winter here?)
*Même s'il fait froid, le soleil brille. (Even if it's cold, the sun is shining.)

The 'it's freezing cold' (literally 'duck cold') – il fait un froid de canard

The “it's freezing cold” (literally “duck cold”) – il fait un froid de canard

When the weather is truly bitter in France, you'll often hear the expression il fait un froid de canard. This colorful idiom literally translates to “it makes a cold of duck,” but it simply means “it's freezing cold” or “it's bitterly cold.”

The “duck cold” refers to the type of weather that's perfect for duck hunting. Ducks are typically hunted in cold, often freezing conditions, especially near frozen bodies of water. So, a “cold of duck” is a cold severe enough to make ducks migrate or be easily hunted.

This phrase isn't used for just any chilly day; it implies an extreme, piercing cold that makes you shiver and seek warmth. It's a vivid way to describe truly harsh winter weather.

Like many French weather expressions, it uses the impersonal verb faire (to make/do). So, il fait means “it is” in the context of weather. The un froid de canard part acts as the descriptor for that cold.

You'll hear this expression frequently during winter months, particularly when temperatures drop significantly below freezing, or when there's a biting wind that makes the cold feel even more intense.

Learning il fait un froid de canard is a great way to sound more like a native speaker when discussing the weather, as it's a very common and authentic French idiom.

💡 * Il fait un froid de canard aujourd'hui, je n'ai pas envie de sortir. (It's freezing cold today, I don't want to go out.)

N'oublie pas ton écharpe, il fait un froid de canard dehors! (Don't forget your scarf, it's bitterly cold outside!)

Même avec mon gros manteau, j'ai eu froid, il faisait un froid de canard hier soir. (Even with my big coat, I was cold, it was freezing cold last night.)

Ce matin, il y avait du givre partout; vraiment, il fait un froid de canard. (This morning, there was frost everywhere; truly, it's duck cold.)

The informal 'it's freezing' – il caille

When the temperature drops significantly, and you want to express that it's really cold, the informal French phrase il caille is perfect.

Literally, caille comes from the verb cailler, which means 'to curdle' or 'to congeal.' So, il caille implies the cold is so intense it's making things curdle or freeze solid.

This expression is highly informal and commonly used among friends, family, and in casual settings. It's much stronger and more colloquial than il fait froid ('it's cold').

While il fait froid is a standard way to say 'it's cold,' il caille conveys a much more intense level of cold, akin to 'it's freezing' or 'it's bitterly cold' in English.

Unlike some verbs, il caille is almost exclusively used in this impersonal form. You won't typically conjugate cailler to say 'I'm freezing' in the same way (you'd use J'ai froid or Je me caille for 'I'm freezing').

Think of il caille as a way to dramatically emphasize the discomfort caused by the cold. It's a common expression to hear when people are shivering or complaining about the weather.

Mastering il caille will make your French sound more natural and allow you to express extreme cold like a native speaker.

💡 *Il caille aujourd'hui ! Je ne veux pas sortir. (It's freezing today! I don't want to go out.)
*Mets un manteau, il caille dehors. (Put on a coat, it's freezing outside.)
*On va se geler, il caille à mort ce soir. (We're going to freeze, it's bitterly cold tonight.)
*Je crois qu'il va neiger, il caille trop. (I think it's going to snow, it's too freezing.)
*Tu as vu le temps ? Il caille vraiment. (Did you see the weather? It's really freezing.)

The 'it's icy/glacial' – c'est glacial

The phrase c'est glacial literally translates to 'it's icy' or 'it's glacial' in English.

Primarily, c'est glacial describes an extremely cold temperature, often colder than just il fait froid (it's cold).

Beyond temperature, c'est glacial can also describe a very cold or unwelcoming atmosphere, a frosty reception, or a lack of warmth in a situation.

While froid (cold) is a general term, glacial implies an intense, piercing cold, whether physically or emotionally. It conveys a stronger sense of chill.

💡 * Il fait -10°C, c'est glacial dehors! (It's -10°C, it's glacial outside!)

L'ambiance était glaciale à la réunion. (The atmosphere was glacial at the meeting.)

Son accueil était glacial, je ne me suis pas senti le bienvenu. (His welcome was glacial, I didn't feel welcome.)

L'eau de la montagne est glaciale en hiver. (The mountain water is glacial in winter.)

The 'it's chilly' – il fait frisquet

Il fait frisquet is a common, idiomatic French expression meaning "it's chilly" or "it's nippy out." It's derived from frais (fresh/cool), with the diminutive suffix -quet.

This phrase carries an informal, slightly colloquial, and sometimes even a touch old-fashioned feel. It suggests a moderate cold, not an extreme one, often implying a need for a light jacket or sweater.

While il fait froid means 'it's cold,' il fait frisquet is a milder, more nuanced way to describe the weather. It's less severe than froid and often implies a crisp, cool air rather than biting cold.

You'll often hear il fait frisquet when the temperature drops in the evening after a warm day, or during early spring and late autumn. It's perfect for when the air has a noticeable coolness, but you don't need a heavy winter coat.

Use il fait frisquet when you want to convey a pleasant, refreshing coolness, or a mild chill that's not uncomfortable, but definitely noticeable. It's a charming, everyday expression for describing a cool atmosphere.

💡 * Il fait frisquet ce matin, prends une petite laine. (It's chilly this morning, take a light sweater.)

Le soir, il fait toujours un peu frisquet ici. (In the evening, it's always a bit nippy here.)

Après la pluie, il fait souvent frisquet. (After the rain, it's often chilly.)

N'oublie pas ton écharpe, il fait frisquet dehors. (Don't forget your scarf, it's chilly outside.)

The 'it's very cold' (literally 'it freezes') – ça gèle

When you want to express that it's extremely cold in French, a common and vivid phrase you'll hear is ça gèle. This literally translates to 'it freezes'.

While il fait froid simply means 'it's cold,' ça gèle conveys a much stronger sense of coldness, implying freezing temperatures or a bitter chill. It's an idiomatic expression that perfectly captures the feeling of biting cold.

You would typically use ça gèle when the temperature is at or below freezing, or when the wind chill makes it feel exceptionally frigid. It's a more expressive and emphatic way to describe the weather than simply stating il fait très froid (it's very cold).

The structure is straightforward: ça (it) + gèle (freezes, from the verb geler). It's an impersonal expression, much like il pleut (it's raining) or il neige (it's snowing), making it easy to integrate into conversations.

Use ça gèle to describe weather conditions that are genuinely freezing, causing discomfort, or when you want to emphasize the severity of the cold to others. It’s a natural and common way for native speakers to complain about truly cold weather.

💡 *Il faut bien se couvrir, ça gèle dehors ! (You need to bundle up, it's freezing outside!)
*Je ne sens plus mes doigts, ça gèle ! (I can't feel my fingers anymore, it's freezing!)
*L'eau dans la fontaine a gelé, ça gèle vraiment ce matin. (The water in the fountain froze, it's really freezing this morning.)
*N'oublie pas ton bonnet, ça gèle ! (Don't forget your hat, it's freezing!)
*Je crois que mes oreilles vont tomber, ça gèle ! (I think my ears are going to fall off, it's freezing!)

The 'biting cold' – le froid est piquant

To describe a cold that feels sharp, stinging, or piercing, the French expression le froid est piquant is commonly used. The adjective piquant literally means 'prickly' or 'spicy', but in this context, it vividly conveys a cold that 'bites'.

This phrase goes beyond simply stating il fait froid (it's cold). It emphasizes the sensory experience of the cold – a dry, cutting cold that makes you feel its intensity, often exacerbated by wind. It's a more evocative way to describe severe, sharp cold.

💡 * En hiver, le froid est souvent piquant dans les montagnes. (In winter, the cold is often biting in the mountains.)

N'oublie pas ton écharpe, le vent est piquant ce matin. (Don't forget your scarf, the wind is biting this morning.)

Quand le froid est piquant, j'aime rester à l'intérieur avec un chocolat chaud. (When the cold is biting, I like to stay inside with a hot chocolate.)

Après la tempête de neige, le froid piquant a rendu la marche difficile. (After the snowstorm, the biting cold made walking difficult.)

The 'temperatures are low' – les températures sont basses

The phrase les températures sont basses directly translates to "the temperatures are low". It's a very common and straightforward way to describe cold weather conditions in French, indicating that the ambient temperature is on the colder side.

You'll frequently encounter les températures sont basses in weather forecasts, news reports, or casual conversations when discussing the current climate. It serves as a general statement about cold, rather than specifying an exact degree.

A crucial grammatical point for learners is the agreement: les températures (a feminine plural noun) requires the feminine plural adjective basses. This demonstrates proper French adjective agreement.

💡 *Les températures sont basses ce matin, n'oubliez pas votre écharpe. (The temperatures are low this morning, don't forget your scarf.)
*Selon la météo, les températures seront basses toute la semaine. (According to the weather, temperatures will be low all week.)
*Quand les températures sont basses, j'aime rester à la maison avec un bon livre. (When temperatures are low, I like to stay home with a good book.)
*Attention, les températures sont basses et le sol pourrait être glissant. (Be careful, temperatures are low and the ground could be slippery.)

The 'it's very bad weather' (often implying cold) – il fait un temps de chien

To express "it's very bad weather" in French, especially when implying cold, wet, or generally unpleasant conditions, the common idiom is il fait un temps de chien.

Literally, il fait un temps de chien translates to "it makes a dog's weather." However, its true meaning is "the weather is dreadful," "it's awful weather," or "it's dog-awful weather." It's often used when the weather is particularly cold, rainy, or gloomy.

This expression is highly idiomatic and widely used in everyday French conversation. It's perfect for describing a day when you'd rather stay indoors due to the harsh conditions, be it biting cold, heavy rain, or a combination of both.

The phrase carries a strong sense of discomfort and complaint about the weather. It's a vivid way to convey that the conditions are truly miserable, often with an emphasis on cold, dampness, or general gloom rather than just extreme heat.

💡 *Il fait un temps de chien aujourd'hui, je ne veux pas sortir. (It's dog-awful weather today, I don't want to go out.)
*Avec ce temps de chien, on va rester à la maison. (With this dreadful weather, we're going to stay home.)
*Quel temps de chien ! J'ai oublié mon parapluie. (What awful weather! I forgot my umbrella.)
*Il fait un temps de chien depuis une semaine. (The weather has been dreadful for a week.)

Are there other ways to say 'it's cold' in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say 'it's cold' in French, like il fait froid and j'ai froid. But the French language, like any other, is rich with nuances! You'll find other expressions, from old-fashioned ones to regional ones, and even some colorful slang.

To explore further, you can always do an online search for 'comment dire il fait froid en ___' followed by a specific Francophone country or region to discover local expressions.

As you learn new phrases for 'it's cold,' remember to check their specific meanings and contexts. Some might imply a mild chill, while others suggest bitter cold or even a personal feeling rather than the weather.

Immerse yourself in French! Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different ways to talk about the weather, especially the cold.

For deeper dives into expressions related to cold weather or personal feelings of cold, the WordReference entries for froid and faire froid are excellent places to start, offering a wealth of phrases and examples.

I hope this article helps you express the cold in many ways. To finish, here's a popular French saying: Il n'y a pas de mauvais temps, il n'y a que de mauvais vêtements. (There's no bad weather, only bad clothing.)

9 ways to say "it's cold" in French