When the mercury rises, the first French phrase that probably comes to mind is “Il fait chaud.” And while that’s perfectly correct, the French language, much like a summer day, has many shades of heat!

Learning to express the heat in various ways will not only make you sound more like a native speaker but also allow you to convey different nuances, whether it’s a pleasant warmth or an unbearable scorcher.

So, before you melt, let's dive into nine fantastic ways to talk about the heat in French, beyond just “Il fait chaud!”

The standard 'it's hot' – Il fait chaud

Il fait chaud is the most common and standard way to say 'it's hot' in French, specifically referring to the weather.

Literally, il fait chaud translates to 'it makes hot'. This uses the impersonal verb faire (to do/make) with the impersonal pronoun il (it), which is the standard construction for expressing weather conditions in French.

This phrase is exclusively used to describe the weather. You would use it when talking about the temperature outside, or the general atmospheric heat.

It's crucial to differentiate il fait chaud from other ways to express 'hot' in French, especially when referring to objects or people, as the meaning changes significantly.

For objects that are hot (like food, a stove), you would typically use c'est chaud or il est chaud (e.g., Le café est chaud - The coffee is hot). For people feeling hot, you must use avoir chaud (e.g., J'ai chaud - I am hot).

Remember, il fait chaud is solely for weather. You would never say j'ai fait chaud to mean 'I am hot' (that's j'ai chaud), nor le café fait chaud (that's le café est chaud).

You can modify il fait chaud with adverbs to indicate the degree of heat: Il fait *très* chaud (It's very hot), Il fait *un peu* chaud (It's a little hot), Il fait *trop* chaud (It's too hot).

A common mistake for English speakers is to directly translate 'I am hot' as Je suis chaud. This is incorrect and can even be vulgar, implying sexual arousal. Always use J'ai chaud for feeling hot and Il fait chaud for hot weather.

💡 * Il fait chaud aujourd'hui. (It's hot today.)

Il fait très chaud en été. (It's very hot in summer.)

Quand il fait chaud, j'aime nager. (When it's hot, I like to swim.)

Il faisait chaud hier. (It was hot yesterday.)

Il va faire chaud demain. (It's going to be hot tomorrow.)

The 'it's very hot' – Il fait très chaud

When you want to express that 'it's very hot' in French, the most common and grammatically correct phrase you'll hear is Il fait très chaud.

Literally translating to 'it makes very hot,' this impersonal expression is the standard way to describe the temperature of the weather. It refers to the ambient heat, not a person's body temperature or a heated object.

It's crucial not to confuse il fait chaud with être chaud. While il fait chaud describes the weather, saying je suis chaud (I am hot) can imply being sexually aroused or, in informal contexts, being excited or ready for something. Always use il fait chaud for weather.

The verb faire (to do/to make) is frequently used in French impersonal expressions to describe weather conditions. The structure is always il fait followed by an adjective (like chaud, froid, beau, mauvais).

This structure is versatile for various weather conditions. You'll often hear: Il fait froid (It's cold), Il fait beau (It's beautiful/nice weather), Il fait mauvais (It's bad weather), Il fait doux (It's mild).

If you personally feel hot, you would use the verb avoir (to have): J'ai chaud (I am hot/I feel hot). This is for your personal sensation, not the general weather.

So, remember: for the weather, it's Il fait chaud. For your personal feeling, it's J'ai chaud. This distinction is vital for clear and natural communication in French.

💡 * Il fait très chaud aujourd'hui, je vais à la piscine. (It's very hot today, I'm going to the pool.)

En été, il fait souvent chaud dans le sud de la France. (In summer, it's often hot in the south of France.)

N'oublie pas ta crème solaire, il fait un soleil de plomb! (Don't forget your sunscreen, it's scorching hot!)

J'ai chaud, je vais ouvrir la fenêtre. (I'm hot, I'm going to open the window.)

Même en automne, il peut faire doux dans certaines régions. (Even in autumn, it can be mild in some regions.)

The 'it's a heatwave' – C'est la canicule

When the summer heat becomes intense and prolonged in France, you'll often hear the phrase C'est la canicule.

The word canicule (feminine noun) specifically refers to a heatwave – a period of abnormally hot weather, often accompanied by high humidity.

Its origin traces back to the Latin word canicula, meaning 'little dog,' referring to the 'dog days of summer' when the Sirius star (the Dog Star) was prominent, historically associated with the hottest part of the year.

Unlike simply saying Il fait chaud ('It's hot'), C'est la canicule implies a more severe and often official period of extreme heat, often prompting public health warnings and specific measures.

During a canicule, you might hear advice like Restez au frais (Stay cool) or Buvez beaucoup d'eau (Drink plenty of water). The phrase itself is a declaration of the intense weather conditions.

Note the construction C'est la canicule, using c'est (it is) with the feminine definite article la before the noun canicule.

💡 * C'est la canicule cette semaine, on ne sortira pas aux heures les plus chaudes. (It's a heatwave this week, we won't go out during the hottest hours.)

La canicule a causé des problèmes de santé pour beaucoup de personnes âgées. (The heatwave caused health problems for many elderly people.)

J'ai hâte que la canicule se termine. (I can't wait for the heatwave to end.)

Pendant la canicule, il faut bien s'hydrater. (During the heatwave, one must hydrate well.)

The 'it's stifling' – C'est étouffant

The phrase C'est étouffant directly translates to 'It's stifling' or 'It's suffocating' in English.

It's primarily used to describe a physical sensation, often when the air is thick, humid, or there's a lack of ventilation, making it hard to breathe comfortably.

Beyond just physical discomfort, C'est étouffant can also describe an oppressive or overwhelming atmosphere, situation, or even an emotional state. It implies a sense of being suffocated by circumstances.

As an impersonal expression, C'est étouffant remains invariable, always using 'C'est' (it is) followed by the adjective 'étouffant'.

💡 * Il fait tellement chaud aujourd'hui, c'est étouffant! (It's so hot today, it's stifling!)

Dans cette petite pièce sans fenêtre, c'est vraiment étouffant. (In this small room without a window, it's really stifling.)

L'ambiance au bureau était si lourde après la nouvelle, c'était étouffant. (The atmosphere at the office was so heavy after the news, it was stifling.)

Ce silence est étouffant. (This silence is stifling.)

Les attentes de ma famille sont parfois étouffantes. (My family's expectations are sometimes stifling.)

The 'it's unbearable' – C'est insupportable

The French phrase C'est insupportable directly translates to "It's unbearable" or "It's intolerable."

This expression is used to convey a strong feeling of exasperation, annoyance, or distress when a situation, person, or thing is beyond one's tolerance.

You would use C'est insupportable when something is truly difficult to endure, whether it's a loud noise, a frustrating situation, an irritating habit, or extreme pain.

It carries a significant emotional weight, indicating that the speaker has reached their limit and finds something truly intolerable. It's a powerful way to express discomfort or frustration.

The phrase C'est insupportable is an impersonal construction (C'est meaning 'It is') followed by the adjective insupportable (unbearable). It remains consistent regardless of the gender or number of the noun it refers to, as it describes the general situation.

💡 * Le bruit des travaux est insupportable ! (The noise from the construction work is unbearable!)

Son arrogance est vraiment insupportable. (His arrogance is really unbearable.)

C'est insupportable de devoir attendre si longtemps. (It's unbearable to have to wait so long.)

La chaleur est devenue insupportable aujourd'hui. (The heat has become unbearable today.)

The informal 'I'm dying of heat' – Je crève de chaud

To express that you're extremely hot in French, beyond just feeling warm, you'll often hear the informal phrase Je crève de chaud.

Literally, crève comes from the verb crever, which means 'to burst,' 'to die,' or 'to puncture.' So, Je crève de chaud translates roughly to 'I'm dying/bursting from heat' or 'I'm roasting.'

This expression is highly informal and conveys a strong sense of discomfort due to heat. It's used in casual conversations among friends, family, or close acquaintances, reflecting a genuine, almost exaggerated, feeling of being overwhelmed by the heat.

The construction crever de is versatile and can be used with other adjectives or nouns to express intense feelings or needs. For instance, Je crève de faim means 'I'm starving' (dying of hunger), and Je crève de soif means 'I'm dying of thirst.'

While very common, remember its informal nature. It's perfect for expressing extreme heat in a relaxed setting, but might be too strong or informal for formal situations.

💡 * Il fait trente degrés aujourd'hui, je crève de chaud ! (It's thirty degrees today, I'm dying of heat!)

Ouvre la fenêtre, je crève de chaud ici. (Open the window, I'm roasting in here.)

Après cette randonnée sous le soleil, je crève de soif et de chaud. (After this hike in the sun, I'm dying of thirst and heat.)

On devrait aller à la plage, je crève de chaud à la maison. (We should go to the beach, I'm dying of heat at home.)

The 'it's an overwhelming heat' – Il fait une chaleur accablante

When the heat is not just hot, but overwhelming and oppressive, the French use the vivid expression Il fait une chaleur accablante.

Breaking down the phrase, il fait means 'it is' (for weather), une chaleur means 'a heat', and accablante translates to 'overwhelming', 'crushing', or 'oppressive'. Together, it paints a picture of intense, unbearable heat.

This phrase is reserved for truly extreme conditions, much stronger than simply Il fait chaud (It's hot) or Il fait très chaud (It's very hot). Use it when the heat is so intense it makes you feel exhausted or burdened.

💡 * Il fait une chaleur accablante aujourd'hui, je ne peux pas travailler. (It's an overwhelming heat today, I can't work.)

Avec cette chaleur accablante, nous devons rester à l'intérieur. (With this overwhelming heat, we must stay indoors.)

Après une semaine de chaleur accablante, tout le monde attend la pluie. (After a week of overwhelming heat, everyone is waiting for the rain.)

Je déteste l'été quand il fait une chaleur accablante comme ça. (I hate summer when it's an overwhelming heat like this.)

The 'the sun is beating down strongly' – Le soleil tape fort

The French expression Le soleil tape fort literally translates to “the sun is hitting hard.” It’s a vivid and common way to describe when the sun is shining very intensely.

This phrase isn't just about the sun being bright; it specifically conveys that the sun's rays are powerful, often implying a strong heat that can be uncomfortable or even oppressive.

You would use Le soleil tape fort when the weather is hot and sunny, and the intensity of the sun is a notable feature, perhaps making you want to seek shade or put on a hat.

💡 *Il fait très chaud aujourd'hui, le soleil tape fort. (It's very hot today, the sun is beating down strongly.)
*N'oublie pas ta crème solaire, le soleil tape fort! (Don't forget your sunscreen, the sun is beating down strongly!)
*Les enfants ne peuvent pas jouer dehors, le soleil tape fort à cette heure. (The children can't play outside, the sun is beating down strongly at this hour.)
*Malgré le vent, le soleil tape fort sur la plage. (Despite the wind, the sun is beating down strongly on the beach.)

The descriptive 'we're sweating profusely' – On transpire à grosses gouttes

The French idiom on transpire à grosses gouttes literally translates to "one sweats in large drops" or "one sweats big drops," and it's used to describe sweating profusely or gushing sweat.

This vivid expression conveys a strong sense of heavy perspiration, far beyond a light sheen of sweat. It implies that the sweat is visible and abundant, often running down the body.

You'll typically hear on transpire à grosses gouttes when describing situations of extreme heat, intense physical exertion (like during a strenuous workout), or even nervousness or fear where one might break into a cold sweat.

The phrase uses the impersonal pronoun on (meaning 'one' or 'we' in a general sense) with the verb transpirer (to perspire/sweat). The key descriptive element is à grosses gouttes, an adverbial phrase meaning 'in large drops' or 'profusely'.

While suer also means 'to sweat,' transpirer often carries a slightly more formal or physiological connotation. When combined with à grosses gouttes, it creates a more emphatic and descriptive image of significant sweating than simply saying on sue beaucoup (we sweat a lot).

💡 *Il faisait tellement chaud que nous transpirions à grosses gouttes. (It was so hot that we were sweating profusely.)
*Après le marathon, les coureurs transpiraient à grosses gouttes. (After the marathon, the runners were sweating profusely.)
*L'examen était si stressant que je transpirais à grosses gouttes. (The exam was so stressful that I was sweating profusely.)
*Même assis à l'ombre, on transpirait à grosses gouttes. (Even sitting in the shade, we were sweating profusely.)
*Le jardinier travaillait sous le soleil et transpirait à grosses gouttes. (The gardener was working under the sun and sweating profusely.)

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

Our list features the most common ways to express 'it's hot' in French. However, the French language is rich with expressions, and you might encounter regional variations, informal slang, or even older phrases you might not be familiar with!

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

While exploring, you might find interesting alternative expressions for 'it's hot'. Always make sure to check a word or phrase's definition and try to see it used in context before incorporating it into your vocabulary.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different, more nuanced ways to talk about the weather and temperature.

For a comprehensive look at various expressions related to heat and temperature in French, the WordReference entry for 'chaud' is an excellent starting point!

I hope this article has shed some light on how to talk about the heat in French. As a final thought, remember that mastering these expressions will make your conversations more natural and vivid, just like a perfect summer day!

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