French · Emotions & Descriptions
"Cold" in French: froid(e)
froid(e)
Cold in French is froid / froide. Il fait froid describes cold weather. J'ai froid means I feel cold. Une boisson froide is a cold drink.
Winter morning
Il fait froid, mets une écharpe.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce froid(e)
Say it
FRWAH / FRWAHD
/fʁwa/ /fʁwad/
Froid is roughly FRWAH. Froide adds a soft d: FRWAHD. The oi is like wa.
"Cold" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| froid / froide | cold Temperature of things and weather-related talk. | Temperature of things and weather-related talk. |
| il fait froid | it's cold (weather) Outside temperature. | Outside temperature. |
| avoir froid | to feel cold Your body: j'ai froid. | Your body: j'ai froid. |
| eau froide | cold water Taps and drinks. | Taps and drinks. |
How to use froid(e) in real life
- 1Winter morning
Il fait froid, mets une écharpe.
It's cold; put on a scarf.
Il fait froid for weather.
- 2At the tap
Je préfère l'eau bien froide.
I prefer nice cold water.
Froide agrees with eau (f).
- 3After swimming
J'ai froid, je vais me sécher.
I'm cold; I'm going to dry off.
Avoir froid.
Mistakes English speakers make with froid(e)
Incorrect: Je suis froid.
Correct: J'ai froid.
Feeling cold uses avoir froid. Je suis froid describes a cold personality.
Incorrect: Il est froid dehors.
Correct: Il fait froid dehors.
Weather: il fait froid.
Good to know
French weather small talk leans on il fait froid / il fait doux. For a head cold (illness), people say un rhume, not froid alone.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Waiting for a bus in winter
ChatPal
Tu as froid ? Prends mon gant.
Are you cold? Take my glove.
You
Merci. Oui, j'ai vraiment froid aux doigts.
Thanks. Yes, my fingers are really cold.
ChatPal
Il fait trop froid pour rester dehors.
It's too cold to stay outside.
You
Le bus arrive. On se réchauffe.
The bus is coming. We'll warm up.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Cold" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Cold" in French
How do you say cold in French?
Froid (m) / froide (f).
Weather is cold?
Il fait froid.
I feel cold?
J'ai froid.
Cold as in a virus?
Un rhume (a cold), not froid alone.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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