French · Nature, Animals & Weather
"Storm" in French: tempête
la tempête
Note: thunderstorm: l'orage (m)
Storm in French is la tempête, feminine. Une tempête brings strong wind and rough weather. A thunderstorm is often l'orage, masculine.
Coastal warning
La tempête arrive cette nuit sur la côte.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce tempête
Say it
tahn-PET
/tɑ̃.pɛt/
Tempête: tahn-PET. Accent on ê. Soft final t sound.
"Storm" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| la tempête | the storm Wind storms, sea storms. | Wind storms, sea storms. |
| une tempête | a storm Forecast talk. | Forecast talk. |
| l'orage | thunderstorm Lightning and thunder. | Lightning and thunder. |
| après la tempête | after the storm Literal or figurative. | Literal or figurative. |
How to use tempête in real life
- 1Coastal warning
La tempête arrive cette nuit sur la côte.
The storm hits the coast tonight.
La tempête.
- 2Canceling a picnic
On reporte : il y a une tempête demain.
We're postponing—there's a storm tomorrow.
Une tempête.
- 3News headline vibe
La tempête a cassé plusieurs branches.
The storm broke several branches.
La tempête as subject.
Mistakes English speakers make with tempête
Incorrect: Le tempête.
Correct: La tempête.
Tempête is feminine.
Incorrect: Il y a un storm.
Correct: Il y a une tempête.
Use tempête.
Good to know
Météo alerts name big Atlantic systems as tempêtes with proper names. Summer lightning is more often orage; winter wind chaos is tempête.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Checking the forecast before a ferry
ChatPal
Tu as vu ? Ils annoncent une tempête.
Did you see? They're forecasting a storm.
You
Oui. La tempête peut bloquer le ferry.
Yes. The storm might block the ferry.
ChatPal
On prend le train si la tempête reste forte.
We'll take the train if the storm stays strong.
You
D'accord. Je regarde les horaires.
OK. I'll check the times.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Storm" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Storm" in French
How do you say storm in French?
La tempête.
What is orage?
A thunderstorm.
Is tempête feminine?
Yes: une tempête.
How do you pronounce tempête?
tahn-PET.
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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