French · Time, Numbers & Colors

"Winter" in French: hiver

l'hiver

Say it: lee-VAIRmasculine · l'hivernoun/l‿i.vɛʁ/

Winter in French is l'hiver, masculine. Keep hiver visible after l'. Say en hiver for in winter. L'hiver dernier is last winter.

Packing list

L'hiver, j'emporte toujours un manteau épais.
In winter I always take a thick coat.
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How to pronounce hiver

Say it

lee-VAIR

/l‿i.vɛʁ/

Hiver: ee-VAIR (silent h). With the article, l'hiver is lee-VAIR. Clear air ending.

"Winter" in French: quick reference

FrenchEnglish
l'hiverwinter

Season name.

en hiverin winter

Time phrase.

l'hiver dernier / prochainlast / next winter

Calendar reference.

sports d'hiverwinter sports

Skiing holidays.

How to use hiver in real life

  1. 1Packing list

    L'hiver, j'emporte toujours un manteau épais.

    In winter I always take a thick coat.

    L'hiver as topic.

  2. 2Ski chat

    En hiver on part souvent aux sports d'hiver.

    In winter we often go winter-sports.

    En hiver.

  3. 3Energy bill

    Le chauffage coûte cher pendant l'hiver.

    Heating costs a lot during winter.

    Pendant l'hiver.

Mistakes English speakers make with hiver

Incorrect: Au hiver il neige.

Correct: En hiver il neige.

Use en hiver.

Incorrect: Le winter est long.

Correct: L'hiver est long.

Use hiver, and keep it visible after l'.

Good to know

French winters vary wildly: mild Atlantic coasts vs Alpine sports d'hiver. Schools have vacances d'hiver. Markets push vin chaud and citrus when l'hiver settles in.

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Choosing vacation dates

  1. ChatPal

    Tu préfères l'hiver à la montagne ?

    Do you prefer winter in the mountains?

  2. You

    Oui l'hiver, j'adore skier.

    Yes—in winter I love skiing.

  3. ChatPal

    Alors on réserve en hiver, mi-février.

    Then we'll book in winter, mid-February.

  4. You

    Parfait, j'apporte les skis.

    Perfect, I'll bring the skis.

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"Winter" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Winter" in French

How do you say winter in French?

L'hiver.

How do you say in winter?

En hiver.

Is hiver masculine?

Yes.

How do you pronounce l'hiver?

lee-VAIR.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

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  2. Step 2: Say it out loud
  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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