Vocabulary: weather, transport and travel problems

Describe the weather, choose your transport and deal with problems on a journey.

Practise this lesson free (7 questions)

Weather

Il fait + adjective; il y a du / des + noun; il pleut, il neige, il gèle.
FrenchEnglish
il fait beauthe weather is nice
il fait mauvaisthe weather is bad
il fait chaudit is hot
il fait froidit is cold
il pleutit is raining
il neigeit is snowing
il gèleit is freezing
il y a du ventit is windy
il y a du brouillardit is foggy
il y a des nuagesit is cloudy
l'orage (m)storm
la pluierain
la météoweather forecast
le climatclimate

Transport

En + vehicle (en bus, en train, en voiture), but à pied and à vélo.
FrenchEnglish
le carcoach
le métrounderground
la voiturecar
le vélobike
la motomotorbike
à piedon foot
le guichetticket office
l'horaire (m)timetable (for trains, buses)
l'arrêt de bus (m)bus stop
le quai (H)platform
le trajetjourney (route)
à l'heureon time
en retardlate
le permis de conduiredriving licence
l'autoroute (f)motorway
l'embouteillage (m)traffic jam

Travelling and problems

Monter dans and descendre de take être in the perfect: je suis monté(e) dans le train.
FrenchEnglish
monter dansto get on
descendre deto get off
changerto change
conduireto drive
rater le trainto miss the train
la correspondanceconnection (change of train)
tomber en panneto break down
un pneu crevéa flat tyre
l'accident (m)accident
la sortieexit
l'entrée (f)entrance
le passager, la passagèrepassenger
la circulation (H)traffic
Worked example

Translate: It was raining, so I missed the bus and I arrived late.

  1. It was raining = il pleuvait (imperfect for the weather)
  2. I missed the bus = j'ai raté le bus
  3. I arrived late = je suis arrivé(e) en retard

Answer: Il pleuvait, donc j'ai raté le bus et je suis arrivé en retard.

Key idea

Il fait beau / mauvais / chaud / froid; il pleut, il neige, il gèle; il y a du vent / du brouillard. Le car, le métro, à pied, le guichet, l'horaire, l'arrêt de bus, à l'heure, en retard. Monter dans, descendre de, rater, la correspondance, tomber en panne.

Key words
il fait beau
the weather is nice
il pleut
it is raining
à pied
on foot
en retard
late
en train
by train
en voiture
by car

All GCSE and International GCSE French key terms and definitions →

Quick check

Try two quick questions

See if it has sunk in. Answers are marked straight away.

Extra practice

2 more questions

Try each one, then tap to check.

  1. What does il y a des nuages mean?

    1. it is freezing
    2. weather forecast
    3. it is cloudy
    4. it is foggy
    Show the answer

    Answer: it is cloudy

    Nuages = clouds.

  2. Which is the French for "the rain"?

    1. la neige
    2. le brouillard
    3. le vent
    4. la pluie
    Show the answer

    Answer: la pluie

    Rain = la pluie.

Check you have got it

Answer 7 quick questions with instant marking. If you get one wrong, GCSE-ready shows you why and gives you another go. It is free, and you do not need an account.

Practise this lesson free (7 questions)All GCSE and International GCSE French lessons

Video for this lesson coming soon. Subscribe on YouTube

Sources and references

Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.

Related lessons