Fun Winter Words in French
Questions This Article Answers
How do you talk about the winter season in French?
What are some seasonal winter vocabulary words in French?
How do you talk about winter holidays in French?
What are some winter activities in French?

How Do You Talk About the Winter Season in French?
In France and Québec, or anywhere in the northern hemisphere, l'hiver(winter) is a season that includes three months of the year: décembre(December), janvier(January), and février(February). Cold weather brings with it a whole bunch of fun winter activities. Here's some key vocabulary to talk about the season!
Seasonal Winter Vocabulary Words in French
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Winter Colors in French
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Expand your French color palette by learning all the colors and how to use them in French with this article!

Winter Weather in French
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| Il fait froid. | It's cold. |
| Il gèle. | It's freezing. |
| Il neige. | It's snowing. |
| Il y a du verglas. | There's ice. |
| Il y a une tempête de neige. | There's a snowstorm. |
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How Do You Talk About Winter Holidays in French?
Following are some of the major winter holidays you might want to talk about in French!
Winter Holidays in French
Winter Holidays in the French-Speaking World
The celebration of winter holidays may not be the same in all French-speaking countries, and the holidays may be different than where you're from!
For instance, la Chandeleur is a special holiday in French culture. It originated as a religious holiday to mark the end of the Christmas season, but now it's mostly known as a day when people in France eat crêpes!
People in both France and Québec celebrate Christmas and New Year's with festivities that culminate the night before the holiday, on la veille(the eve). Typically, there's a large family meal or a party with friends and family. These feasts are called le réveillon(Christmas Eve celebrations or New Year's Eve celebrations). There's even a verb to describe this type of celebrating: réveillonner(to celebrate Christmas Eve or to celebrate New Year's Eve).
Finally, Mardi gras is a celebration deeply rooted in Catholic tradition. It refers to the Tuesday before the beginning of le carême(Lent), which is the final day to indulge before a period of fasting. Today, Mardi Gras continues to be celebrated in French cultures around the world, but it has become most famous as the final day of le Carnaval(Carnival) in places like la Louisiane(Louisiana) and la Martinique(Martinique).
Winter Holiday Vocabulary in French
Winter Holiday Expressions
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Click on this article to learn more French interjections you can use in all kinds of social situations!
What Are Some Traditional Winter Activities in French?
Here are some verbs to describe traditional winter activities in French!
Winter Activities in French
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Learn other sports-related vocabulary by checking out this article!
A Conversation in Winter
Let’s look at a conversation between two friends talking about their winter weekend plans!
Want to learn French vocabulary for other seasons of the year? Take a look at these articles!