By Calixte Wondje, Ph.D.
INTRODUCTION
Here are some French expressions related to cold.
These expressions add some color to how French speakers describe cold, from the physical sensation to a more figurative use!
“ÊTRE UN GLAÇON”
– To be an ice cube. (Describes someone who’s physically very cold or emotionally distant.)
“AVOIR UN FROID DE CANARD”
– To have a duck’s cold. (Referring to very chilly, biting cold weather, often used when it’s very windy and cold.)
“ÊTRE FRIGORIFIÉ(E)”
– To be frozen stiff. (Describes being so cold that you feel paralyzed.)
“GELER SUR PLACE”
– To freeze on the spot. (Describes being so cold you feel like you can’t move, or a reaction to shock.)
“ÊTRE DANS LE CONGÉLATEUR”
– To be in the freezer. (A way of saying you’re very cold, as if you were placed in a freezer.)
“FAIRE UN FROID DE SIBÉRIE”
– To have Siberian cold. (Referring to the extremely cold conditions, like the frigid temperatures in Siberia.)
“ÊTRE CONGELÉ(E) JUSQU’AUX OS”
– To be frozen to the bone. (A way to describe feeling intensely cold.)
“AVOIR UN VENT GLACIAL”
– To have a freezing wind. (Refers to winds that make the cold feel even worse.)
“ÊTRE COMME UN OURS POLAIRE”
– To be like a polar bear. (This could describe someone tough enough to endure the cold or simply being in very cold environments.)
“SE RETROUVER DANS LA NEIGE JUSQU’AU COU”
– To be stuck in snow up to your neck. (Used for being in a very cold or snowy situation.)
“UN FROID DE GUEUX”
– A beggar’s cold. (An old expression to describe very severe, uncomfortable cold.)
“ÊTRE DANS UN FRIGO”
– To be in a fridge. (Used when describing a cold situation, such as an icy room or outdoor cold.)
“AVOIR UN FROID DE MORT”
– To have a deathly cold. (Describes an intense, painful cold that feels unbearable.)
HAPPY FRENCH LEARNING!
Please, watch the video below to improve your listening and oral French skills.
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