French Phrase
Cette soupe est froide.
Meaning
A straightforward statement that the soup you are looking at or eating is cold. It can be used to comment on the temperature of the dish, either as an observation or a polite complaint.
When to use
Use this phrase in a restaurant, at home, or any dining setting when you notice the soup is not warm enough. It’s also handy when describing a cold soup dish (e.g., gazpacho) in a culinary context.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Cettesoupeestfroide
Cette (demonstrative adjective)
Used before a feminine singular noun to mean 'this/that'. It must agree in gender and number with the noun.
soupe (feminine noun)
A common French word for 'soup', always feminine, so adjectives describing it must be in the feminine form.
est (être, 3rd person singular)
The present tense of the verb 'to be' used to link the subject with its description.
froide (adjective, feminine)
The feminine form of 'froid' (cold). Adjectives must match the gender of the noun they modify.
🗨In Conversation
Cette soupe est froide.
This soup is cold.
Voulez‑vous que je la réchauffe ?
Would you like me to heat it up?
✕Common Mistakes
Ce soupe est froide.
‘Ce’ is masculine; ‘soupe’ is feminine, so the correct demonstrative is ‘Cette’.
Cette soupe est froid.
The adjective must agree with the feminine noun ‘soupe’, so use ‘froide’.
Cette soupe est froides.
‘Est’ is singular; the adjective should be singular as well – ‘froide’, not ‘froides’.
↔Alternatives
Cette soupe est glacée.
This soup is icy.
Le bouillon est froid.
The broth is cold.
La soupe est tiède.
The soup is lukewarm.
Cultural Tip
In French cuisine, most soups are served hot, so pointing out that a soup is cold can be taken as a subtle hint that it needs reheating. However, some dishes like gazpacho or vichyssoise are intentionally served cold, so context matters. When speaking to a waiter, a polite tone (e.g., adding "s’il vous plaît") helps keep the conversation courteous.