French Phrase
La soupe est censée être froide ?
Meaning
This sentence is a question asking whether the soup is supposed to be served cold. It conveys a mild surprise or doubt about the expected temperature of the dish.
When to use
Use it when you’re at a restaurant, a family meal, or a cooking class and you’re not sure whether the soup should be hot or cold. It’s also handy when you’re checking a recipe that calls for a chilled soup, such as gazpacho or vichyssoise.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Lasoupeestcenséeêtrefroide?
être (est)
The verb 'être' in present third‑person singular, used as the auxiliary for the passive‑like construction.
censée (participe passé)
Censé(e) is a past participle used as an adjective meaning 'supposed to' and must agree in gender and number with the subject.
infinitif après censé(e)
When censé(e) expresses expectation, it is followed by an infinitive verb (here, 'être').
accord de l’adjectif 'froide'
The adjective describing the soup must match the feminine singular noun 'soupe'.
🗨In Conversation
La soupe est censée être froide ?
Is the soup supposed to be cold?
Oui, c’est une soupe froide d’été, comme le gaspacho.
Yes, it’s a summer cold soup, like gazpacho.
✕Common Mistakes
La soupe est censé être froide.
The past participle must agree with the feminine noun 'soupe', so use 'censée'.
La soupe est censé être froide.
Do not drop the final 'e' on 'censée' when the subject is feminine.
La soupe froide ?
Avoid adding a question mark after the adjective without the verb; the correct interrogative form is the whole sentence.
↔Alternatives
La soupe doit être froide.
The soup must be cold.
La soupe est censée être froide, non ?
The soup is supposed to be cold, isn’t it?
Est‑ce que la soupe doit être froide ?
Should the soup be cold?
Cultural Tip
In French cuisine most soups are served hot; a cold soup is usually a seasonal specialty (e.g., gazpacho, vichyssoise) or a starter in summer. Asking about temperature shows attentiveness to culinary norms and can spark a pleasant conversation about regional dishes.