French Phrase
Couvre-toi, il gèle dehors.
Meaning
A direct, friendly warning telling someone to protect themselves because the temperature outside is at or below the freezing point. It combines a personal command with an observation about the weather.
When to use
Use this sentence when you see a friend or a child stepping out into a cold morning, when you want to remind someone to put on a coat, scarf, or gloves, or in any casual conversation about sudden winter weather.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Couvre-toiilgèledehors
Imperative reflexive (Couvre‑toi)
The verb *couvrir* is put in the affirmative imperative and attached to the reflexive pronoun *toi* with a hyphen. It means “cover yourself”.
Impersonal verb *geler* (il gèle)
*Il gèle* uses the impersonal subject *il* and the verb *geler* in the third‑person singular to say “it is freezing”.
Adverb of place (dehors)
*Dehors* means “outside”. When used after a weather verb it reinforces where the condition applies.
🗨In Conversation
Couvre-toi, il gèle dehors.
Cover yourself, it's freezing outside.
Merci, je vais mettre mon manteau.
Thanks, I’ll put on my coat.
✕Common Mistakes
Couvre‑vous, il gèle dehors.
Use *toi* for a single person; *vous* is for plural or formal address.
Il fait geler dehors.
The verb *geler* is not used with *faire*; the correct impersonal form is *il gèle*.
Couvre toi, il gèle dehors.
In the affirmative imperative the pronoun must be attached with a hyphen.
Dehors il gèle.
While understandable, the usual order places the adverb after the verb: *il gèle dehors*.
↔Alternatives
Mets‑toi un manteau, il fait très froid dehors.
Put on a coat, it's very cold outside.
Habille‑toi chaudement, il gèle à l'extérieur.
Dress warmly, it's freezing outside.
Prends ton écharpe, il fait glacial dehors.
Take your scarf, it's icy outside.
Cultural Tip
In everyday French people more often say *Mets‑toi un manteau* or *Habille‑toi chaudement* rather than *Couvre‑toi*. The imperative reflexive form is perfectly correct but sounds a bit formal or old‑fashioned. Also, *il gèle* is the standard way to describe temperatures at or below 0 °C; you’ll hear it on weather reports and in casual chatter alike.