French Phrase
Il pleut beaucoup dehors ?
Meaning
This question asks whether it is raining heavily outside. The adverb ‘beaucoup’ intensifies the verb ‘pleut’, so the speaker is curious about the intensity of the rain at the moment.
When to use
Use this phrase when you’re about to go out, planning an activity, or simply making small‑talk about the weather with a friend or colleague.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ilpleutbeaucoupdehors?
Impersonal verb (Il pleut)
‘Pleuvoir’ is used impersonally; ‘Il’ does not refer to a person but to the weather.
Adverb of quantity (beaucoup)
‘Beaucoup’ modifies the verb, indicating a large amount or intensity.
Adverb of place (dehors)
‘Dehors’ means ‘outside’; it can be replaced by ‘à l’extérieur’ for a slightly more formal tone.
🗨In Conversation
Il pleut beaucoup dehors ?
Is it raining a lot outside?
Oui, il pleut très fort. Prends ton parapluie !
Yes, it’s raining very hard. Take your umbrella!
✕Common Mistakes
Il fait beaucoup de pluie dehors.
‘Faire’ is not used with ‘pluie’; use ‘pleuvoir’ instead.
Il pleut beaucoup dehors?
In French typography a space is required before the question mark.
Il pleut beaucoup à l’extérieur.
While grammatically correct, ‘à l’extérieur’ sounds more formal than the everyday ‘dehors’.
↔Alternatives
Il pleut très fort dehors.
It’s raining very hard outside.
Il y a beaucoup de pluie dehors.
There’s a lot of rain outside.
Il fait très mauvais temps dehors.
The weather outside is very bad.
Cultural Tip
Talking about the weather is a classic French ice‑breaker. In casual conversation, you’ll often hear ‘Il pleut’ or ‘Il fait beau’. Remember to keep a space before the question mark in French typography ( ?). ‘Dehors’ is common in spoken French, while ‘à l’extérieur’ sounds a bit more formal.