French Phrase
Il pleut dehors ?
Meaning
Literally ‘Is it raining outside?’, this phrase is used to confirm the current weather before stepping out or making plans. It’s a short, polite way to ask about rain without needing a full sentence.
When to use
Use it in casual conversation when you’re about to leave the house, when you’re checking if an outdoor activity should be postponed, or simply as small‑talk about the weather.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ilpleutdehors?
Subject pronoun Il
Il is the impersonal third‑person singular pronoun used with weather verbs like pleuvoir.
Verb pleuvoir (present)
Pleuvoir is an intransitive verb that only conjugates in the third person singular; pleut is its present form.
Adverb dehors
Dehors means ‘outside’ and modifies the whole clause, indicating where the rain is falling.
Question intonation
Adding a question mark (or raising intonation in speech) turns the statement into a yes/no question.
🗨In Conversation
Il pleut dehors ?
Is it raining outside?
Oui, il pleut beaucoup. Prends ton parapluie.
Yes, it’s raining a lot. Take your umbrella.
✕Common Mistakes
Pleut dehors ?
French requires a subject pronoun; you must say ‘Il pleut…’ even with weather verbs.
Il pleut à l’intérieur ?
‘Pleuvoir’ describes rain falling from the sky, so using ‘à l’intérieur’ is illogical.
↔Alternatives
Il y a de la pluie dehors.
There is rain outside.
Il fait de la pluie dehors.
It’s rainy outside.
Il pleut à l’extérieur ?
Is it raining outside?
Cultural Tip
In French, weather talk is a classic ice‑breaker. While ‘Il pleut dehors’ is perfectly correct, many native speakers simply say ‘Il pleut ?’ because the verb already implies ‘outside’. Adding ‘dehors’ adds emphasis or clarifies that you’re talking about the immediate outdoor area, especially in a house with a garden or balcony.