French Phrase
Il va faire froid ce soir ?
Meaning
The speaker is asking whether the temperature will drop and become cold later in the evening. It conveys a mild anticipation of the weather and often precedes a discussion about what to wear or whether to stay indoors.
When to use
Use this phrase when you’re planning an evening activity, checking if you need a coat, or simply making small talk about the weather with friends or colleagues.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ilvafairefroidcesoir?
Near Future (Il va + infinitif)
The construction 'il va + infinitif' expresses an event that is expected to happen soon, similar to 'it is going to' in English.
Impersonal Weather Expression (faire + adjective)
French uses the impersonal verb 'faire' with adjectives to describe weather, e.g., 'il fait froid' = 'it is cold.'
Time Phrase (ce soir)
‘Ce soir’ means ‘this evening’ and is placed after the verb phrase to specify when the weather condition is expected.
Forming a Question
A simple question can be made by adding a question mark and rising intonation; a more formal version would invert the verb: 'Fait‑il froid ce soir ?'
🗨In Conversation
Il va faire froid ce soir ?
Is it going to be cold this evening?
Oui, il fera autour de 5 °C, prends une écharpe.
Yes, it will be around 5 °C, take a scarf.
✕Common Mistakes
Il est faire froid ce soir ?
‘Être’ is not used with weather; the correct impersonal verb is ‘faire’.
Il va être froid ce soir ?
‘Être froid’ describes an object’s temperature, not the weather.
Il fait froid ce soir ?
While understandable, the interrogative form should be inverted or use ‘est‑ce que’ for clarity in formal contexts.
↔Alternatives
Est‑ce qu’il va faire froid ce soir ?
Is it going to be cold this evening?
Il fera froid ce soir.
It will be cold this evening.
Fait‑il froid ce soir ?
Is it cold this evening?
Cultural Tip
In French, weather is described with the impersonal 'il' and the verb 'faire' (e.g., il fait chaud, il fait froid). While the near‑future construction 'il va faire' is common in spoken language, written French often prefers the simple future 'il fera'. Also, remember that regional climates affect how often this question is asked – in northern France, people frequently check the evening temperature before heading out.