French Phrase
Il va y avoir une tempête ?
Meaning
Literally, 'Is there going to be a storm?' It asks whether a storm is expected soon, usually in the context of a weather forecast or when noticing dark clouds.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to confirm a looming storm, either while watching the sky, listening to a weather report, or chatting with friends about upcoming bad weather.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ilvayavoirunetempête?
Future proche (Il va + infinitif)
The construction 'il va + infinitif' expresses a near future action, similar to 'is going to' in English.
Impersonal 'y' (Il va y avoir)
The pronoun 'y' is used in the impersonal expression 'il y a/il va y avoir' to indicate the existence or occurrence of something.
Article with feminine noun
Because 'tempête' is feminine, it takes the indefinite article 'une'.
Question intonation
Raising intonation at the end of the sentence signals a yes‑no question; the written '?' reinforces this.
🗨In Conversation
Il va y avoir une tempête ?
Is a storm coming?
Oui, le bulletin dit qu’elle arrivera cet après‑midi.
Yes, the forecast says it will arrive this afternoon.
✕Common Mistakes
Il y avoir une tempête ?
Missing the auxiliary 'va' removes the future meaning; it would be ungrammatical.
Il va avoir une tempête ?
The impersonal 'y' is required in this construction; without it the sentence sounds incomplete.
Il va y avoir un tempête ?
The noun 'tempête' is feminine, so the article must be 'une', not 'un'.
↔Alternatives
Une tempête se prépare ?
Is a storm brewing?
Il va y avoir une tempête bientôt.
A storm is going to happen soon.
Il y aura une tempête.
There will be a storm.
Cultural Tip
In French, the impersonal construction 'il va y avoir' is very common for talking about upcoming events, especially weather. It sounds natural in both formal news reports and casual conversation. Remember that French speakers often add a time reference (e.g., 'ce soir', 'demain') to make the prediction clearer.