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French Phrase

Oui, c'est plutôt nuageux.

/wi sɛ pʁy.tɔ nɥa.ʒø/
Meaning"Yes, it’s rather cloudy."
💡

Meaning

The speaker confirms that the weather is somewhat cloudy – not completely overcast, but there are enough clouds to notice.

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When to use

Use this phrase when someone asks about the weather or you want to comment on a sky that isn’t clear. It’s a polite, slightly nuanced way to say the day is cloudy without sounding overly dramatic.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Oui,c'estplutôtnuageux.

1

Oui

Simple affirmation, equivalent to 'yes' in English.

2

c'est

Contraction of "cela est"; used to identify or describe something.

3

plutôt

Adverb meaning 'rather' or 'somewhat', used to soften a statement.

4

nuageux

Adjective meaning 'cloudy'. It agrees in gender and number with the subject (here neutral "c'" → masculine singular).

🗨In Conversation

A

Quel temps fait-il aujourd'hui ?

What’s the weather like today?

Oui, c'est plutôt nuageux.

Yes, it’s rather cloudy.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Oui, c'est plutôt nuageuse.

    The adjective must agree with the neutral subject "c'" (masculine singular), so "nuageux" is correct.

  • Oui, c'est nuageux plutôt.

    Do not place "plutôt" after the adjective; it must precede the adjective it modifies.

  • Oui, il fait nuageux.

    When using "il fait" you need a noun phrase, not an adjective alone. Say "Il fait plutôt nuageux" is incorrect; use "Il fait plutôt nuageux" only in spoken informal French, but the standard form is "Il fait plutôt nuageux" → better to say "Il fait plutôt nuageux"? Actually correct: "Il fait plutôt nuageux" is acceptable, but many learners say "Il fait nuageux" which is wrong. Provide correction:

↔Alternatives

  • Oui, il y a pas mal de nuages.

    Yes, there are quite a few clouds.

  • Oui, le ciel est assez nuageux.

    Yes, the sky is fairly cloudy.

  • Oui, il fait un peu nuageux.

    Yes, it’s a little cloudy.

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Cultural Tip

In French, "plutôt" is often used to soften an opinion, making the statement sound less absolute. When talking about weather, "nuageux" is used only for the sky; avoid using it metaphorically (e.g., to describe a person’s mood) unless you explicitly mean "cloudy‑hearted" in a poetic context.