Temperature in French

French weather and medical contexts use Celsius. Negative values take moins before the number. Body temperature uses the same form as ambient temperature, with virgule for decimals (37 virgule 5).

Updated May 2026

French	English	Note
il fait vingt degres	it's 20 degrees	Default weather phrase. Degres in the plural; no Celsius marker needed in casual speech.
il fait moins dix degres	it's minus 10 degrees	Moins (minus) before the number for negative values.
il fait zero degre	it's zero degrees	Singular: zero degre, no s. The only temperature where degre stays singular.
il fait un degre	it's one degree	Singular degre when the value is exactly 1 (or 0).
trente-cinq degres a l'ombre	35 degrees in the shade	Common heatwave phrase. A l'ombre signals the meteorological standard.
la temperature est de trente-sept degres	the temperature is 37 degrees	Body temperature. Normal is 37 degrees.
trente-huit virgule cinq	38.5	Spoken form for body temperature with decimals. Virgule replaces the point.
moins de zero degre	below zero	The standard phrase for sub-zero temperatures.
il gele	it's freezing	Frost present. Used independently of the actual reading.
il fait chaud / il fait froid	it's hot / it's cold	Default qualitative weather phrases.

Frequently asked

How do you say temperature in French?

La temperature is the standard word. The verb faire is used impersonally for ambient temperature: il fait vingt degres (it is 20 degrees). For body temperature you use the verb avoir: il a trente-huit degres (he has 38 degrees), implying a fever.

How do you say negative temperature in French?

Moins before the number, then the unit. Moins dix degres = minus 10 degrees. The full phrase il fait moins dix is standard in weather forecasts. Meteo-France uses this format on its bulletins.

Does France use Celsius or Fahrenheit?

Celsius. France adopted Celsius with the metric system in 1795 and is part of the BIPM SI standard. Fahrenheit is unused in French weather forecasts, news reports, and medical practice. The same applies in Belgium, Switzerland, Quebec, and most of francophone Africa.

How do you write 20 degrees Celsius in French?

Either "20 degres" in informal writing, "20 oC" with a non-breaking space and oC compact symbol in technical writing, or "20 degres Celsius" in the most formal context. The Imprimerie nationale style guide prescribes the non-breaking space between the number and the unit.

What is normal body temperature in French?

Trente-sept degres (37 degrees). Above 38 is considered fever (fievre). A French doctor will phrase it as elle a trente-huit cinq (informal, where cinq stands in for virgule cinq, 0.5 decimal), or elle a trente-huit virgule cinq degres in formal writing.

Sources: Meteo-France bulletins, Larousse, Imprimerie nationale style guide, BIPM SI brochure.

Temperature in French

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