Question for French speakers

[woodbutcher]

[QUOTE 4833771, member: 259"]"Je me gèle les couilles" would do for that.[/QUOTE]
The French think we are eccentric already without such obscure practices

 

[woodbutcher]

off a brass monkey, not on. It refers to iron cannonballs on ships sitting on a brass base (the monkey). When cold the brass contracts differently from the iron and they would roll off the indentations

Since we are English we could debate the point until the cows come home or if you really want to be pedantic, until hell freezes over either way it seems we are both probably wide of the mark

 

[alicat]

Il à fait nippy ce matin à Lille.

 

[woodbutcher]

ooh la la 31c dans le lot aujourd'hui

 

[smutchin]

The il in il était froid appears to refer to a male or a masculine noun

Yes, the weather in French is indeed masculine. Except rain and snow, which are girls.

 

[smutchin]

ooh la la 31c dans le lot aujourd'hui

I think you'd use en rather than dans, assuming you're talking about the region rather than the water temperature of the river.

 

[User269]

I would have said "Il fait froid"..

............translated as 'it is cold'. They don't say 'Il est froid'. So obviously they say 'il faisant froid'. Obs innit?

as already explained by @gavroche

 

[srw]

Yes, the weather in French is indeed masculine. Except rain and snow, which are girls.

And fog. And storm.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

And fog. And storm.

And hail. And clouds. Sun, however, is manly.

 

[Arjimlad]

All I'd say to that is "Pas d’elles yeux Rhône que nous"

 

[woodbutcher]

I think you'd use en rather than dans, assuming you're talking about the region rather than the water temperature of the river.

oops so true , if the river got that hot l guess l would have to blame Mr. Trump

 

[smutchin]

And hail. And clouds. Sun, however, is manly.

No, clouds are definitely blokes. I wasn't sure myself so I checked.

And storm.

Depends on your choice of word for storm - I would normally use orage, which is masculine, but tempête is feminine. Thunder is a lad, lightning is a lass.

 

[smutchin]

All I'd say to that is "Pas d’elles yeux Rhône que nous"

À l'eau, c'est l'heure

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

No, clouds are definitely blokes. I wasn't sure myself so I checked.

Oh yes, so it is!

 

[ColinJ]

It is raining cats and dogs here today. I imagine the French, Germans etc. would have fun with that description!