Talking about strong wind outside | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: Outside, two adults talk about strong wind and walking more slowly near the street..

EN → FR / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Talking about strong wind outside to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Il y a du vent dehors.

eel yah dew VAHN duh-OR It's windy outside.
B

Tiens ton chapeau d'une main.

tyen ton sha-POH dewn MAN Hold your hat with one hand.
A

Les arbres bougent beaucoup.

lay ZAR-bruh boozh boh-KOO The trees are moving a lot.
B

Le vent est plus fort près de la rue.

luh VAHN ay ploo FOR pray duh lah REW The wind is stronger near the street.
A

On devrait marcher plus lentement ?

ohn duh-VRAY mar-SHAY ploo lahn-tuh-MAHN Should we walk more slowly?
B

Ralentissons près de la rue.

rah-lahn-tee-SON pray duh lah REW Let's slow down near the street.
A

Je vais aussi tenir mon sac près de moi.

zhuh VEH oh-SEE tuh-NEER mohn SAK pray duh MWA I'll hold my bag close too.
B

Cela devrait empêcher le sac de s'ouvrir avec le vent.

suh-LAH duh-VRAY ahn-pay-SHAY luh SAK duh soo-VREER ah-VEK luh VAHN That should keep it from blowing open.

Word by Word

Il In the expression “Il y a du vent”, “Il” is an impersonal subject used to introduce what exists or is present; here, it is not “he”. Reuse the pattern “Il y a + noun” to say that something is present.
y In “Il y a du vent”, “y” contributes the idea of “there” as part of the expression meaning that something is present. Reuse “Il y a + noun” when introducing something that exists or can be found.
a In “Il y a du vent”, “a” is the verb form used with “Il y” to express that there is something; it does not mean possession here. Reuse the complete pattern “Il y a + noun”.
du In “du vent”, “du” introduces an uncounted amount of wind, giving the expression the meaning “some wind” or simply “wind”. Reuse “du + uncounted noun” when referring to an unspecified amount.
vent “Vent” means “wind” in “Il y a du vent dehors”. Reuse it after “du” when talking about wind as a weather condition, as in “du vent”.
dehors “Dehors” means “outside” and places the wind outdoors in “Il y a du vent dehors”. It can be used at the end of a sentence to indicate that something is outside.
Tiens “Tiens” tells one person informally to hold something, here in “Tiens ton chapeau”. Reuse “Tiens + object” when giving a direct instruction to one person you address informally.
ton “Ton” means “your” when speaking to one person informally, as in “ton chapeau”. Reuse “ton + noun” to show that a singular object belongs to the person being addressed informally.
chapeau “Chapeau” means “hat” in “Tiens ton chapeau”. Reuse it after a possessive such as “ton” when talking about someone’s hat.
d'une In “d'une main”, “d'une” means “with one” and introduces the single hand used for the action. Reuse the expression “d'une main” to specify that an action is done with one hand.
main “Main” means “hand” in “d'une main”. Reuse it in “d'une main” when describing an action performed with one hand.
Les “Les” means “the” before the plural noun in “Les arbres”. Reuse “les + plural noun” when referring to several specific things.
arbres “Arbres” means “trees” in “Les arbres bougent beaucoup”. Reuse it after “les” when talking about several trees.
bougent “Bougent” describes movement in “Les arbres bougent beaucoup”: the trees are moving. Reuse it with a plural subject when describing that several things are moving.
beaucoup “Beaucoup” means “a lot” and shows that the trees move considerably in “bougent beaucoup”. Reuse it after a verb to express a large amount or degree of an action.
Le “Le” means “the” before the singular noun in “Le vent”. Reuse “le + singular noun” when referring to one specific masculine noun.
est In “Le vent est plus fort”, “est” links the wind with the description that follows, meaning “is”. Reuse the pattern “subject + est + description” to describe something.
plus In “plus fort”, “plus” marks a comparison and means “more”, making the wind “stronger”. Reuse “plus + adjective” when comparing a quality.
fort “Fort” means “strong” in “Le vent est plus fort”. Here it describes the strength of the wind, and it can be reused after “plus” in “plus fort” for a comparison.
près “Près” means “near” in “près de la rue”. It is commonly followed by “de” and a place or person to show closeness.
de In “près de la rue”, “de” completes the expression “près de” and introduces the place that is nearby. Reuse “près de + place” to say that something is near a location.
la “La” means “the” before the singular noun in “la rue”. Reuse “la + singular noun” when referring to one specific feminine noun.
rue “Rue” means “street” in “près de la rue”. Reuse it after “la” when talking about a specific street or in “près de la rue” to describe its nearby area.
On In “On devrait marcher”, “On” means “we” because the two people are considering an action together. Reuse “on + verb” in conversation when referring to a group that includes the speaker.
devrait “Devrait” expresses what would be advisable in “On devrait marcher plus lentement ?”, giving the question the meaning “Should we walk more slowly?”. Reuse “On devrait + infinitive” to suggest an action for the group.
marcher “Marcher” means “to walk” in “On devrait marcher plus lentement”. It follows “devrait” in the pattern “devrait + infinitive” and can be followed by an adverb such as “lentement”.
lentement “Lentement” means “slowly” and explains how the people should walk in “marcher plus lentement”. Reuse it after a verb to describe an action performed slowly.
Ralentissons “Ralentissons” means “let’s slow down” and presents slowing down as a shared action in “Ralentissons près de la rue”. Reuse it to make a direct suggestion that the speaker and the listener act together.
Je “Je” means “I” and is the subject of “Je vais aussi tenir mon sac”. Reuse “Je” before a verb when stating what you will do or what you are doing.
vais In “Je vais aussi tenir”, “vais” helps express a planned or imminent action, meaning “am going to”. Reuse “Je vais + infinitive” to say what you are going to do.
aussi “Aussi” means “also” or “too” in “Je vais aussi tenir mon sac”, adding this action to the earlier actions. Reuse “Je vais aussi + infinitive” when saying that you will do an additional action.
tenir “Tenir” means “to hold” in “Je vais aussi tenir mon sac”. It follows “vais” as the action planned, and it can be used with an object such as “tenir mon sac”.
mon “Mon” means “my” before “sac” in “mon sac”. Reuse “mon + singular noun” to show that a singular object belongs to the speaker.
sac “Sac” means “bag” in “tenir mon sac”. Reuse it after a possessive such as “mon” when talking about the speaker’s bag.
moi In “près de moi”, “moi” means “me” and identifies the person whom the bag is kept close to. Reuse the expression “près de moi” to say that something is close to the speaker.
Cela “Cela” means “that” or “it” and refers back to the action just mentioned in “Cela devrait empêcher le sac de s'ouvrir”. Reuse “Cela devrait + infinitive” when saying what a previous action or situation should achieve.
empêcher In “empêcher le sac de s'ouvrir”, “empêcher” means “to prevent” or “to keep from” opening. Reuse the pattern “empêcher + object + de + infinitive” to say that someone or something prevents an action.
s'ouvrir “S'ouvrir” means “to open” in “le sac de s'ouvrir”, describing the bag opening. It follows “de” in this construction after “empêcher” to name the action that is prevented.
avec In “s'ouvrir avec le vent”, “avec” means “with” and introduces the wind as the force involved in the bag opening. Reuse “avec + noun” to connect an action with something accompanying or causing it in the situation.

Grammar Points

Il y a + du + nom

Il y a du vent.

eel yah dew VAHN

It's windy.

French uses il y a to express that something exists or is present; du introduces an uncountable masculine noun.

devrait + infinitif

devrait marcher plus lentement

duh-VRAY mar-SHAY ploo lahn-tuh-MAHN

should walk more slowly

Devrait means “should” and is followed directly by the infinitive form of the verb.

French Vocabulary

arbres noun
AR-bruh trees
beaucoup adv
boh-KOO a lot
bougent verb
boozh are moving
chapeau noun
sha-POH hat
d'une main phrase
dewn MAN with one hand
dehors adv
duh-OR outside
Il y a du vent phrase
eel yah dew VAHN It's windy

Il y a du vent dehors.

plus fort adj
ploo FOR stronger
près de la rue phrase
pray duh lah REW near the street
tiens verb
tyen hold
ton det
tohn your
vent noun
VAHN wind

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

It's windy outside.

Show AnswerIl y a du vent dehors.

Hold your hat with one hand.

Show AnswerTiens ton chapeau d'une main.

The trees are moving a lot.

Show AnswerLes arbres bougent beaucoup.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

hold

Show Answertiens

hat

Show Answerchapeau

are moving

Show Answerbougent

outside

Show Answerdehors