Clouds are a common part of our everyday weather, and they can be seen all around us. Whether it’s a bright, sunny day with a few fluffy clouds or a stormy evening with dark, heavy clouds, they play an important role in our environment. If you’re learning French, knowing how to talk about clouds can help you describe the weather and communicate better.
In this article, we will explore how to say “cloud” in French and look at other ways to describe clouds. We’ll also go over some sentences you can use and practice exercises to help you remember the words. Whether you’re traveling to a French-speaking country or just practicing at home, these tips will help you talk about clouds like a local!
Ways to say “cloud” in French
In French, the word for “cloud” is nuage. It’s a simple word but can be used in many different ways depending on the situation. Let’s look at nuage and other related expressions, and we’ll also include examples to help you understand how to use them.
1. Nuage (pronounced: noo-ahj)
Applicable for: General use
Meaning: This is the most common word for “cloud” in French. It can refer to any kind of cloud in the sky.
In a Sentence:
- Il y a un nuage dans le ciel. (There is a cloud in the sky.)
- Le nuage est blanc et léger. (The cloud is white and light.)
2. Nuée (pronounced: noo-eh)
Applicable for: More poetic or dramatic use
Meaning: Nuée refers to a cloud or mass of clouds, often used to describe a large or dense group of clouds. It can also refer to something swarming in the air, like insects.
In a Sentence:
- Une nuée de nuages a couvert le ciel. (A cloud mass covered the sky.)
- Il y avait une nuée de moustiques près du lac. (There was a swarm of mosquitoes near the lake.)
3. Ciel couvert (pronounced: syel koo-ver)
Applicable for: Describing cloudy weather
Meaning: This phrase means “overcast” or “cloudy sky.” It’s used when the sky is mostly covered with clouds.
In a Sentence:
- Aujourd’hui, le ciel est couvert. (Today, the sky is overcast.)
- Le ciel couvert annonce de la pluie. (The cloudy sky signals rain.)
4. Brume (pronounced: broo-m)
Applicable for: Light clouds or fog
Meaning: Brume refers to mist or fog, which can be a type of cloud that is low to the ground and reduces visibility.
In a Sentence:
- Il y avait de la brume près du lac. (There was mist near the lake.)
- La brume rendait la route difficile à voir. (The fog made the road hard to see.)
5. Nuageux (pronounced: noo-ah-juh)
Applicable for: Describing cloudy weather
Meaning: This is an adjective meaning “cloudy.” It is used to describe the weather or the appearance of clouds in the sky.
In a Sentence:
- Le temps est nuageux aujourd’hui. (The weather is cloudy today.)
- Il fait nuageux, peut-être qu’il pleuvra. (It’s cloudy, maybe it will rain.)
6. Nuage de pluie (pronounced: noo-ahj duh plwee)
Applicable for: Describing a rain cloud
Meaning: This refers to a cloud that brings rain.
In a Sentence:
- Un nuage de pluie arrive à l’horizon. (A rain cloud is coming on the horizon.)
- Le nuage de pluie a éclaté soudainement. (The rain cloud burst suddenly.)
7. Nuage d’orage (pronounced: noo-ahj doh-rahj)
Applicable for: Storm cloud
Meaning: This refers to a storm cloud, typically dark and heavy.
In a Sentence:
- Le nuage d’orage s’approche. (The storm cloud is approaching.)
- Le nuage d’orage a apporté un fort vent. (The storm cloud brought a strong wind.)
8. Cumulus (pronounced: koo-moo-loos)
Applicable for: Describing cumulus clouds
Meaning: Cumulus clouds are large, fluffy clouds often associated with fair weather.
In a Sentence:
- Les cumulus flottent dans le ciel bleu. (The cumulus clouds float in the blue sky.)
- Il y a des cumulus aujourd’hui. (There are cumulus clouds today.)
9. Ciel nuageux (pronounced: syel noo-ah-juh)
Applicable for: Cloudy sky
Meaning: This phrase describes the sky as being cloudy.
In a Sentence:
- Le ciel nuageux couvre toute la ville. (The cloudy sky covers the whole city.)
- Un ciel nuageux peut être agréable en été. (A cloudy sky can be nice in the summer.)
10. Stratus (pronounced: stra-toos)
Applicable for: Stratus clouds
Meaning: Stratus clouds are flat, gray clouds that often cover the sky.
In a Sentence:
- Le ciel est couvert de stratus. (The sky is covered with stratus clouds.)
- Les stratus rendent la journée sombre. (The stratus clouds make the day gloomy.)
11. Cirrostratus (pronounced: see-roh-stra-toos)
Applicable for: High, thin clouds
Meaning: These clouds are thin and often appear at high altitudes.
In a Sentence:
- Les cirrostratus annoncent un changement de temps. (The cirrostratus clouds signal a change in the weather.)
- Il y a des cirrostratus dans le ciel ce matin. (There are cirrostratus clouds in the sky this morning.)
12. Nimbostratus (pronounced: neem-boh-stra-toos)
Applicable for: Thick, rain-producing clouds
Meaning: These clouds are associated with continuous rain or snow.
In a Sentence:
- Les nimbostratus couvrent tout le ciel. (The nimbostratus clouds cover the whole sky.)
- Il pleut à cause des nimbostratus. (It’s raining because of the nimbostratus clouds.)
13. Cumulonimbus (pronounced: koo-myoo-loh-neem-boos)
Applicable for: Thunderstorm clouds
Meaning: These are the towering clouds that produce thunderstorms and heavy rain.
In a Sentence:
- Le cumulonimbus génère des éclairs. (The cumulonimbus generates lightning.)
- Un énorme cumulonimbus se forme dans le ciel. (A huge cumulonimbus is forming in the sky.)
14. Nuage lumineux (pronounced: noo-ahj loo-mee-nuh)
Applicable for: Light cloud
Meaning: A cloud that is light or glowing, often seen during sunrise or sunset.
In a Sentence:
- Un nuage lumineux brille au coucher du soleil. (A glowing cloud shines at sunset.)
- Les nuages lumineux rendent le ciel magnifique. (The light clouds make the sky beautiful.)
15. Nuage sombre (pronounced: noo-ahj som-bruh)
Applicable for: Dark cloud
Meaning: A dark cloud, typically indicating bad weather or storms.
In a Sentence:
- Un nuage sombre se forme à l’horizon. (A dark cloud is forming on the horizon.)
- Le nuage sombre apporte de la pluie. (The dark cloud brings rain.)
16. Voile nuageux (pronounced: vwail noo-ah-juh)
Applicable for: Cloudy veil
Meaning: This refers to a thin layer of clouds covering the sky, like a veil.
In a Sentence:
- Un voile nuageux masque le soleil. (A cloudy veil hides the sun.)
- Le voile nuageux est arrivé au matin. (The cloudy veil arrived in the morning.)
17. Ciel clair (pronounced: syel kler)
Applicable for: Clear sky
Meaning: This refers to a sky without clouds, meaning clear or sunny weather.
In a Sentence:
- Aujourd’hui, le ciel est clair et bleu. (Today, the sky is clear and blue.)
- Le ciel clair est parfait pour une promenade. (The clear sky is perfect for a walk.)
18. Météo nuageuse (pronounced: meh-teh-oh noo-ah-zhuh)
Applicable for: Cloudy weather
Meaning: This phrase refers to the weather being cloudy.
In a Sentence:
- La météo nuageuse annonce de la pluie. (The cloudy weather predicts rain.)
- La météo nuageuse persiste toute la journée. (The cloudy weather continues all day.)
19. Nuages de poussière (pronounced: noo-ahj duh poo-syehr)
Applicable for: Dust clouds
Meaning: This phrase refers to clouds of dust, which can happen in dry areas or during storms.
In a Sentence:
- Des nuages de poussière ont envahi la rue. (Dust clouds took over the street.)
- Les nuages de poussière ont réduit la visibilité. (The dust clouds reduced visibility.)
20. Nuages légers (pronounced: noo-ahj lay-zhay)
Applicable for: Light clouds
Meaning: These clouds are light and airy, often scattered across the sky.
In a Sentence:
- Les nuages légers flottent doucement. (The light clouds float gently.)
- Il y a des nuages légers dans le ciel ce matin. (There are light clouds in the sky this morning.)
21. Plafond nuageux (pronounced: plah-fohn noo-ah-zhuh)
Applicable for: Cloud ceiling
Meaning: This term refers to the level of clouds in the sky, often used in aviation to describe cloud cover.
In a Sentence:
- Le plafond nuageux est à 5000 pieds aujourd’hui. (The cloud ceiling is at 5000 feet today.)
- Le plafond nuageux est bas ce matin. (The cloud ceiling is low this morning.)
22. Ciel couvert de nuages (pronounced: syel koo-ver duh noo-ahj)
Applicable for: Overcast sky
Meaning: This describes the sky being covered with clouds, leading to an overcast day.
In a Sentence:
- Le ciel couvert de nuages est triste. (The overcast sky is gloomy.)
- Un ciel couvert de nuages annonce souvent de la pluie. (An overcast sky often signals rain.)
23. Nuage de brouillard (pronounced: noo-ahj duh broo-yar)
Applicable for: Fog cloud
Meaning: This refers to a cloud of fog, which is low to the ground and reduces visibility.
In a Sentence:
- Un nuage de brouillard s’est formé ce matin. (A fog cloud formed this morning.)
- La route était couverte de nuages de brouillard. (The road was covered with fog clouds.)
24. Nuage isolé (pronounced: noo-ahj ee-zoh-lay)
Applicable for: Isolated cloud
Meaning: This refers to a single, often small cloud that stands alone in the sky, not part of a larger formation.
In a Sentence:
- Il y a un nuage isolé dans le ciel. (There is an isolated cloud in the sky.)
- Un nuage isolé flottait au-dessus de la montagne. (An isolated cloud floated above the mountain.)
25. Nuage de cendre (pronounced: noo-ahj duh sahndr)
Applicable for: Ash cloud
Meaning: This refers to a cloud of ash, often caused by a volcanic eruption.
In a Sentence:
- Le nuage de cendre a obscurci le ciel. (The ash cloud darkened the sky.)
- Un nuage de cendre est descendu sur la ville. (An ash cloud descended on the city.)
26. Nuage fantomatique (pronounced: noo-ahj fan-toh-mah-teek)
Applicable for: Ghostly or eerie cloud
Meaning: This describes a cloud that looks mysterious or eerie, often in situations like early morning fog.
In a Sentence:
- Un nuage fantomatique flottait sur le lac. (A ghostly cloud floated over the lake.)
- Le nuage fantomatique a disparu dès que le soleil est apparu. (The eerie cloud disappeared as soon as the sun appeared.)
27. Ciel chargé (pronounced: syel shahr-zhay)
Applicable for: Heavily clouded sky
Meaning: This refers to a sky that is heavily clouded, often indicating possible rain or storms.
In a Sentence:
- Le ciel chargé montre qu’il va pleuvoir. (The heavily clouded sky shows it’s going to rain.)
- Un ciel chargé peut signifier une tempête. (A heavily clouded sky can signal a storm.)
Other Ways to Say “Cloud” in French
Here is a table with additional phrases, expressions, and ways to talk about clouds in French. These variations will help you expand your vocabulary and express different types of clouds, weather conditions, or even poetic ideas.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Nuage de chaleur | noo-ahj duh sha-lehr | Heat cloud, often used to describe warm or humid air | Un nuage de chaleur se forme au-dessus du désert. (A heat cloud forms over the desert.) |
| Nuage de fumée | noo-ahj duh foo-may | Smoke cloud, refers to a cloud made of smoke | Le nuage de fumée a envahi la ville après l’incendie. (The smoke cloud flooded the city after the fire.) |
| Banc de nuages | bahn duh noo-ahj | Cloud bank, refers to a large, dense collection of clouds | Un banc de nuages cachait le soleil. (A cloud bank was hiding the sun.) |
| Nuage d’altitude | noo-ahj dal-tew-teed | High-altitude cloud, refers to clouds at high elevations | Les nuages d’altitude sont souvent très fins. (High-altitude clouds are often very thin.) |
| Nuage flottant | noo-ahj flo-tahn | Floating cloud, describes a light, airy cloud | Un nuage flottant passe lentement dans le ciel. (A floating cloud moves slowly across the sky.) |
| Nuage de neige | noo-ahj duh nayj | Snow cloud, refers to a cloud that brings snow | Un nuage de neige est apparu à l’horizon. (A snow cloud appeared on the horizon.) |
| Nuage frangeant | noo-ahj frahn-zhahnt | Fringed cloud, describes clouds with visible edges | Le nuage frangeant a formé une silhouette étrange. (The fringed cloud formed a strange silhouette.) |
| Nuage d’acier | noo-ahj dah-see-ay | Steel cloud, often used to describe very dark clouds | Le nuage d’acier annonçait une tempête violente. (The steel cloud signaled a violent storm.) |
| Nuage de poussière volcanique | noo-ahj duh poo-syehr vohl-kah-neek | Volcanic ash cloud, refers to a cloud made of volcanic ash | Le nuage de poussière volcanique a traversé l’océan. (The volcanic ash cloud crossed the ocean.) |
| Ciel ennuagé | syel ahn-nwah-zhay | Cloudy sky, a general term for a sky covered with clouds | Le ciel ennuagé est typique de l’automne. (The cloudy sky is typical of autumn.) |
Response to “Cloud” in French
When someone mentions a cloud in French, you can respond in many ways depending on the situation, whether you’re talking about the weather, expressing your thoughts, or asking more about the clouds. Here are some common ways to respond to “nuage” and related terms in French.
“Il pleuvra peut-être avec ces nuages.”
Pronunciation: eel pleh-oo-vrah puh-teh-truh ah-vek say noo-ahj
Meaning: “It might rain with these clouds.”
In a Sentence:
- Si tu vois ces nuages noirs, il pleuvra peut-être. (If you see those dark clouds, it might rain.)
“J’adore regarder les nuages.”
Pronunciation: zhah-dor ruh-gar-day lay noo-ahj
Meaning: “I love watching the clouds.”
In a Sentence:
- Parfois, je passe des heures à regarder les nuages. (Sometimes, I spend hours watching the clouds.)
“Le ciel est dégagé maintenant, plus de nuages.”
Pronunciation: luh syel eh day-gah-jay meh-tuh-nah, ploo duh noo-ahj
Meaning: “The sky is clear now, no more clouds.”
In a Sentence:
- Après la pluie, le ciel est dégagé maintenant, plus de nuages. (After the rain, the sky is clear now, no more clouds.)
“Ces nuages semblent apporter de la pluie.”
Pronunciation: say noo-ahj sahm-bluh ah-por-tay duh lah plwee
Meaning: “These clouds seem to bring rain.”
In a Sentence:
- Regarde ces nuages noirs, ils semblent apporter de la pluie. (Look at those dark clouds, they seem to bring rain.)
“Il y a un nuage étrange là-bas.”
Pronunciation: eel yah un noo-ahj eh-trahnj lah-bah
Meaning: “There’s a strange cloud over there.”
In a Sentence:
- Regarde, il y a un nuage étrange là-bas près de la montagne. (Look, there’s a strange cloud over there near the mountain.)
“Je pense qu’il va y avoir des nuages ce soir.”
Pronunciation: zhuh pahns keeel vah ee ah-vwar day noo-ahj suh swar
Meaning: “I think there will be clouds tonight.”
In a Sentence:
- Je pense qu’il va y avoir des nuages ce soir, donc peut-être de la pluie. (I think there will be clouds tonight, so maybe some rain.)
“Ce nuage ressemble à un mouton.”
Pronunciation: suh noo-ahj ruh-sahm-bluh ah un moo-tohn
Meaning: “This cloud looks like a sheep.”
In a Sentence:
- Ce nuage ressemble à un mouton, regarde! (This cloud looks like a sheep, look!)
“Les nuages semblent s’éloigner.”
Pronunciation: lay noo-ahj sahm-bluh say-lwah-nay
Meaning: “The clouds seem to be moving away.”
In a Sentence:
- Les nuages semblent s’éloigner, il fera plus beau après. (The clouds seem to be moving away, it will be nicer later.)
“Je ne vois que des nuages aujourd’hui.”
Pronunciation: zhuh nuh vwah kuh day noo-ahj oh-zhoor-dwee
Meaning: “I see nothing but clouds today.”
In a Sentence:
- Aujourd’hui, je ne vois que des nuages, ça va être une journée grise. (Today, I see nothing but clouds, it’s going to be a gray day.)
“Ce nuage est si blanc et moelleux.”
Pronunciation: suh noo-ahj eh see blahn eh mwah-loo
Meaning: “This cloud is so white and fluffy.”
In a Sentence:
- Ce nuage est si blanc et moelleux, il ressemble à du coton. (This cloud is so white and fluffy, it looks like cotton.)
Exercise to Practice Saying “Cloud” in French
Now, let’s practice what we’ve learned! Here are 12 fill-in-the-blank sentences to help you become more comfortable using the French words for “cloud” and related terms. Each sentence is in French, and your task is to complete it with the correct phrase from the ones we discussed earlier.
Fill-in-the-Blanks:
- ___ (nuage) flotte dans le ciel bleu.
Meaning: A cloud floats in the blue sky. - Il y a ___ (nuage de pluie) qui arrive à l’horizon.
Meaning: There is a rain cloud coming on the horizon. - ___ (nuage d’orage) nous avertit de la tempête qui approche.
Meaning: The storm cloud warns us of the approaching storm. - Ce matin, le ciel est très ___ (nuageux).
Meaning: This morning, the sky is very cloudy. - Un ___ (nuage de fumée) a envahi la ville après l’incendie.
Meaning: A smoke cloud flooded the city after the fire. - ___ (nuage lumineux) brille au coucher du soleil.
Meaning: A glowing cloud shines at sunset. - Il y a un ___ (nuage isolé) dans le ciel aujourd’hui.
Meaning: There is an isolated cloud in the sky today. - ___ (banc de nuages) cache tout le ciel.
Meaning: A cloud bank covers the whole sky. - Les enfants aiment regarder ___ (nuages flottants) pendant leur récréation.
Meaning: The children like to watch floating clouds during recess. - ___ (nuage de cendre) a traversé l’océan après l’éruption volcanique.
Meaning: The ash cloud crossed the ocean after the volcanic eruption. - ___ (nuage d’altitude) apparaît souvent en fin de journée.
Meaning: High-altitude clouds often appear at the end of the day. - Le ciel est très ___ (chargé) aujourd’hui, il va pleuvoir.
Meaning: The sky is very cloudy today, it’s going to rain.
Answers:
- Nuage
- Nuage de pluie
- Nuage d’orage
- Nuageux
- Nuage de fumée
- Nuage lumineux
- Nuage isolé
- Banc de nuages
- Nuages flottants
- Nuage de cendre
- Nuage d’altitude
- Chargé
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve explored various ways to say “cloud” in French, from the basic nuage to more specific expressions like nuage de pluie (rain cloud) and nuage d’orage (storm cloud). You now have a wide range of vocabulary to describe clouds and different types of weather in French, whether you’re talking about the sky on a clear day or a dark, stormy evening.
By practicing the words and phrases in context, you can improve your ability to talk about the weather and nature in French. Remember, the more you use these expressions, the more natural it will feel to talk about clouds and the weather in French. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be able to describe every type of cloud with ease!