essay on hiver in french

Les saisons (The seasons)

Learn and practice about the seasons (Les saisons) in french: l’été (summer), l’hiver (winter), l’automne (fall), le printemps (spring)…

Short Video

Vocabulary : The seasons  

Start reviewing the flashcards in the following Quizlet and then feel free to use the different options from Quizlet, such us match, learn, test or spell.

The seasons –  Flashcards

The seasons of the year song.

The seasons of the year

The year is formed by four seasons:

Spring, Summer, Fall  and Winter.

We are going to learn what happen in each season. Spring is a season of the year, where it begins to get hot. Trees have leaves again, the fields turn green and the flowers bloom. In the forest, animals wake up and birds make noises. This is the perfect time to go out with our friends.

Summer is the hottest season of the year, so we have to wear light clothing. It’s vacation time so we can go out and go to the beach, swimming or sunbathing with our family and friends.

Autumn (fall) is the season where the leaves start to change colour, dried and fall to the ground.  It starts to rain more often and the wind blows too hard. Winter is coldest the season. The temperature is placed below zero degrees

and the snow covers everything. We have to wear big coats and we go out play with our friends by throwing snowballs to each others, skating on ice and ride our sleighs. Spring, Summer, Autumn (Fall) and Winter are the four seasons of the year.

Saisons de l’année L’année est formée par quatre saisons: Printemps, été, automne et hiver. Nous allons apprendre ce qui arrive à chaque saison. Le printemps est une saison de l’année, où il commence à faire chaud. Les arbres ont de nouveau des feuilles, les champs deviennent vertes et les fleurs fleurissent. Dans la forêt, les animaux se réveillent et les oiseaux font des bruits. Ceci est le moment idéal pour sortir avec nos amis. L’été est la saison la plus chaude de l’année, nous devons donc porter des vêtements légers. Il est temps pour les vacances pour que nous puissions sortir et aller à la plage, nager ou se bronzer avec notre famille et nos amis. L’automne est la saison où les feuilles commencent à changer de couleur, se sécher et tombent sur le sol. Il commence à pleuvoir plus souvent et le vent souffle plus fort. L’hiver est la saison plus froid. La température est placé au-dessous de zéro degrés et la neige recouvre tout. Nous devons donc porter des gros manteaux et nous sortons jouer avec nos amis en lançant des boules de neige, faire du patinage  sur glace et monter nos traîneaux. Printemps, été, automne et l’hiver sont les quatre saisons de l’année.

Practice more about the seasons: Review more vocabulary, try a dictation, listen to the reading and enjoy the conversation:

More french vocabulary practice here:.

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French à la folie

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French Seasons – Les saisons

Parlons des saisons ! Let’s talk about the different seasons in French! What are they called and how do you use them? Here’s the guide!

The Seasons in French

In French, we generally talk about  four seasons , which correspond to  specific months of the year:

• All of the traditional four seasons are masculine (as are the months).
• English-speakers should note that aut u mn has a slightly different spelling in French: it’s aut o mn e  with an O and an E. Its pronunciation is also slightly unexpected: in French, we  pronounce the N  instead of the M.
• Hiver is also unusual because we do pronounce the final R (unlike with most French words ending in – er ).

When talking about something happening in a certain season, we use the following prepositions :

• AU   for printemps This is because à + le  must contract to  au .
• EN   for été , automne , and hiver This is because these three begin with vowel sounds. (The H in hiver is mute.) For  en , there’s also a noticeable liaison. So we need to pronounce the N when connecting the words.

Other Regions, Other Seasons

In tropical countries with hot and wet seasons , there are also the following terms:

Note that they are feminine.

For these terms, instead of au or en , we can use the prepositions  pendant or durant , which mean “during.” ( Pendant la saison des pluies. ..)

Going further

The seasons also inspire adjectives: things can be summery, wintry, etc. See the lesson on this topic right  here .

Mastered the French seasons   ? Looking for more basic French lessons?

Hey, we’ve all got to start with the basics ; there’s no shame in that! And the stronger your grasp of basic French, the easier the language will be. So shore up your French foundations HERE .

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L’Hiver: Talking About Winter in French

• Post author: Language Garage
• Post published: February 4, 2020
• Post category: French / Vocabulary

It’s l’hiver ( winter ) in the northern hemisphere, which means that in many places il fait très froid ( it’s very cold ). In this post we’ll learn some French vocabulary for talking about cold winter weather.

Il fait froid dehors ! It’s Cold Outside!

Let’s start with some basic expressions that will help you talk about cold winter weather.

• Il fait froid. It’s cold.
• Il gèle ! It’s freezing!
• Il neige. It’s snowing.

• Il tombe de la neige fondue. It’s sleeting.
• Il fait froid et venteux. It’s cold and windy.
• La neige est belle. The snow is beautiful.
• Nous allons avoir du blizzard cette semaine. We’re going to have a blizzard this week.
• Le lac est gelé. The lake is frozen.
• La neige fond. The snow is melting.
• Je tremble de froid ! I’m shivering!

J’aime l’hiver. I Love the Winter.

Not everyone hates the snow. If you’re a kid, or a kid at heart, you may enjoy some fun winter activities.

• J’adore la neige. I love the snow.
• Construisons un bonhomme de neige. Let’s build a snowman.
• Je vais skier ce week-end. I’m going skiing this weekend.
• Allons faire de la luge. Let’s go sledding.
• Allons patiner. Let’s go ice skating.
• J’aime le snowboard. I like snowboarding.
• Faisons une bataille de boules de neige ! Let’s have a snowball fight!
• Les enfants construisent un château de neige. The kids are building a snow fort.

Je déteste l’hiver. I Hate the Winter

Of course, winter isn’t all fun and games.

• Je déteste la neige. I hate the snow.
• Je dois pelleter l’allée. I have to shovel the driveway.
• Les routes sont glacées et dangereuses. The roads are icy and dangerous.
• J’ai glissé sur le trottoir. I slipped on the sidewalk.
• Je n’aime pas le froid ! I don’t like the cold!
• Le soleil me manque. I miss the sun.
• Le climat hivernal est déprimant. Winter weather is depressing.

Vêtements d’hiver:   Winter Clothes

If you have to go outside, you need to dress appropriately. You’ll probably wear: un manteau d’hiver ( a winter coat ), un chapeau ( a hat ), une écharpe ( a scarf ), des gants ( gloves ), des mitaines ( mittens ), des bottes ( boots ).

• Il me faut un chapeau/bonnet et de gants aujourd’hui.   I need a hat and gloves today.
• Ce manteau n’est pas assez épais. This coat isn’t heavy enough!
• As-tu/Avez-vous des bottes imperméables ? Do you have waterproof boots?
• Je porte un pull et un manteau / une doudoune . I’m wearing a sweater and a coat / puffy jacket.

Des soirées douillettes et tranquilles:   Cozy, Quiet Evenings

But inside, you can still feel chaud et confortable ( warm and cozy ). You can sit next to un feu ( a fire ), and maybe déguster ( enjoy ) une tasse de thé ( a cup of tea ) or better yet, une tasse de chocolat chaud ( a cup of hot chocolate ). Just get une couverture ( a blanket ), maybe un bon livre ( a good book ), and you’re ready to make the most out of les jours froids et des longues nuits ( the cold days and long nights ). It’s only a few more months until the spring!

• Il fait une chaleur agréable dans cette maison . It’s warm and cozy in this house.
• Faisons un feu dans la cheminée. Let’s make a fire in the fireplace.
• Prenons un chocolat chaud devant le feu. Let’s have hot chocolate in front of the fire.
• Je me réchauffe près du feu. I’m warming up next to the fire.
• As-tu/Avez-vous une couverture / une couette ?  Do you have a blanket / quilt?
• Je me couche tôt en hiver. I go to bed early in the winter.

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Everything you need to know about the four seasons in French!

We all know the four seasons: printemps (spring), été (summer), automne (autumn) and hiver (winter). Being able to talk about the weather and describe current conditions or knowing some popular sayings about the seasons are all significant assets for anyone who wants to learn French.

The seasons are a universal theme and the perfect way to spark a spontaneous conversation, helping you to improve your speaking skills and integrate more easily with French people. So, how do you talk about the seasons in French ? Why does the French Riviera’s climate make it the perfect location in which to learn French? Why is the theme of the seasons an important one for French people? What grammatical structures should you use when talking about the weather?

The seasons: not as trivial a topic as it might seem

The French attach huge importance to the weather, as proved by the popularity of weather forecasts and the success of special weather apps on smartphones. In common parlance, the expression “parler de la pluie et du beau temps” (literally “to talk about rain and good weather”) is used to refer to trivial small talk. However, climate change has completely shifted our priorities: now, talking about the seasons in French does not just mean talking about “everything and nothing” but discussing a topic of greater significance. 

Grammar and the seasons

From a grammatical point of view, the seasons – le printemps, l’été, l’automne and l’hiver are all masculine nouns, for example “Nous avons connu un bel automne cette année” (“We’ve had a lovely autumn this year”), “le printemps est pluvieux” (“spring is rainy”). In addition, remember to use “en” and “au” when talking about the four seasons in French: “Je pars toujours en vacances en hiver” (“I always go on holiday in winter”) “nous nettoyons la maison au printemps” (“we clean the house in spring”), “en été, les températures augmentent” (“temperatures rise in summer”) or “les vendanges ont lieu chaque année en automne” (“the grapes are harvested in autumn each year”). Additionally, you can use the pronoun “il” in descriptions – “il pleut” (“it’s raining”), “il neige” (“it’s snowing”), “il fait chaud” (“it’s hot”, etc.) – or the structure “il y a” – “il y a du verglas ce matin sur la route” (“there’s black ice on the road this morning”), “il y a beaucoup de vent cet après-midi” (“it’s really windy this afternoon”), etc. For temperatures, the verb “faire” is used: “Il fait moins cinq aujourd’hui” (“it’s minus five today”). So be careful when you’re talking about the four seasons of France in French!

The word “printemps” (“spring”) comes from “primu” meaning “first” and “tempus” meaning “time”. Using the word season in French implies that you are viewing the seasons from the point of view of countries in the Northern hemisphere. In this part of the world, spring falls in March, April and May. Spring (the adjectival form in French is “printanier”) is the season of buds and lily of the valley. Synonymous with youth, it marks the end of winter, the revival of nature and the time when we pick “primevères” (“primroses”), which herald beautiful weather. That is why, for many people, the best season in French is spring, even though it can still be cool at the beginning. After all, as the French saying goes, “en avril, ne te découvre pas d’un fil”, meaning that you shouldn’t trust warm weather in April (literally, “in April, don’t remove a thread [of clothing]”).  

Summer is now associated with heatwaves, that very hot time when we just want to stay cool or slather on the sun cream and sunbathe. It’s the perfect time for a junior language stay in the South of France ! Your teenager will make quick progress thanks to French lessons in smaller groups, a wide range of sports and other activities, events and very comfortable accommodation. Unless you’d rather take advantage of the gorgeous weather and sign up for our French lessons with relaxation and meditation programme ? You’ll be delighted with this combination of interactive French classes and exclusive wellbeing activities.

In France, autumn conjures up thoughts of the annual return to school in September. At this time of year, the days are getting shorter, the temperatures are starting to cool and the colours that dominate the natural world are changing. “When a sighing begins/In the violins/Of the autumn-song,/My heart is drowned/In the slow sound/Languorous and long” wrote Verlaine in Poèmes saturniens (Autumn Song, translation by Arthur Symons, 1902). With a little luck, you might enjoy an Indian summer or an “été de la Saint Martin” (“St. Martin’s summer”) when you take an intensive French course of 30 lessons per week in Antibes – a programme aimed at those who really want to make progress!

In France, in terms of the calendar, winter begins on 21 or 22 December. While winter is traditionally a time for hibernation, that’s not the case when it comes to learning French in France . Take advantage of low-season rates and the mild climate and come to the Centre International d’Antibes on the French Riviera. There’s no shortage of activities to keep you busy in our region in winter: flower battles in Nice, the Lemon Festival in Menton, the Chagall museum in Nice , hikes in the Estérel mountains and more.

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French Seasons Winter – L’Hiver

Did you know? Winter is the coldest season of the year in France, even snow falls!

What are French people doing during winter season?

In today’s episode, you will learn French Seasons Winter Vocabulary in a fun and easy way!

Enjoy watching the video!

Now it’s your turn

I’d like to hear what you have to say: What do you like to do during winter season? Or maybe you have a question.

Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now.

It only takes a sec.

Merci ! A tout de suite…

FRENCH TRANSCRIPT

French seasons winter – l’hiver.

Salut, c’est Thomas, Français Immersion TV . Dans cette vidéo, on va parler de l’hiver !

L’hiver L’hiver, il fait froid ! « gla gla gla ! »

IL FAIT FROID.

Jean-Louis met des gants.

Des gants Un gant. Des gants. Jean-Louis met un bonnet sur la tête.

Il a un pull.

Jean-Louis met sa veste.

Il y a de la neige

Et les flocons de neige

UN FLOCON DE NEIGE

Et il y a plein de neige. Il mange un flocon de neige. Il fait du patin à glace.

IL FAIT DU PATIN À GLACE.

Les patins à glace, c’est ça.

LES PATINS À GLACE

Et la glace, c’est ça.

Quand l’eau est toute gelée. Il fait froid ! En hiver, on peut aussi faire du ski. Les skis

Elle fait du ski.

ELLE FAIT DU SKI.

Il fait de la luge.

IL FAIT DE LA LUGE.

En hiver, on peut aussi faires des bonhommes de neige.

UN BONHOMME DE NEIGE

Et en hiver, on peut aussi faire des boules de neige.

UNE BOULE DE NEIGE

Et des boules de neige Elle fait des boules de neige.

ELLE FAIT DES BOULES DE NEIGE.

En hiver, il fait froid ! « gla gla gla ! » Pour avoir chaud, on fait du feu dans la cheminée.

Une cheminée Mais une cheminée, c’est aussi ça.

UNE CHEMINÉE

Pour avoir chaud, on fait du feu.

FAIRE DU FEU

Faire du feu pour avoir chaud. Et boire un chocolat chaud.

Et toi ! Qu’aimes-tu faire en hiver ? Faire du patin à glace ? Faire du ski ? De la luge ? Ou des boules de neige ? Un bonhomme de neige ?

Dis-le-moi dans les commentaires sous la vidéo !

Si tu as aimé cette vidéo, mets un like , inscris-toi à ma chaîne youtube .

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French Lesson – Seasons Winter (French Vocabulary)

Learn to talk about seasons in French

Updated: March 13, 2021 by Mylene in French Vocabulary Array  ▪ English Français  

Learn the vocabulary related to seasons in French, along with their contextual use in the daily spoken French. In addition, you can listen to the audio recordings to hear how the seasons are pronounced in French.

In this post, you’ll learn:

• The seasons of the year in French
• How to pronounce seasons in French

Different seasons in different contexts

After all, learning the names of the seasons is a basic part of learning a new language, as featured in our beginner’s guide to learning French vocabulary . Now let us discover all the names of the seasons in French.

What are the seasons of the year in French?

You already know that a year has 4 seasons. A season is “une saison” in French. In the plural, a silent s is added at the end of the word. For example, les 4 saisons (the 4 seasons). Here is the list of the seasons of the year in French.

Which months are in each season?

A quick reminder about the months in French . There are 12 months in a year:

• Janvier (January)
• Février (February)
• Mars (Mars)
• Avril (April)
• Juin (June)
• Juillet (July)
• Août (August)
• Septembre (September)
• Octobre (October)
• Novembre (November)
• Décembre (December)

The winter is l’hiver. It lasts from December, January, February, and March.

Spring is le printemps. It includes the following months: March, April, May, and June.

Summer is l’été. Summer’s months are June, July, August, and September.

Fall is l’automne. The fall includes September, October, November, and December. This season is also known as the autumn season.

Quick tip: En vs. Au

Use the preposition “en” to say:

• in winter: en hiver
• in fall: en automne
• in summer: en été

As for spring, use the preposition “au” as follows:

• in spring: au printemps

Gender and seasons in French

The word “saisons” is masculine in French :

• Le printemps, un printemps

When le is used before the seasons  in French, it’s reduced to l’ as the next letter is either a vowel or an -h:

Spring (Printemps)

Spring is the season when nature awakens. With the first blooms of the season, nature is colorful and flourishing.

Easter is in Spring and is celebrated in many ways. Besides religious traditions, kids will get their Chasse aux oeufs (hunt for eggs) and chocolate-lovers will get wonderful chocolate sculptures of eggs, fish, chickens, and rabbits, among others.

Spring season translates to printemps in French. The season of spring is from March 21-June 21. 

Labor Day, La Fête du Travail ( check the video here ), another major public holiday in the French Calendar, is celebrated in France on the first of May.

Summer (Été)

By the sea or in the mountains, France is a great place to spend your summer vacation and, humbly, one of the most visited countries in the world.

Check the map of the  most visited countries in the world . C’est les vacances!!

Summer is from June 21 to September 21. It is called été in French. The sunny season is traditionally the right time to take well-deserved holidays.

For tourism, July and August are the summer’s high-season periods in France. In the middle of summer, France celebrates Bastille day on July 14th.

Vive la France!

Fireworks, military parades, concerts, and balls are how French people celebrate their national day.

If you’re learning about seasons in French, you’ll want to learn about asking and telling time in French .

Fall (Automne)

Temperatures tend to become moderate, but it is not unusual that days in September remain quite warm as part of what the French call an “Indian summer”.

After all, nothing signals the arrival of fall quite like the changing colors. Autumn’s colors are often various shades of yellow (jaune), orange (orange), purple (violet), and red (rouge). Read our article to learn more about colors in French .

Fall (autumn) is from September 21-December 21 and it is the back-to-school season. In French, la saison d’automne means the fall season. 

As for the celebrations in France, Halloween is one of them accompanying All Saints’ Day on the first of November. 

Winter (Hiver)

Winter is the coldest time of the year in terms of temperature. Snow is usually expected in many regions of France and is a great time for winter sports lovers.

With hundreds of ski resorts in France, choosing which one to pick might not be easy.

Winter is called hiver in French. The season of winter is from December 21-March 21. 

Christmas is celebrated in France during the winter season. On January 1st, a new year is welcomed with a lot of hope and new resolutions. Valentine’s day on the 14th of February is an important celebration of love for couples in France as well as all over the world.

Find out how to improve your French this winter with Master Your French.

How to pronounce seasons in French?

Now that you know the French seasons, you can start the pronunciation exercise.

Below are the audio recordings of the names of the four seasons of the year in French.

Listen to learn then repeat to master the pronunciation of French seasons.

Click to listen to the audios:

In addition to seasons of the year in the context of the weather, “une saison”  in French can be used to describe a specific event that occurs over a defined period. Here are a few examples:

La saison des vendanges

La saison des fruits et des légumes, la saison touristique, la saison sportive.

Let’s see together the details of each season.

La saison des vendanges is the time when grapes are harvested. France is famous for its wine (vin). Different regions in France have different harvest times (saison des vendanges). I live in Bourgogne (Burgundy) so the harvest season typically falls between September and October. But why is it the best saison to harvest grapes? The time of harvest is determined by the ripeness of the grape, the weather…

La saison des fruits et des légumes is getting more traction since a few years. Nowadays, in France, we are encouraged to choose les légumes de saison (seasonal vegetables)  and les fruits de saison (seasonal fruits). So that we consume local vegetables and fruits!

During the summer (July, and August), we’re talking about “ la saison touristique ” in French (touristic season). If you want to visit the South of France, my only advice is to try to avoid the touristic season!!! Prices are often higher, compared to other times of the year, and there are so many people!!! If your lifestyle allows you to travel other times of the year you’ll be able to enjoy this beautiful region by yourself.

La saison sportive refers to the sports season. Many people are interested in different sports. if you’re interested in a or more sports, you know that there is a sports season for each Sport (Skating in Winter or Beach soccer in Summer, for example).

More seasons than you’ve imagined!

La saison des soldes . That means the sales season. In France, we usually have “la saison des soldes” in January and in July for 6 weeks.

Les vêtements de saison . In winter, people tend to wear warm clothes. Seasons define the way how people dress, and this is why we talk about seasonal clothes.

La saison d’une série . Episodes of a TV show that are released at regular intervals.

La saison des foins . The haymaking season. There is usually about a two-week “window” of time in which grass is at its ideal stage for harvesting hay.

Summary of the lesson

Although that one paragraph and a few lines about every season are never enough to describe a season, I hope that the explanations in this article will help you better understand the main characteristics of France’s unique seasons.

In this lesson, we reviewed the list of seasons in French. Let us recall what we have learned.

• There are 4 seasons in a year: Hiver, Printemps, Eté, Automne.
• We explored how the word season is used in different contexts in the French language.
• You have access to the audio to learn how to pronounce months and seasons in French.

Now that you master the seasons in French, it’s important to keep improving your French level. As a next step, you can explore more French words as part of our French vocabulary list . 

And for more videos, check out Master Your French on  YouTube .

Common French greetings to learn and mistakes to avoid

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French Seasons of the Year

By: Author David Issokson

Posted on Published: September 13, 2012  - Last updated: May 20, 2024

The four seasons in French are: le printemps (pronounced pʀɛ̃tɑ̃, l’été (pronouced ete), l’automne (pronounced ɔtɔn) and l’hiver pronounced (ivɛʀ). This post will cover the correct ways to pronounce the seasons, which prepositions to use, as well as example sentences and expressions.

Four seasons in French in a nutshell:

• le printemps spring / au printemps in the spring
• l’été summer / en été in the summer
• l’automne fall, autumn / en automne in the fall, in autumn
• l’hiver winter / en hiver in the winter

Le Printemps – Spring

In French, “spring” is “le printemps” . The pronunciation of this word is a bit difficult. The “in” is a nasal “ɛ̃” and the “emps” is a nasal “ɑ̃”. Do not pronounce the -p or the -s. Our friend, Julien, on YouTube explains how to pronounce “printemps” . This lesson on our site covers printemps in detail.

Talking about spring in sentences

The word “printemps” is masculine. Thus, it’s “le printemps” . When speaking about spring in the general sense, “le” (the) must precede the noun. For example:

• J’adore le printemps! I love (the) springtime!.

To say, “in the spring”, “in springtime”, the word “printemps” takes the preposition “au”. For example:

• Que faites-vous au printemps? What are you doing in the springtime?
• Il commence a faire beau au printemps. The weather gets nice out in the spring.

To say “this” spring, “printemps” is preceded by “ce” . For example:

• On part en vacances ce printemps. We’re going on vacation this spring.

“Ce” is a demonstrative adjective, meaning “this”. This page on our site covers demonstrative adjectives in detail .

A fun French expression with the word “printemps” is: “Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps” , meaning “One swallow does not make a summer”.

L’été – summer

The French word for “summer” is “été” . The pronunciation is quite simple: ay-tay. “Été” s a masculine noun. Note that “été” is also the past participle of the verb “être” (to be). Hence, “été” in French also means “was” or “been”. This lesson on our site covers “été” in detail.

In the following video, Julien on YouTube teaches how to pronounce “été “.

Talking about summer in sentences

When speaking about the summer in general, “été” takes the direct article “l'” . Hence, l’été means “the summer”. For example:

• J’aime l’été parce qu’il fait beau. I like (the) summer because it’s nice out.

To express “during the summer” or “in the summer”, “été” is preceded by the preposition “en” . For example:

• En été, on va à la plage. People go to the beach during the summer.

To say “this” summer, “été” is preceded by “cet” . For example:

• Qu’est-ce que tu vas faire cet été? What are you going to do this summer?

“ L’heure d’été “ refers to daylight saving time, the time of the year when the clocks are moved one hour ahead. “Passage à l’heure d’été” refers to the act of putting the clocks forward in the springtime.

L’automne – fall, autumn

The French word for “fall” or “autumn” is “l’automne” . Unlike English were the -m is pronounced, the -n is pronounced in French. Hence, if you end the word with the -m sound in French, it’s wrong. The correct pronunciation is “oh-tun”.

Julien on YouTube teaches how to pronounce “l’automne” .

Talking about the fall (autumn)

“Automne” is masculine noun and is preceded with the article “l'” to mean “the fall (autumn)”. For example:

• J’adore les couleurs de l’auto mne. I love the colors of (the) fall.

To say “in the fall” or “in autumn”, the French word “automne” is preceded by the preposition “en”. For example.

• Les cours commencent en automne. Classes start in the fall.

To express “this fall”, “automne” is preceded by “cet”. For example:

• Je prépare mon voyage cet automne. I’m preparing for my trip this fall.

L’hiver – winter

The French word for winter is “hiver” . The -h is a silent or aspirated and not pronounced at all. Hence, the pronunciation is “ee-ver”. You must pronounce the -r. Julien on YouTube teaches how to pronounce “hiver” in the following video.

Talking about the winter

To talk about the winter in the general sense, the word “hiver” is preceded by “l'” . For example:

• J’aime l’hiver pour faire du ski. I like the winter for skiing,

To say “in the winter” or “during the winter”, the word “hiver” is preceded by “en” . For example:

• Il fait froid en hiver. It’s cold out during the winter (in wintertime).

“ L’heure d’hiver “ refers to the time of the year when the clocks are put back by one hour. “Passage à l’heure d’hiver” is the act of putting the clocks back.

Seasons in French – Conclusion

On this page you learned the seasons in French. All four seasons are masculine take the preposition en , with the exception of le printemps (spring), which takes au . The following table offers the names of the seasons as well as their respective dates.

Discover more:

• How to tell time in French
• French weather vocabulary

More resources:

• How to talk about the seasons in French (Frenchtoday.com)

See all French vocabulary lists

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David Issokson

David Issokson is a lifelong language enthusiast. His head is swimming with words and sounds as he speaks over six languages. Of all the languages he speaks, he's the most passionate about French! David has helped hundreds of students to improve their French in his private online lessons. When procrastinating working on FrenchLearner, David enjoys his time skiing and hiking in Teton Valley, Idaho.

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Vocab for Surviving a French Winter Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Feb 23, 2015 in Vocabulary

En écrivant ce poste à New York pendant un hiver particulièrement brutale, je me suis dit « Allez, je vais faire un poste sur la neige, la froideur, et tout le reste. »

Looking out my window today, I see about two feet of snow on the ground and frozen branches on bare trees. My car thermometer today registered only 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15 Celsius). I know I shouldn’t be complaining – my close friend in Minnesota has dealt with much worse this winter – but I still can’t wait for the warmth of spring.

In honor of this cold and seemingly endless winter, here are some paragraphs in French (with highlighted vocabulary) to highlight the beauty of the season:

A Paris, nous ne voyons pas souvent de la neige .  Des fois, il y a des flocons de neige mais pas d’accumulation.  En plus, souvent les saisons ici sont plus douces que les saisons au nord des Etats-Unis.  On ne voit jamais des bonhommes de neige dans les rue parisiennes !

En hiver , il faut sortir avec un manteau lourd , des gants , des bottes , un foulard , et un chapeau .  Avec ces vêtements, on reste tout chaud dehors même quand il fait moins zéro degrés!

Moi, j’aime le congé d’hiver . Chaque année je pars aux alpes pour faire du ski . Je fais souvent du ski alpin , mais des fois j’essaie faire du ski de fond . Mais, bien sûr, je mets toujours un casque et un masque de ski .

I want to allow you to try to translate the above paragraphs as best as you can. If you have any questions, include them in the comments below.

Here’s the list of winter vocabulary to help:

La neige – snow

Les flocons de neige – snowflakes

Les saisons – seasons

Les bonhommes de neige – snowmen

L’hiver – winter

Un manteau (lourd) – a (heavy) jacket

Les gants – gloves

Les bottes – boots

Un foulard – a scarf

Un chapeau – a hat

Le congé d’hiver – winter break

Faire du ski – to ski

Le ski alpin – downhill skiing

Le ski de fond – cross-country skiing

Un casque de ski – ski helmet

Un masque de ski – ski goggles

Restez au chaud, tout le monde !

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About the Author: Elizabeth Schmermund

Bonjour tout le monde! I'm a freelance writer, doctoral student, mom, and Francophile. I'm excited to share some of my experiences living in France, as well as the cultural nuances that I've learned being married to a Frenchman, with all of you. To find out more about me, feel free to check out my website at http://www.imaginistwriter.com. A la prochaine!

• le bonhomme de neige snowman
• la luge sled
• la stalactite de glace icicle
• la neige snow
• la boule de neige snowball
• le télésiège ski lift
• le patin à glace ice skate
• le snowboard snowboard
• l’ours blanc (masculine) polar bear

More Exercises on this Topic

Reading comprehension.

• Les vacances d’hiver (Topic: Winter)
• L’hiver : froid, glace, neige, ours

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Last Updated:  12 January 2023

All there is to know about Winter in France

Winter in France is often considered the country’s least popular season for tourism.

This is the coldest season of the year when gloomy and rough weather forces the vegetation into a well-earned pause. Trees are leafless, their trunks of a darkish-grey colour, and depending on the sky, snow and ice cover entire regions, disrupting human activity.

Once the cheerful Christmas and New Year’s celebrations have gone, the long months of January and February are not a season one particularly anticipates in Europe. However, they are many light-hearted celebrations and events happening to cheer everyone up.

Winter in France: the calendar

Officially the season of Winter starts on the 21st of December and ends on the 20th of March of the following year.

Winter officially starts on 21 December in Europe, the Winter solstice date, and ends on 20 March the following year. For meteorologists and many French people, Winter runs from approximately 1 December to the beginning of March. Although most of December officially belongs to Autumn , the last month of the year is often thought to be part of Winter because cold and snow occur throughout the country.

With the start of Winter comes the festive season of Christmas  and New Year , commonly referred to in French as “les fêtes de fin d’années”.

Winter Calendar:

• Four Sundays before Christmas – Advent  (l’Avent)
• 21 December – beginning of Winter
• 25 December – Christmas (Noël)
• 1 January – New Year’s Day
• 6 January – Epiphany (l’Épiphanie)
• January-beginning of February – Les Soldes d’Hiver. The big retail sales in January and February. There are only two major sales periods in France whose dates are regulated by the French government: just after Christmas and in July.
• 2 February – Candlemas (la Chandeleur)
• 14 February – Valentine’s Day (la Saint-Valentin)
• February or March – Shrove Tuesday and the Carnivals (Mardi-Gras et les carnavals)
• 21 March – the start of Spring

Winter: a bit of (art) history

According to art historian Erwin Panofsky (1892-1968), the first wintry scene ever depicted in the history of painting dates from the 1410s.

It is part of the most famous French Gothic manuscript illumination Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry . The collection is possibly the best surviving example of its kind. The book is on display at the Musée Condé, Chantilly .

Another early winter landscapes date from 1565. Dutch artist Pieter Bruegel painted The Hunters in the Snow. On a calm, cold, overcast day, three hunters and their dogs return from an expedition with a poor catch, a single fox dangling from a spear. The painting is displayed at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria.

Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Europe underwent a Little Ice Age. Many factors could explain this climate change: volcanic ash blocking solar radiation, cyclical solar radiation levels, changes in the ocean circulation, variations in Earth’s orbit and axial tilt…

We know, for instance, that encroaching glaciers caused the destruction of farms and villages in the valley of Chamonix  during the mid-17th century.

Rivers and lakes in France were frequently frozen deeply enough to support ice skating and winter festivals.

In 1693-1694, famines in France claimed roughly 10 per cent of the country’s population.

The first snowmen

The earliest documentation on medieval snowmen (1380) is on display in the Koninklijke Bibliotheek in The Hague.

The earliest known photograph of a snowman dates back to 1853. Taken by Welsh photographer Mary Dillwyn, the original is kept at the National Library of Wales.

Great Italian artist Michelangelo also worked on a snowman ( bonhomme de neige in French) in Florence in 1494.

When we lived in the French Alps, we did our snowmen too. Here, in a field near Annecy :

And in our backyard in the alpine village of Granier , Savoie:

The weather in Winter

The average temperatures are often just below zero and can go up to a maximum of ten degrees in the afternoon.

Winter can be harsh in some mountainous parts of France. In the Jura Mountains, a record of -41°C was recorded in 1985 in the little town of Mouthe.

On the opposite, the coastal towns of Corsica can enjoy average temperatures of 9°C during Winter.

In Provence , the mistral is a strong, cold, dry wind originating from the Alps that blows in Winter for periods of only a few days up to a couple of weeks.

In Paris , sunshine is rare, but the sea’s closeness means that temperatures are generally above freezing (around 7°C). For a few nights, temperatures can go down to – 5°C.

Often Winter is associated with snow, but it appears more rarely on the plains in the South of the Loire and Paris. However, snowfalls are abundant in mountain areas, particularly in the Alps and the Pyrenees . The first snow of winter can cause massive transport disruption in a region.

I particularly like admiring the snow turning a familiar landscape into a fantastic winter wonderland .

The Winter solstice occurs on the first day of the season (21 December). It is the day of the year that has the fewest hours of daylight. The solstice is closely associated with Christmas  with the meaning of rebirth with the hope of the coming of the better days of spring.

Visiting France in Winter

Visiting sites and monuments in France is ideal in Winter as it is a low touristic season.

During Winter in France, people on vacation will choose between cool winter sports in the mountains and mild Mediterranean destinations.

During your exploration, you may be surprised by the beauty and harshness of Winter in France!

Winter in the mountains

The country’s mountains are the best places to be to unfold the wonders of winter in France! There, you can walk through the snow, marvelling at the unique design of each snowflake.

The Winter sports season occurs in January and February in the Alps  and the Pyrenees . Millions of people come to France in Winter as the country has some of the world’s top resorts. A wide range of activities are possible: downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, dog sledging, ice climbing and ice rappelling.

France has more than 400 ski resorts across the six main mountain ranges: the Alps , Corsica , the Jura, the Massif Central, the Pyrenees  and the Vosges .

Some of the largest connected ski areas in the world are found in the French Alps :

• Les Trois Vallées (Courchevel, Méribel, Les Menuires, and Val Thorens ): 338 slopes, 600 km.
• Portes du Soleil (Avoriaz, Châtel, Morzine, and Abondance): 288 slopes, 650 km.
• Paradiski ( La Plagne , Peisey-Vallandry, Les Arcs): 239 slopes, 420 km.
• Évasion Mont-Blanc (Megève, Saint-Gervais, Les Contamines Monjoie): 183 slopes, 420 km.
• Espace Killy (Tignes, Val-d’Isère): 137 slopes, 300 km.
• Les Grandes Rousses (L’Alpe d’Huez): 117 slopes, 236 km.
• Les Deux Alpes and La Grave: 69 slopes, 220 km.

Ski resorts in the Alps are bustling during the February school holidays, and accommodation can be costly and should be planned well in advance.

Winter by the sea

Winter in france: english-french vocabulary.

(f) for féminin, (m) for masculin, (adj) for adjective and (v) for verbs

• Advent = Avent (m)
• Autumn = automne (m)
• Candlemas = chandeleur (f)
• carnival = carnaval (m)
• Christmas = Noël
• December = décembre
• Epiphany = épiphanie (f)
• fall = automne (m)
• February = février
• French Riviera = Côte d’Azur (f)
• March = mars
• mountain = montagne (f)
• New Year’s Day = Nouvel An / Jour de l’An (m)
• resort = station (f)
• sales = soldes (f,p)
• season = saison (f)
• Shrove Tuesday = Mardi-Gras (m)
• to ski = skier (v)
• ski resort = station de sports d’hiver (f)
• sky = ciel (m)
• snow = neige (f)
• to snow = neiger (v)
• solstice = solstice (m)
• Spring = printemps (m)
• temperature = température (f)
• tree = arbre (m)
• Valentine’s Day = Saint-Valentin (f)
• weather = temps (m) / météo (f)
• Winter = hiver (m)
• Winter in France = l’hiver en France

Read more about Winter in France on  our French blog .

Holidays and Celebrations in France

Learn more about the seasons, celebrations and public holidays in France:

About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

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The Language Nook – Le coin langues

Winter is magic. Learn now a few French words about winter!

by Yolaine Bodin | 19 Feb 2016 | English-French Vocabulary

Winter is magic, winter is cold. Winter is the season where days are short and we spend more time indoors. And yet, the vocabulary we use when we talk about winter has mostly to do with the weather and what’s going on outdoors.

Is it too cold? Are you freezing because of the blizzard? Are snow and sleet common where you live?

Have ice and snowdrifts cast their white cloak on your way to a ski resort? Do you mind fine hail at all? How do you feel when wintry weather settles over your country?

How many words do you know to talk about winter in French? Do you already know the ones in this list?

• hiver, neige, glace, froid, gel, givre, grésil, frimas, neige fondue, poudreuse, glacial, bise, congère…

Blizzard is the only word that is the same as in English, but the pronunciation is different of course since you shouldn’t pronounce the final d and pronounce the last syllable clearly with a French “ar” sound.

Hiver, froid, gel, givre, grésil and frimas are masculine ; you say un hiver, le froid, le gel, le givre, le grésil and le frimas, although this last one is mostly used in its plural form. This is a word you will find more easily in poetry than in everyday French.

New in the Language Nook

• savoir v. connaître
• Especially or specially?
• Paraître, apparaître and disparaître: être or avoir verbs?
• en or dans + duration

5 different ways to say Happy New Year

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Winter activities in French 🏂

• Posted in French vocabulary
• by A Cup of French®
• ‧ 0 comments

Les sports d’hiver

• la luge = sledge
• faire de la luge = to go sledging
• le snowboard = snowboard
• faire du snowboard = to go snowboarding
• le ski (alpin) = downhill skiing
• faire du ski (alpin) = to go downhill skiing
• le ski de fond = cross-country skiing
• faire du ski de fond = to go/do cross-country skiing
• le hockey sur glace = ice hockey
• faire du hockey sur glace = to play ice hockey
• le patin (à glace) = an ice skate
• faire du patin = to go ice skating

Pour parler des activités que l’on fait en hiver , on utilise souvent le verbe FAIRE  suivi de l’article partitif (du, de la, de l’, des).

To talk about winter activities in French, we often use the verb FAIRE followed by the  partitive  article (du, de la , de l’, des) .

On peut aussi utiliser ces verbes :

You can also use these verbs:

• skier = to ski, go skiing
• patiner = to skate
• jouer au hockey = to play ice hockey

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Tags: Activities , Beginner , Sports , Verbs , Winter

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Clothing vocabulary in French: winter

Brr! It’s cold outside and our petits choux are discovering the various articles of clothing they need to keep warm during the winter. I introduced many of these items in the Clothing vocabulary in French – autumn/fall blog post, but since repetition is key for our little ones, using the French terms as they get ready each morning will help them remember and repeat the new words they are learning.

Related: Clothing vocabulary in French: spring

Related: French summer vocabulary: clothing and seasonal items

Les vêtements d’hiver  – winter clothing

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Hat – un chapeau

The most common winter hat is the beanie or un bonnet , which keeps their head nice and toasty.

In Canada, the term “ tuque ” is commonly used.

Coat – un manteau

Pants – un pantalon

mittens – des moufles (feminine)

What’s the difference between moufles , mitaines , and gants ?

Gants (masculine) refer to gloves , so each finger is covered separately.

In France, moufles refer to mittens , so while the thumb is separated, the rest of the fingers are together. Mitaines (feminine) refer to gloves that leave the top parts of the fingers bare.

In Quebec, the term mitaines is used to mean mittens .

sweater – un pull

What’s the difference between pull and chandail ?

They both mean sweater. Chandail is more commonly used in Canada.

Pull (from the English word “pullover”) is more frequently used in other francophone areas.

You may also hear the word tricot , which refers to knitted sweaters.

socks – des chaussettes

Note that in Québec, the word bas refers to socks, but it means stockings in other francophone countries.

earmuffs – un cache-oreilles

scarf – une écharpe

Boots – des bottes

Verbs for getting dressed/undressed in French

Here are some verbs that will come in handy when your kids are getting dressed/undressed:

To get dressed – s’habiller

To get undressed – se déshabiller

To put on – mettre

To wear – porter

To take off – enlever, retirer

Clothing vocabulary in French: video

Here’s a fun video that you can watch with your kids to practice their listening skills:

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• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Translation of hiver – French–English dictionary

(Translation of hiver from the GLOBAL French-English Dictionary © 2018 K Dictionaries Ltd)

Translation of hiver | PASSWORD French-English Dictionary

(Translation of hiver from the PASSWORD French-English Dictionary © 2014 K Dictionaries Ltd)

Examples of hiver

Word of the Day

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any of the rods that join the edge of a wheel to its centre, so giving the wheel its strength

Worse than or worst of all? How to use the words ‘worse’ and ‘worst’

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50+ French Vacation Words and Phrases (With Audio)

Whether you enjoy the feel of seawater and hot sand or the crisp mountain air, there’s nothing like a relaxing vacation.

However you choose to vacation, wouldn’t you love to do it all in French?

Here are 50+ useful French vacation vocabulary words and phrases , with example sentences so you can use them correctly in context.

So grab that passport and let’s get started!

French Vacation Vocabulary for a Smooth Trip

Talking about vacation plans, vacation accommodation, modes of transport, vacation activities, tips to learn vacation vocabulary, drill flashcards before your trip, visualize the vocabulary, watch authentic french videos, start using the words in your own sentences, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

This topic will require you to get comfortable with some basic interrogatives in French .

Common questions and answers

• où ? (where?)
• quand ? (when?)
• avec qui ? (with whom?)
• Comment voyages-tu ? (How are you traveling?)
• Je vais au / à la…  (I’m going to…)
• pendant (during)

Vacation seasons

• les vacances de Noël ( Christmas vacation )
• les vacances d’été ( summer vacation , also known as les grandes vacances )
• les vacances d’hiver ( winter vacation )
• les vacances de printemps ( spring vacation )
• les vacances de la Toussaint ( fall vacation ; All Saints)

Example sentences

Où vas-tu en vacances ? (Where are you going on vacation?)

Je vais à la plage / à la montagne / à l’étranger. (I’m going to the beach/to the mountains/overseas.)

Quand iras-tu en vacances ? (When will you go on vacation?)

Je voyagerai pendant les vacances d’été. (I will travel during the summer vacation.)

Avec qui allez-vous voyager / vas-tu voyager ? (Who are you going to travel with?)

Places people stay on vacation

• un hôtel (a hotel)
• une auberge de jeunesse (a youth hostel)
• un club de vacances (a resort)
• un camping (a camping ground)
• un appartement (an apartment)
• un gîte (a holiday home/cottage)
• une chambre d’hôtes (a bed and breakfast)

Phrases for making a reservation

• Je voudrais une chambre (I would like a room…)
• salle de bains (bathroom)
• pour une / deux / trois / quatre personnes   (for one/two/three/four people)
• du… au… (from [date] to [date])

Je voudrais une chambre pour deux personnes avec salle de bains du 5 août au 12 août. (I would like a room for two with a bathroom from August 5 to August 12.)

Pour mes vacances, je vais loger dans un hôtel. (For my vacation I am going to stay in a hotel.)

Je logerai dans une auberge de jeunesse. (I will stay in a youth hostel.)

L’année dernière, j’ai logé dans un camping. (Last year, I stayed in a camping ground.)

Getting to your destination

• en avion (by plane)
• l’aéroport (airport)
• en bateau (by boat)
• en train (by train)
• la gare (the station)
• le billet (the ticket)
• aller-retour (round trip)

Getting around your vacation spot

• en métro (by subway)
• en bus (by bus) 
• en taxi (by taxi)
• à pied (on foot)

Comment vas-tu en Belgique ? En avion ou en train ? (How are you going to Belgium? By plane or by train ?)

Où est l’aéroport, s’il vous plaît ? (Where is the airport, please?)

Je cherche la gare. (I am looking for the train station .)

À quelle heure est le départ de l’avion ? (What time does the plane leave?)

Combien coûte le billet pour Nice ? (How much does the ticket to Nice cost?)

Je voudrais un aller-retour pour le train qui va à Marseille. (I would like a return ticket on the train going to Marseille.)

This topic is a great opportunity to pick up common French nouns and verbs . There are hundreds of activities that you can add to your vocabulary list. Some common ones include:

• faire de la planche à voile (to windsurf)
• faire du lèche-vitrine (to go window-shopping )
• bronzer (to suntan)
• aller au restaurant (to go to the restaurant)
• nager (to swim)
• faire du ski (to ski)
• faire une randonnée (to go hiking)
• faire du vélo (to cycle)
• visiter des monuments / des musées (to visit monuments/museums)
• participer à une visite guidée (to join a guided tour)

Try to use this vocabulary with different tenses!

Aujourd’hui, je voudrais aller à la plage pour bronzer. (Today, I would like to go to the beach to suntan.)

Hier, je suis allé(e) faire du vélo en montagne. (Yesterday, I went cycling in the mountains.)

Demain, j’irai au restaurant avec mes amis. (Tomorrow, I will go to the restaurant with my friends.)

One of the best parts of going on a holiday in France is getting to eat out and sample food. So, food vocabulary should be in the cards. We’ll give you the basics for a vacation— for an in-depth guide to restaurant vocabulary in French, check out this article.

• le repas (the meal)
• le petit déjeuner (breakfast)
• le déjeuner (lunch)
• le dîner (dinner)
• la salle à manger (the dining room)
• le restaurant (restaurant)
• Qu’est-ce que vous recommandez aujourd’hui ? (What do you recommend today?)
• le plat du jour (today’s special)
• Je voudrais… (I would like…)
• L’addition, s’il vous plaît. (The check, please.)

À quelle heure est le petit déjeuner ? (What time is breakfast ?)

Comme dessert, je voudrais la crème caramel. (For dessert, I would like the crème caramel.)

Recommandez-vous le plat du jour ? (Do you recommend today’s special?)

Je voudrais des escargots. (I would like some snails.)

Make flashcards for the words above and go through them periodically before your trip. You don’t even need to carry around a stack of index cards—there are apps like Quizlet for creating flashcards online and even playing games to test yourself.

French vacation words tend to be highly visual, so consider  making mind maps , or visual diagrams that represent the words you want to learn. There are many examples of mind map templates online.

You can also create a memory palace . The idea of this memorization device is to visualize a location—say, your childhood home—and populate it with the relevant vocabulary. For example, you could visualize a building and each hallway, room or object would be associated with a word you wish to remember.

It’s a great technique for visual learners to create context for seemingly isolated terms.

The best way to remember any new French vocabulary is to learn it in context. And one of the best ways to do that is to watch videos in French from French sources. You can easily find French TV shows and movies on streaming services like Netflix. If you prefer shorter videos, you can find French videos about all sorts of topics on YouTube.

FluentU is another way to hear French how it’s spoken in actual French-speaking regions. It’s a language learning program that uses authentic videos with interactive subtitles as the core of its lessons, along with active learning features like flashcards and quizzes.

The videos on FluentU are sorted by topic, so you can easily find media that’s related to travel, such as news clips about French vacation habits or video tours of French open-air hotels.

You’ll be using the words and phrases below with real French speakers throughout your vacation. So, why not start practicing now?

For example, don’t just learn the word nager (to swim). Start creating sentences, like:

Où est la plage ? J’aimerais nager cet après-midi. (Where is the beach? I would like to swim this afternoon.)

Savez-vous nager ? (Do you know how to swim?)

To ensure your own sentences actually make sense, you can use a grammar checker like Bon Patron . 

Now that you’ve used all the tools and resources at your fingertips and you’ve prepared everything for your vacation, you’re ready to go.

Use your new vocabulary as often as you can and you’ll become good at communicating and recognizing repeated words.

Bonnes vacances ! (Have a good vacation!)

FluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:

FluentU brings native French videos with reach. With interactive captions, you can tap on any word to see an image, definition and useful examples.

For example, if you tap on the word "crois," you'll see this:

Practice and reinforce all the vocabulary you've learned in a given video with learn mode. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning, and play the mini-games found in our dynamic flashcards, like "fill in the blank."

All throughout, FluentU tracks the vocabulary that you’re learning and uses this information to give you a totally personalized experience. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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The fall is definitely Laëtitia's favorite season! Listen to her (many) reasons in the fun bilingual article below to practise your French A1 reading and listening comprehension.

After listening to the audio, click any word for the English translation and links to related grammar lessons.

• Kwiziq interactive readers are great way to practice your reading skills without getting lost. Click on any phrase for the English translation and related French grammar lessons , that you can study now or add to your Notebook." data-tooltip-theme="tooltipster-generic" data-tooltip-interactive="true">What's this?
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Guest Essay

Melinda French Gates: The Enemies of Progress Play Offense. I Want to Help Even the Match.

By Melinda French Gates

Ms. French Gates is a philanthropist and the founder of the charitable organization Pivotal.

Many years ago, I received this piece of advice: “Set your own agenda, or someone else will set it for you.” I’ve carried those words with me ever since.

That’s why, next week, I will leave the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , of which I was a co-founder almost 25 years ago, to open a new chapter in my philanthropy. To begin, I am announcing $1 billion in new spending over the next two years for people and organizations working on behalf of women and families around the world, including on reproductive rights in the United States.

In nearly 20 years as an advocate for women and girls, I have learned that there will always be people who say it’s not the right time to talk about gender equality. Not if you want to be relevant. Not if you want to be effective with world leaders (most of them men). The second the global agenda gets crowded, women and girls fall off.

It’s frustrating and shortsighted. Decades of research on economics , well-being and governance make it clear that investing in women and girls benefits everyone. We know that economies with women’s full participation have more room to grow. That women’s political participation is associated with decreased corruption. That peace agreements are more durable when women are involved in writing them. That reducing the time women spend in poor health could add as much as $1 trillion to the global economy by 2040.

And yet, around the world, women are seeing a tremendous upsurge in political violence and other threats to their safety, in conflict zones where rape is used as a tool of war, in Afghanistan where the Taliban takeover has erased 20 years of progress for women and girls, in many low-income countries where the number of acutely malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women is soaring.

In the United States, maternal mortality rates continue to be unconscionable , with Black and Native American mothers at highest risk. Women in 14 states have lost the right to terminate a pregnancy under almost any circumstances. We remain the only advanced economy without any form of national paid family leave. And the number of teenage girls experiencing suicidal thoughts and persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness is at a decade high.

Despite the pressing need, only about 2 percent of charitable giving in the United States goes to organizations focused on women and girls, and only about half a percentage point goes to organizations focused on women of color specifically.

When we allow this cause to go so chronically underfunded, we all pay the cost. As shocking as it is to contemplate, my 1-year-old granddaughter may grow up with fewer rights than I had.

Over the past few weeks, as part of the $1 billion in new funding I’m committing to these efforts, I have begun directing new grants through my organization, Pivotal, to groups working in the United States to protect the rights of women and advance their power and influence. These include the National Women’s Law Center, the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the Center for Reproductive Rights.

While I have long focused on improving contraceptive access overseas, in the post-Dobbs era, I now feel compelled to support reproductive rights here at home. For too long, a lack of money has forced organizations fighting for women's rights into a defensive posture while the enemies of progress play offense. I want to help even the match.

I’m also experimenting with novel tactics to bring a wider range of perspectives into philanthropy. Recently, I offered 12 people whose work I admire their own $20 million grant-making fund to distribute as he or she sees fit. That group — which includes the former prime minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, the athlete and maternal-health advocate Allyson Felix, and an Afghan champion of girls’ education, Shabana Basij-Rasikh — represents a wide range of expertise and experience. I’m eager to see the landscape of funding opportunities through their eyes, and the results their approaches unlock.

In the fall, I will introduce a $250 million initiative focused on improving the mental and physical health of women and girls globally. By issuing an open call to grass-roots organizations beyond the reach of major funders, I hope to lift up groups with personal connections to the issues they work on. People on the front lines should get the attention and investment they deserve, including from me.

As a young woman, I could never have imagined that one day I would be part of an effort like this. Because I have been given this extraordinary opportunity, I am determined to do everything I can to seize it and to set an agenda that helps other women and girls set theirs, too.

Melinda French Gates is a philanthropist and the founder of Pivotal, a charitable, investment and advocacy organization.

Source photographs by Bryan Bedder, filipfoto, and Westend61, via Getty Images.

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