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Questions & Answers about La nuit, il fait froid.
What does the sentence "La nuit, il fait froid." mean in English?
It translates to "At night, it is cold." The sentence states that during the nighttime, the temperature is low.
Why is the impersonal pronoun il used in the sentence even though it doesn't refer to a specific person or thing?
In French, weather expressions use the impersonal pronoun il. It functions as a dummy subject and does not refer to a particular entity. Instead, it sets up the statement about the weather conditions in a general way.
Why is the verb faire used in this expression instead of the verb être?
French has many idiomatic expressions for weather that use faire (e.g., il fait chaud for "it's hot" or il fait du vent for "it's windy"). This usage emphasizes the state or quality of the weather rather than a simple state of being, which is why il fait froid is the standard way to say "it is cold."
What is the role of La nuit in the sentence, and why is it placed at the beginning?
La nuit is an adverbial phrase indicating when the weather is cold. Placing it at the beginning of the sentence emphasizes the time frame, setting the scene before stating the condition. This placement is common in French for temporal expressions.
Why is a comma used after La nuit in the sentence?
The comma separates the introductory time phrase La nuit from the main clause. This punctuation clarifies that the time setting applies to the whole sentence and mimics the natural pause you would have when speaking.
Can the word order be changed to say "Il fait froid la nuit", and does that change the meaning?
Yes, you can also say "Il fait froid la nuit." Both versions are grammatically correct and convey the same meaning. However, starting with La nuit emphasizes the time aspect more, which can be a stylistic choice depending on what the speaker wants to emphasize.