Meaning
Indicates extremely bad weather, implying it is so unpleasant that one would not even put a dog outside.
Primary Function
Expressing an opinion about the weather
Communicative Purpose
Describe bad weather in an exaggerated and humorous way.
Pattern
Il fait un temps à ne pas mettre ; dehors.
Core Structure
Il fait un temps à ne pas mettre ; dehors.
Função primária
Expressing an opinion about the weather
Propósito comunicativo
Describe bad weather in an exaggerated and humorous way.
Situações de gatilho
Talking about rain, complaining about the cold, discussing unfavorable weather conditions.
Contextos
Informal conversations, weather discussions, complaints about the weather.
Padrão
Il fait un temps à ne pas mettre ; dehors.
Estrutura central
Il fait un temps à ne pas mettre ; dehors.
Slots de substituição
The variable slot is the animal that can be replaced (dog, cat, etc.); the rest of the phrase is fixed.
Colocados típicos
- temps
- chien
- mettre
- dehors
- mauvais
- pluie
- vent
Substituições comuns
- Il fait un temps de chien (means the same thing
- more common)
- Il pleut des cordes (exaggerates the rain)
- Il fait un temps à ne pas mettre un chat dehors (variation with another animal) – slight difference in intensity.
Erros comuns
Omitting the negation 'ne' or the 'à'; literal translation like 'It makes a weather...'; replacing 'chien' with an inappropriate word; saying 'il fait un temps à ne pas mettre dehors un chien' (wrong word order).
Similar / contraste
Il fait un temps de chien, Il pleut des cordes, Il fait un froid de canard, Il fait beau (contrast)
Interferências
Avoid literal translation of the structure; English speakers may think of 'make a weather' which is ungrammatical. The word 'chien' is part of the idiom and does not refer to an actual dog.
Família do chunk
- Il fait un temps de chien
- Il pleut des cordes
- Il fait un froid de canard
Nuance
Very informal expression, often humorous, used to exaggerate bad weather; inappropriate in formal written contexts.
Efeito pragmático
Allows sharing a complaint in a lighthearted way and creating rapport with the interlocutor.
Dica de memória
dog outside
Nota
Cette locution est surtout employée à l’oral, dans des conversations familières ou entre amis, lorsqu’on veut insister sur le mauvais temps de façon humoristique.
Upgrade path
Le temps est exécrable aujourd’hui.
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