faire la pluie et le beau temps
To skip school
직역: To make the rain and the beautiful weather
Use this to describe someone who holds all the power and makes every important decision.
15초 만에
- To be the one in total control of a situation.
- Describes an influential person who makes all the rules.
- Literally means 'making the rain and the good weather'.
뜻
This phrase describes someone who has total control over a situation. It is used for people who call all the shots, like a boss or a dominant personality.
주요 예문
3 / 6Talking about a powerful CEO
Dans cette entreprise, c'est le directeur qui fait la pluie et le beau temps.
In this company, the director calls all the shots.
Discussing a dominant friend in a group
Arrête de le laisser faire la pluie et le beau temps sur nos vacances !
Stop letting him decide everything about our vacation!
Observing a political leader
Le ministre fait la pluie et le beau temps au Parlement cette semaine.
The minister is pulling all the strings in Parliament this week.
문화적 배경
This idiom reflects France's deep historical roots in agriculture, where weather dictated survival. It evolved from mythological references to the gods into a secular metaphor for social and political power. Today, it is frequently used in French political journalism to describe influential ministers or advisors.
Don't change the weather
Even if it's sunny outside, you must say 'le beau temps'. Replacing it with 'le soleil' will make the idiom sound wrong to native ears.
It's not always a compliment
While it acknowledges power, it often implies the person is a bit of a control freak or 'bossy'. Use it carefully if that person is listening!
15초 만에
- To be the one in total control of a situation.
- Describes an influential person who makes all the rules.
- Literally means 'making the rain and the good weather'.
What It Means
Imagine someone who is so powerful they can actually control the weather. In French, when you say someone fait la pluie et le beau temps, you mean they are the ultimate decision-maker. They decide what happens, when it happens, and how it happens. It is about influence and authority. If they are happy, the sun shines. If they are grumpy, it pours. They are the puppet master of their environment.
How To Use It
You use this phrase to describe a person, not an action. Usually, you use the verb faire followed by the expression. You can use it to talk about a CEO, a strict parent, or even a friend who always chooses the restaurant. It works best when you want to highlight a power imbalance. It is a very visual way to say 'they are in charge.'
When To Use It
Use it when you are gossiping about the office hierarchy. It is perfect for describing that one person who everyone tries to please. You can use it in a meeting to acknowledge who has the final word. It also works in sports when one player dominates the entire game. It feels natural in any conversation about power dynamics.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this to describe actual meteorologists! They might wish they could control the weather, but they cannot. Also, avoid using it for minor, one-time decisions. It implies a consistent, ongoing state of power. If your friend just picked a movie once, this phrase is too heavy. It is for the 'big bosses' of a situation.
Cultural Background
This expression dates back to the 17th century. It originally referred to the gods of Olympus who controlled the elements. In a rural, agricultural society like old France, weather was everything. If you controlled the rain, you controlled life itself. Today, we have replaced gods with CEOs and influential influencers, but the sentiment remains.
Common Variations
You might hear people say il se croit tout permis (he thinks he can do anything). However, faire la pluie et le beau temps is much more poetic. Sometimes people add dans la boîte (in the company) to specify the location. It remains one of the most popular idioms for describing authority in modern French.
사용 참고사항
This is a neutral to slightly informal idiom. It is perfectly acceptable in professional settings to describe power structures, but it carries a hint of irony or observation of dominance.
Don't change the weather
Even if it's sunny outside, you must say 'le beau temps'. Replacing it with 'le soleil' will make the idiom sound wrong to native ears.
It's not always a compliment
While it acknowledges power, it often implies the person is a bit of a control freak or 'bossy'. Use it carefully if that person is listening!
The Sun King Connection
Many French people associate this level of absolute power with Louis XIV, the 'Sun King', who famously centralized all authority in France.
예시
6Dans cette entreprise, c'est le directeur qui fait la pluie et le beau temps.
In this company, the director calls all the shots.
Standard use to describe professional authority.
Arrête de le laisser faire la pluie et le beau temps sur nos vacances !
Stop letting him decide everything about our vacation!
Used here to complain about a bossy friend.
Le ministre fait la pluie et le beau temps au Parlement cette semaine.
The minister is pulling all the strings in Parliament this week.
Common in news and political commentary.
Le prof de maths fait la pluie et le beau temps, on n'a pas le choix.
The math teacher runs the show, we have no choice.
Short and punchy for a text message.
Chez moi, c'est mon chat qui fait la pluie et le beau temps.
At my house, my cat is the one in charge.
A humorous way to show the cat rules the house.
J'en ai marre que tu fasses la pluie et le beau temps dans notre relation.
I'm tired of you controlling everything in our relationship.
Used to express deep frustration over power dynamics.
셀프 테스트
Complete the sentence to say the boss is in charge.
C'est la patronne qui ___ la pluie et le beau temps ici.
The verb 'faire' (to make/do) is the only verb used in this specific idiom.
Which word completes the weather metaphor?
Il fait la pluie et le beau ___.
'Le beau temps' is the fixed part of the expression meaning 'good weather'.
🎉 점수: /2
시각 학습 자료
Formality Scale
Used with friends to complain about a bossy person.
C'est lui qui décide tout.
The sweet spot for this idiom in daily conversation.
Elle fait la pluie et le beau temps.
Used in journalism or literature to describe power.
Il pleut selon sa volonté.
Where to use 'Faire la pluie et le beau temps'
Office Politics
The manager who decides everyone's schedule.
Family Life
The grandmother who runs the whole family.
Sports
A star player who controls the game's pace.
Friendships
The person who always picks the bar.
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문No, it is purely metaphorical. If you say Julie fait la pluie et le beau temps, you are talking about her influence, not her meteorological skills.
Yes! You can say Ils font la pluie et le beau temps to describe a small group or committee that holds all the power.
It can be slightly critical. It often implies that the person has *too much* power or is being a bit dictatorial.
It's better to avoid it when talking about yourself. It might make you sound arrogant. However, you could use it to describe a former influential mentor.
The closest equivalents are 'to call the shots', 'to rule the roost', or 'to pull the strings'.
A more informal way to say someone is the boss is C'est lui le patron or C'est lui qui commande.
No, the idiom is fixed with the verb faire. Using créer would sound very strange to a French person.
Yes, beau temps literally means 'beautiful weather' or 'fair weather' in French.
Not at all! It is still very common in newspapers, TV debates, and everyday office talk.
Absolutely. Parents often say it about a toddler who dictates the family's entire schedule: C'est le bébé qui fait la pluie et le beau temps.
관련 표현
Avoir le bras long (To have a long arm/influence)
Être le bras droit (To be the right-hand man)
Mener à la baguette (To rule with an iron fist)
Commander au doigt et à l'œil (To have someone at your beck and call)
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