French measures
Among the cultural differences between different countries, units of measurement are often a source of problems for anyone trying to express distances, weights, volumes and temperatures.
This French worksheet will help you convert Anglo-Saxon units of measurement into Swiss units, while enriching your French vocabulary!
French units of measurement: distance and height
If the metric system is used in many countries to measure height, it is not the same in Anglo-Saxon countries which use the "imperial " system.
What do 1 inch, 1 foot, 1 yard and 1 mile correspond to in cm and km?
| Metric equivalence | French measurement |
|---|---|
| 2.54 cm | 1 inch |
| 30.48 cm | 1 foot |
| 91.44 cm | 1 yard |
| 1.609 km | 1 mile |
Get your calculators!
French vocabulary associated with distance measurements
Here are some French vocabulary words related to distance measurements:
- Mesurer : To measure (verb)
- Determiner (mesure) : To determine (measure) (verb)
- Estimer : To estimate (verb)
- Faire … inches/cm : To be ... inches / cm
- Haut : High
- Haut : Top
- Petit : Short
- Petit : Small
- Petit : Little
- Bas : Low
Temperature measurements: Celsius / Fahrenheit
Regarding temperature measurements, whether it is the ambient air for the weather, or boiling a liquid for example, the French measures still differ from English measures. You have to know how to convert measurements expressed in Fahrenheit to know their value in degrees Celsius.
If you want to convert from Fahrenheit degrees to Celsius degrees, here is the rule: take 32 off the Fahrenheit number and divide the result by 1.8.
• 100 degrees Fahrenheit - 32 = 68. 68/1.8 = 37.78 degrees Celsius!
Conversely,
• 30 degrees Celsius 1.8 = 54. 54 + 32 = 86 degrees Fahrenheit!
French vocabulary associated with temperature measurements
Here is a list of useful vocabulary about temperature measurements:
- Température : Temperature
- Feuille de température : Temperature chart
- Régulateur de température : Thermostat
- Chaud : Hot
- Chaud : Warm
- Chaleur : Heat
- Froid : Cold
Weight measurement in French
The units of weight measurement in French are governed by the following conversion rules.
| French measurement | Conversion to kg |
|---|---|
| 0.0648 g | 1 grain |
| 28.349 g | 1 ounce |
| 453.59 g | 1 pound |
| 6.348 kg | 1 stone |
| 1016.05 kg | 1 ton |
Some vocabulary terms
- Poids : Weight
- Au poids : By weight
- Peser : To weigh
- Lourd : Heavy
- Lourd : Weighty
- Léger : Light
You now have all the tools you need to convert your measurements, whether for height, distance, temperature or weight! Want to practice your French a little more? Try our online English test.