Guide to Talking About the Weather in Spanish
The weather, a universal conversation starter, transcends language barriers. In Spanish, discussing the weather is a breeze with the right knowledge. This guide equips you with essential vocabulary, grammar tips, and a variety of expressions to navigate any weather-related chat, making you a weather-whiz in Spanish!
Essential Vocabulary and Grammar
- Verbs and Subjects: Many weather expressions rely on the verb “hacer” (to do/to make). Remember, weather phenomena are the subjects, so “hacer” is conjugated accordingly. “Hace sol” (it is sunny) emphasizes the sun as the active agent.
- Accents and Pronunciation: Spanish uses written accents to indicate stressed vowels. Mastering these accents is crucial for clear communication. Here are some common weather terms with accents: viento (wind), frío (cold), llueve (it rains).
Vocabulary List:
- General Weather in Spanish:
- el tiempo (weather)
- el clima (climate)
- hacer buen tiempo (to have good weather)
- hacer mal tiempo (to have bad weather)
- Sunny in Spanish:
- el sol (sun)
- soleado/a (sunny)
- un día radiante (a radiant day)
- un sol hermoso (a beautiful sun)
- Cloudy in Spanish:
- las nubes (clouds)
- nublado/a (cloudy)
- estar cubierto (to be overcast)
- el cielo está encapotado (the sky is heavy/clouded)
- Rainy in Spanish:
- la lluvia (rain)
- llover (to rain)
- estar lloviendo (it is raining)
- un chaparrón (a downpour)
- llovizna (drizzle)
- Snowy in Spanish:
- la nieve (snow)
- nevar (to snow)
- estar nevando (it is snowing)
- copos (flakes)
- el paisaje está nevado (the landscape is snow-covered)
- Hot and Cold in Spanish:
- el calor (heat)
- frío (cold)
- la temperatura (temperature)
- hacer calor (to be hot)
- hacer frío (to be cold)
- sofocante (suffocating)
- agradable (pleasant)
- calar los huesos (to chill the bones)
- Windy in Spanish:
- el viento (wind)
- hacer viento (to be windy)
- soplar (to blow)
- Other:
- la niebla (fog)
- la humedad (humidity)
- una tormenta (storm)
- un relámpago (lightning)
- un trueno (thunder)
Expressions for Every Season in Spanish:
- Sunny Skies in Spanish:
- Hace un día radiante. (It’s a radiant day.) – Emphasizes the bright sunshine.
- Hay un sol hermoso. (There’s a beautiful sun.) – Highlights the beauty of the sunshine.
- Cloudy Days in Spanish:
- Está cubierto. (It’s overcast.) – A simpler way to say “it’s cloudy.”
- El cielo está encapotado. (The sky is heavy/clouded.) – Creates a more descriptive image.
- Rainy Days in Spanish:
- Está cayendo un chaparrón. (There’s a downpour.) – Focuses on the intensity of the rain.
- Llovizna un poco. (It’s drizzling a bit.) – Indicates light rain.
- Snowy Days in Spanish:
- Nieva a copos grandes. (It’s snowing in big flakes.) – Describes the size of snowflakes.
- El paisaje está nevado. (The landscape is snow-covered.) – Creates a picturesque image.
- Hot and Cold Temperatures in Spanish:
- Hace un calor sofocante. (It’s suffocating hot.) – Expresses discomfort due to extreme heat.
- Hace un frío que cala los huesos. (It’s a bone-chilling cold.) – Emphasizes the intensity of the cold.
- Hay una temperatura agradable. (There’s a pleasant temperature.) – Indicates comfortable weather.
