Storm clouds over an open field

How’s The Weather? Spanish Weather Vocabulary

Maria Claudia Alvarado Published on October 24, 2024

Talking about the weather in Spanish is a common practice but, depending on the scenario, it can also save your life. Learning weather vocabulary words in Spanish can help you prepare for a stormy day or get you to safety in an earthquake. In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know to talk about the weather in Spanish. We’ll cover general weather vocabulary, verbs used to describe the weather, and different weather phrases in Spanish.

A man standing under an umbrella in the rain

El Tiempo vs El Clima: What’s the Difference?

When we talk about the weather in Spanish, there are often some variations for the same word we use depending on the country or region where we are. The most common Spanish words to say “the weather” are el clima and el tiempo. At first glance, this might be confusing because el tiempo also translates to “the time.” However, they have slightly different meanings. El tiempo is mostly used when talking about the current weather or to give short-term predictions. El clima, on the other hand, is used to talk about long-term weather patterns of a season or place.  

Here are some examples to help you quickly see the difference:

  • El clima en Londres es muy malo. Llueve todo el tiempo. / The weather in London is bad. It rains all the time.
  • Hoy el tiempo no es agradable. El cielo está muy oscuro. / The weather today isn’t nice. The sky is too dark.
  • Sudamerica tiene un clima tropical. No hace mucho frío en invierno. / South America has a tropical weather. It’s not too cold in the winter.
  • Mañana el tiempo será soleado. Perfecto para un picnic. / Tomorrow, the weather will be sunny. Perfect for a picnic.

Spanish Weather Nouns

Let’s start by learning some vocabulary to talk about what the weather is like. These are nouns for different weather conditions you might experience. Below, you’ll find a table with some of the most common Spanish weather-related nouns:

Spanish WordEnglish Meaning
El climaThe weather/climate
El tiempoThe weather
La temperaturaThe temperature
El calorThe heat
El fríoThe cold
La estaciónThe season
La temporadaThe season
El veranoThe summer
El otoñoThe fall/autumn
El inviernoThe winter
La primaveraThe spring
El vientoThe wind
El solThe sun
La nieveThe snow
La lluviaThe rain
El granizoThe hail
La tormentaThe storm
La nieblaThe fog
El bochornoThe suffocating heat (in a weather context)

Spanish Weather Adjectives

An adjective is a descriptive word. They’re useful for describing what kind of day it is. Here’s a table of useful Spanish adjectives to talk about how bad or good the weather is.

Spanish AdjectiveEnglish Meaning
SoleadoSunny
CálidoWarm
CalurosoHot
DespejadoClear
FrescoFresh
VentosoWindy
NubladoFoggy
LluviosoRainy
HúmedoWet/Humid
FríoCold
HeladoFrozen
TempestosoStormy/Tempestuous
Lightning hits near a city at night.

Spanish Verbs For Talking About The Weather

While hacer (to do, to make) and estar (to be) are two of the most common verbs used in Spanish conversations about the weather, there are also other verbs we use. With these verbs, you can talk about types of weather, complain about the current weather, and even make predictions about future conditions. As with other verbs, you’ll have to learn how to conjugate them correctly. Here’s a table of verbs to use when talking about the weather in Spanish:

Spanish VerbEnglish Meaning
CalentarTo warm
EnfriarTo cool/to chill
DespejarTo clear up
HelarTo freeze
LloverTo rain
TronarTo thunder
LloviznarTo drizzle
GranizarTo hail
NevarTo snow

Spanish Vocabulary for Extreme Weather Conditions

It’s always a good idea to be prepared for whatever situation you might encounter while on a trip. Hopefully, it won’t be the case but, if you were in the middle of a visit to a Spanish-speaking country and a storm, flood, heatwave, or other predictable natural disaster was about to take place, there’s a good chance you’ll hear about it first on the news or through a public alert. 

For example, Mexico has an alert system that lets citizens know when an earthquake is about to take place. If you’re visiting Central America during the summer, you’ll probably be advised to pay attention to the weather forecast in case a storm suddenly turns into a tornado. Meanwhile, in South America, the government closely monitors when floods are storms likely to happen. Below, you’ll find a table of Spanish words you need to understand (and stay safe) if there’s extreme weather approaching:

Spanish WordEnglish Meaning
El tornadoTornado
El huracánHurricane
La tormentaStorm
El deslizamiento de tierraLandslide
La inundaciónFlood
El ciclónCyclone
El tsunamiTsunami
El maremotoTidal Wave
El terremotoEarthquake
La ola de calorHeatwave

The Verbs Hacer, Estar, and Haber to Describe Weather

To talk about the weather, there are three important verbs you need to know: hacer, estar, and haber. These verbs help us give descriptions of the weather and specific conditions. Each one is used differently, and you’ll need to learn their conjugations to make sure you’re using them correctly. Below, we’ve broken down the uses for hacer, estar, and haber to help you understand their different roles.

Describing Weather in Spanish With Hacer

The verb hacer usually translates to “to do” or “to make,” but when it’s used to describe the weather, it will more commonly translate to “it is.” While it might seem weird to use hacer to talk about the weather, this verb helps us say what the weather feels like outside. It’s more common to use nouns than adjectives with the verb hacer. For example, you can say, “Hace calor afuera” (It’s hot outside) or “Hace mucho frío en las calles” (It’s very cold in the streets).

Here are some more examples:

  • Hace mucho viento en la terraza del edificio. / It’s very windy on the terrace.
  • Hace sol en la playa. / It’s sunny on the beach.
  • No hace ni calor ni frío. / It is neither hot nor cold.

It’s also possible to use hacer to say what the weather feels like in other cities or places. In these cases, “hace…” can also translate to “the weather is….” Again, you’ll be using nouns for your descriptions but, if you want to be general about how the weather feels, you can say, “buen tiempo” (good weather) or “mal tiempo” (bad weather). For example:

  • Hace buen tiempo en Madrid. / The weather is good in Madrid.
  • Hace mal tiempo en las montañas. / The weather is bad on the mountains.

Describing Weather in Spanish With Estar

Estar translates to “to be” and has a different use than the verb hacer. When we start weather-related phrases with estar, we are usually talking about temporary weather conditions. Even if it’s summer or winter, you can use estar to describe exactly what’s going on with the weather. For example, you can say, “Hoy está nevando” (It’s snowing today) or “Está muy soleado afuera” (It’s very sunny outside). It’s more common to use adjectives or verbs following estar.

Let’s look at more examples:

  • Está nublado afuera, ¿crees que llueva más tarde? / It’s cloudy outside, do you think it will rain later?
  • Está muy lluvioso. Prefiero no salir de casa. / It’s very rainy. I prefer not to leave the house.
  • Está despejado. No hay ni una sola nube en el cielo. / It is clear. There is not a single cloud in the sky.
  • Todavia está lloviendo. / It’s still raining.
  • Está helando afuera. / It’s freezing outside.

It’s also possible to use estar to say what temperature it is at the moment. Spanish-speaking countries more commonly use the Celsius scale rather than Fahrenheit. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the Fahrenheit to Celsius conversions to describe the temperature in Spanish.

Here are some examples:

  • Está a 30 grados. / It is 30 degrees.
  • Está a -2 grados. ¡Hace mucho frío! / It is -2 degrees. It’s very cold!
  • Hoy está a 18 Celsius / Today it is 18 Celsius

Describing Weather in Spanish With Haber

In Spanish, we conjugate the verb haber to its impersonal form, hay (there is/there are) when we talk about the weather. This way, we can describe our environment without expressing possession. We use hay with a verb, not an adjective. For example, you can say, “Hay mucha nieve afuera” (There’s a lot of snow outside).

Here are some other examples: 

  • Hay truenos, por eso el gato está asustado. / There is thunder, that’s why the cat is scared.
  • Hay nubes, así que mejor lleva tu paraguas. / There are clouds, so you better take your umbrella.
  • Hay mucha niebla esta noche. Ten cuidado al manejar. / It’s very foggy tonight. Be careful when driving.
  • Hay poca nieve hoy. Quizás el invierno acabe pronto. / There is little snow today. Maybe winter will end soon.
A dry field during a heatwave.

Common Questions About The Weather In Spanish

It’s common in many cultures to start a casual chat by asking about the weather. This is an easy way to break the ice and, of course, find out what the weather is like. By learning some basic questions to ask about the weather, you can strike up a conversation. Don’t forget to check how to use question words in Spanish to make sure you’re structuring your questions the right way. Here are some examples:

  • ¿Cómo está el clima? / How’s the weather?
  • ¿Cómo está el clima por allá? / How is the weather over there?
  • ¿Cómo está el día? / How is the day?
  • ¿Cómo está el tiempo afuera? / What’s the weather like outside?
  • ¿Qué tal el frío/calor? / How is the cold/heat?
  • ¿Cómo va a estar el clima mañana/la próxima semana/este mes? / How is the weather going to be in tomorrow/next week/this month?
  • ¿Cómo es el clima en Lima, Peru? / How is the weather like in Lima, Peru?

To learn more about the clima in Lima, listen to episode 4 of the Siempre Spanish beginner podcast.

Common Spanish Weather Expressions

There are certain expressions we can use to describe the weather and how it makes us feel. Here are some common Spanish weather expressions every beginner should know:

  • ¡Me muero de calor/frío! / I’m dying from heat/cold! 
  • ¡Me estoy congelando! / I’m freezing!
  • El cielo está despejado. / The sky is clear.
  • Hace buen/mal tiempo. / The weather is good/bad.
  • ¡Qué buen día! / What a good day!
  • Pésimo día. / Horrible day.

Colloquial Spanish Weather Phrases

Besides the common phrases and questions we use to talk about the weather, there are also a series of colloquial expressions. You might hear these in a casual conversation and some are unique to specific regions and countries. Since they are a type of slang, the literal meaning in English doesn’t always make sense, but it can give you an idea of the sentiment of the phrase. Here are some popular phrases and their literal English translations:

  • ¡Llueve a mares! / It’s raining seas!
  • ¡Llueve a cántaros! / It’s raining jugs!
  • ¡Es un horno! / It’s a oven!
  • ¡Está hirviendo! / It’s boiling!
  • ¡Me cocino! / I’m being cooked!
  • ¡Hace un calor infernal! / It’s hot like hell!
  • ¡Hace un sol de justicia! / It’s sunny like justice!
  • ¡Hace un frío que pela! / It’s so cold I’m peeling!

How to Practice Talking About the Weather Spanish

The best way to learn Spanish words and expressions to describe the weather is through constant practice. To become fluent in Spanish, you’ll need to develop all your language skills. But, since there isn’t one resource that can teach you everything you need to know, you’ll have to use different learning methods. Luckily, there are many ways to learn Spanish.

If you want to increase your vocabulary, Spanish apps often have quick lessons that can teach you essential Spanish words and phrases for all sorts of topics. Spanish books, on the other hand, tend to have in-depth grammar explanations and clear examples for verb conjugation and other complicated topics. You can subscribe to a Spanish online course to follow a structured plan or hire an online Spanish tutor to practice Spanish pronunciation. There are also many Spanish YouTube channels created by native speakers you can watch to improve your Spanish comprehension skills.

Final Thoughts

I hope this guide has helped you improve your Spanish weather vocabulary! Discussing the weather is the most common form of small talk in the world. If you’re trying to get to know someone, this is an easy icebreaker. Knowing Spanish weather words can help you start a conversation with a Spanish speaker wherever you go. Remember that the best way to develop your abilities is through constant practice. Set aside at least a couple of hours a week to practice speaking Spanish, and you’ll be on the fast track to fluency!

Maria Claudia Alvarado

Maria Alvarado is a content writer and translator from Lima, Peru. She graduated from the Savannah College of Arts and Design in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Writing. She is fluent in Spanish and English, has intermediate knowledge of French and German, and is learning Japanese. She hopes to bring consciousness about the importance of language learning through her articles and aspires to learn as many languages as possible.

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