Weather is the topic that breaks ice in every culture, and Spanish has a distinctive way of expressing it: where English uses the verb "to be" (it is hot, it is cold, it is raining), Spanish distributes weather expressions across three different verbs - hacer (for temperature and general conditions), estar (for sky state), and specific weather verbs (llover, nevar). A learner who masters the split "Hace calor / Hace frio / Llueve / Esta nublado" has nearly complete weather vocabulary for daily conversation. This reference gathers the weather expressions, the seasons, the landscape and nature vocabulary, and the climate patterns across the geographically vast Spanish-speaking world - from snowy Andean peaks to tropical Caribbean beaches to Mediterranean Spain to Patagonian tundra.
The cultural note is that weather varies so enormously across Spanish-speaking countries that vocabulary for specific phenomena differs. Chile and Argentina have serious winters; Venezuela and Ecuador on the equator have essentially no winter. Spain has four distinct seasons in much of the country; Mexico has a dry season and a rainy season in most states rather than four classic ones. Vocabulary for snow, sleet, and hail is universal in Spanish, but a person from Cartagena, Colombia, may never use nieva in everyday speech, while a person from Madrid uses it often in January. For the grammar behind the weather verbs, see the Spanish verb conjugation guide for present tense and the Spanish grammar rules guide.
The Three Weather Verb Patterns
Spanish weather splits among three verb patterns.
Pattern 1: hacer (it makes). For temperature and the general state of the day.
- Hace calor - It is hot.
- Hace frio - It is cold.
- Hace sol - It is sunny.
- Hace viento - It is windy.
- Hace fresco - It is cool.
- Hace buen tiempo - The weather is good.
- Hace mal tiempo - The weather is bad.
Pattern 2: estar (it is). For sky state and specific conditions.
- Esta nublado - It is cloudy.
- Esta despejado - It is clear.
- Esta lloviendo - It is raining (in progress).
- Esta nevando - It is snowing (in progress).
- Esta humedo - It is humid.
Pattern 3: specific impersonal verbs. One verb per phenomenon, used impersonally (third-person singular).
- Llueve / Esta lloviendo - It rains / It is raining.
- Nieva / Esta nevando - It snows / It is snowing.
- Graniza - It is hailing.
- Truena - It is thundering.
- Relampaguea - It is lightning.
- Amanece - It is dawning.
- Atardece - The sun is setting.
- Anochece - Night is falling.
A useful mnemonic: use hacer for what the day "makes" (heat, cold, wind, sunshine - these are things the day produces), estar for the state of the sky (cloudy, clear, humid - the sky "is" these things), and the specific verbs for processes (llover, nevar, granizar - these are verbs that describe a weather event in progress).
Temperature
Table 1. Temperature words.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el calor | heat |
| el frio | cold |
| el fresco | coolness |
| caliente | hot (temperature of object) |
| frio / fria | cold |
| templado / templada | mild / temperate |
| caluroso / calurosa | hot (climate) |
| gelido / gelida | freezing |
| la temperatura | temperature |
| los grados | degrees |
| treinta grados | 30 degrees |
| bajo cero | below zero |
Weather and temperature phrases.
- Hace mucho calor hoy - It's very hot today.
- Hace muchisimo frio - It's extremely cold.
- La temperatura es de treinta grados - The temperature is 30 degrees.
- Hoy hace dos grados bajo cero - Today it's two degrees below zero.
- Esta subiendo la temperatura - The temperature is rising.
Spanish-speaking countries overwhelmingly use Celsius. Fahrenheit appears in medical and weather contexts in Puerto Rico and among US-adjacent Hispanic communities but is generally unused elsewhere.
Rain, Snow, and Storms
Table 2. Precipitation vocabulary.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la lluvia | rain |
| la llovizna | drizzle |
| el chubasco / el chaparron | downpour |
| la tormenta | storm |
| la tormenta electrica | thunderstorm |
| el granizo | hail |
| la nieve | snow |
| la nevada | snowfall |
| la escarcha | frost |
| el hielo | ice |
| el rayo / el relampago | lightning bolt / flash |
| el trueno | thunder |
| el arcoiris | rainbow |
| la niebla / la neblina | fog / mist |
| el rocio | dew |
| el hurracan | hurricane |
| el tornado | tornado |
| el ciclon | cyclone |
| la inundacion | flood |
| la sequia | drought |
Rain and storm phrases.
- Esta lloviendo a cantaros - It's raining cats and dogs (literally, "by pitchers").
- Cae una tormenta - A storm is falling.
- Va a llover - It's going to rain.
- Esta lloviznando - It's drizzling.
- Hay niebla - There's fog.
- Hay un huracan - There's a hurricane.
The Spanish idiom llover a cantaros (to rain by pitchers) is the equivalent of English "raining cats and dogs" and is universal across Spanish-speaking regions. It is warmer and more concrete than the English: buckets of water are being dumped.
Wind and Sky
Table 3. Wind, sky, and atmospheric conditions.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el viento | wind |
| la brisa | breeze |
| la rafaga | gust |
| el cielo | sky |
| la nube | cloud |
| las nubes | clouds |
| el sol | sun |
| los rayos del sol | sun's rays |
| la sombra | shade |
| la luna | moon |
| las estrellas | stars |
| la humedad | humidity |
| la presion atmosferica | atmospheric pressure |
Sky and wind phrases.
- Hay muchas nubes - There are many clouds.
- El cielo esta gris - The sky is gray.
- Sopla un viento fuerte - A strong wind is blowing.
- La humedad es alta - The humidity is high.
Seasons
Table 4. The four seasons.
| Spanish | English | Northern Hemisphere | Southern Hemisphere |
|---|---|---|---|
| la primavera | spring | March-May | September-November |
| el verano | summer | June-August | December-February |
| el otono | autumn / fall | September-November | March-May |
| el invierno | winter | December-February | June-August |
A classic fact that surprises visitors to South America: Argentina and Chile celebrate Christmas in summer. Ski resorts in the Andes operate June through September. Patagonia's most popular trekking season is the Southern Hemisphere summer (December-February).
In tropical Spanish-speaking countries (Mexico's coasts, Central America, the Caribbean, the Andean lowlands), the classic four-season system gives way to a two-season pattern:
- la estacion seca - dry season
- la estacion lluviosa / la temporada de lluvias - wet season
Seasonal phrases.
- En primavera hay muchas flores - In spring there are many flowers.
- Me gusta el verano - I like summer.
- El otono es mi estacion favorita - Autumn is my favorite season.
- En invierno nieva mucho - In winter it snows a lot.
Climate Across the Spanish-Speaking World
Table 5. Climate patterns by region.
| Region | Climate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Spain | Temperate, Atlantic | Cool summers, mild wet winters |
| Central Spain (Madrid) | Continental | Hot summers, cold winters, dry |
| Southern Spain (Andalusia) | Mediterranean | Hot dry summers, mild winters |
| Canary Islands | Subtropical | Spring-like year-round |
| Mexico (central) | Temperate highland | Mild year-round, dry/wet seasons |
| Mexico (coasts) | Tropical | Hot, humid, hurricane-prone |
| Caribbean (Cuba, PR, DR) | Tropical | Year-round warmth, hurricane season June-November |
| Central America (Pacific) | Tropical | Dry and wet seasons |
| Venezuela, Colombia coast | Tropical | Year-round warm |
| Andean (Bogota, Quito, La Paz) | Highland temperate | Spring-like despite equatorial position |
| Peru coast (Lima) | Desert/temperate | Foggy, dry, cool in winter |
| Argentina (pampas) | Temperate | Four seasons clearly defined |
| Patagonia | Subpolar | Long cold winters, brief cool summers |
| Chile (central) | Mediterranean | Similar to California |
| Chile (Atacama) | Hyper-arid | Driest desert on Earth |
Ecuador and parts of Colombia sit on the equator at high altitude - Quito (9,350 feet) and Bogota (8,660 feet) have spring-like weather year-round, with little variation between "summer" and "winter." The seasons there refer to rainy periods rather than temperature shifts. Nieva and hace mucho frio are rarely applicable; Llueve defines the calendar.
Landscape and Nature
Table 6. Landforms and terrain.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la montana | mountain |
| el cerro | hill |
| el valle | valley |
| el rio | river |
| el lago | lake |
| el mar | sea |
| el oceano | ocean |
| la playa | beach |
| la costa | coast |
| la isla | island |
| el desierto | desert |
| el bosque | forest |
| la selva | jungle |
| el volcan | volcano |
| el glaciar | glacier |
| la cascada | waterfall |
| el campo | countryside / field |
| la llanura | plain |
| la meseta | plateau |
Table 7. Flora and fauna.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el arbol | tree |
| la flor | flower |
| la planta | plant |
| la hoja | leaf |
| la hierba / el cesped | grass / lawn |
| el pasto | grass (LatAm) |
| el animal | animal |
| el perro | dog |
| el gato | cat |
| el caballo | horse |
| la vaca | cow |
| el pajaro | bird |
| el pez | fish |
| la mariposa | butterfly |
| la abeja | bee |
Directions and Compass
Table 8. Cardinal directions.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el norte | north |
| el sur | south |
| el este | east |
| el oeste | west |
| el noreste | northeast |
| el noroeste | northwest |
| el sureste | southeast |
| el suroeste | southwest |
These appear in weather reports: Viene una tormenta del norte (a storm is coming from the north).
Weather Reports and Forecasting
Table 9. Forecast vocabulary.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el pronostico | forecast |
| el pronostico del tiempo | weather forecast |
| el clima | climate / weather (LatAm) |
| el tiempo | weather (Spain) |
| la maxima | high (temperature) |
| la minima | low (temperature) |
| probabilidad de lluvia | chance of rain |
| soleado | sunny |
| nublado | cloudy |
| lluvioso | rainy |
| ventoso | windy |
| se esperan tormentas | storms expected |
| manana lloverá | it will rain tomorrow |
Note an important regional distinction: in Spain, "the weather today" is el tiempo hoy. In Latin America, it is more often el clima hoy. El tiempo in Mexico more often refers to time. Listening to a Mexican news forecast, expect "el clima para manana."
Useful Phrases for Small Talk
Table 10. Weather small-talk phrases.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Que tiempo hace? | What's the weather like? |
| ¿Como esta el clima? | How's the weather? |
| Hace buen tiempo hoy | The weather is nice today |
| ¡Que frio! | How cold! |
| ¡Que calor! | How hot! |
| Va a llover | It's going to rain |
| Parece que va a llover | It looks like it will rain |
| Me encanta este clima | I love this climate |
| No me gusta el calor | I don't like the heat |
| Necesito un paraguas | I need an umbrella |
| Hace un calor sofocante | It's stiflingly hot |
| Hace un frio que pela | It's bone-chillingly cold (idiom) |
Common Mistakes
- Using es for weather. Es frio is wrong for "it's cold." Use Hace frio. Es frio means "he is cold" in a personality sense or describes an object's temperature in a specialized way.
- Using estoy caliente for "I'm hot." That has a sexual meaning. Use Tengo calor.
- Conjugating weather verbs with a subject. Yo lluevo is ungrammatical; weather verbs are impersonal - only the third-person singular form exists: llueve, nieva.
- Confusing calor and caliente. Calor is a noun (heat); caliente is an adjective (hot, of a specific object). La sopa esta caliente (the soup is hot); Hace calor (it is hot outside).
- Saying estoy nublado. The sky is nublado, not you. Esta nublado with no subject.
- Translating "in the summer" as en el verano in Latin America. Often just en verano without the article: En verano hace calor.
- Using tiempo for climate in Latin America. In Mexico, el clima is the weather/climate term. El tiempo often means time.
Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
The 10 essential weather phrases.
- Hace calor - It's hot.
- Hace frio - It's cold.
- Hace sol - It's sunny.
- Hace viento - It's windy.
- Llueve / Esta lloviendo - It's raining.
- Nieva / Esta nevando - It's snowing.
- Esta nublado - It's cloudy.
- Esta despejado - It's clear.
- Hace buen tiempo - The weather is good.
- Hace mal tiempo - The weather is bad.
Weather verb rules.
- Hacer: for what the day makes (calor, frio, sol, viento, fresco).
- Estar: for sky state (nublado, despejado, humedo) and progressive weather (lloviendo, nevando).
- Specific verbs: llueve, nieva, graniza, truena, relampaguea.
Seasons. primavera (spring), verano (summer), otono (autumn), invierno (winter). Reversed in Southern Hemisphere.
Personal weather sensation. Use tener: Tengo frio, Tengo calor. Never Estoy calor.
FAQ
How do I say "it is hot" in Spanish?
For outdoor/environmental heat, use Hace calor. For an object or a personal sensation, use different structures: La sopa esta caliente (the soup is hot); Tengo calor (I am hot - I feel heat). Never Yo soy caliente or Yo estoy caliente for "I'm warm" - the latter has a sexual meaning.
Why does Spanish use hacer for weather?
Historically, Spanish conceptualizes the day as an agent that "makes" heat, cold, wind, etc. The day "hace calor" = the day produces heat. English uses "to be" (it is hot), French uses "il fait" (it makes, matching Spanish), Italian uses "fa." This is a Romance-language pattern.
What's the difference between llueve and esta lloviendo?
Llueve is a general statement: "it rains (here, sometimes, now)." Esta lloviendo is progressive: "it is raining right now." In practice, speakers often use them interchangeably for current rain, but esta lloviendo emphasizes the ongoing moment.
Is it tiempo or clima for weather?
In Spain, el tiempo is the weather report on TV: ¿Que tiempo hace? In most of Latin America, el clima is standard for daily weather; el tiempo often means time. Mexican news says "el clima para hoy."
How do seasons work in the Southern Hemisphere?
They are reversed. Argentina's summer is December-February; winter is June-August. Patagonian hikers go in the Southern Hemisphere summer. Christmas in Argentina and Chile is a warm-weather holiday.
How do I talk about tropical climates without four seasons?
Use la estacion seca (dry season) and la estacion lluviosa or la temporada de lluvias (wet season). In Central America, the Caribbean, and much of equatorial South America, this binary replaces spring-summer-autumn-winter as the local model.
What does hace un frio que pela mean?
Literally "it makes a cold that peels," meaning "it's extremely cold" or "bone-chilling cold." Pelar is to peel; the image is that the cold strips the skin. It is a common idiom in Spain and much of Latin America.
See Also
- Spanish grammar rules complete beginners guide
- Spanish common phrases for daily conversation
- Spanish days, months, and time expressions
- Ser vs estar complete guide with examples
- Spanish verb conjugation guide present tense
- Spanish verb conjugation system -AR -ER -IR reference
- Spanish colors, adjectives, and descriptions
- Spanish alphabet pronunciation guide
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I say 'it is hot' in Spanish?
For outdoor heat: Hace calor. For an object: La sopa esta caliente. For personal sensation: Tengo calor. Never Estoy caliente - that has a sexual meaning.
Why does Spanish use hacer for weather?
Spanish conceptualizes the day as an agent that 'makes' heat, cold, wind. El dia hace calor = the day produces heat. This matches French (il fait) and Italian (fa), a Romance-language pattern.
What's the difference between llueve and esta lloviendo?
Llueve is a general statement (it rains). Esta lloviendo is progressive (it is raining right now). They overlap in practice, but esta lloviendo emphasizes the ongoing moment.
Is it tiempo or clima for weather?
In Spain, el tiempo is the weather (Que tiempo hace?). In most of Latin America, el clima is standard for daily weather; el tiempo often means time. Mexican news uses el clima.
How do seasons work in the Southern Hemisphere?
Reversed. Argentina's summer is December-February; winter is June-August. Christmas falls in summer. Ski resorts in the Andes operate June-September.
How do I talk about tropical climates without four seasons?
Use la estacion seca (dry season) and la estacion lluviosa or la temporada de lluvias (wet season). This binary replaces the four-season model in Central America, the Caribbean, and equatorial South America.
What does hace un frio que pela mean?
Literally 'it makes a cold that peels,' meaning extreme or bone-chilling cold. A common idiom in Spain and much of Latin America.
