Weather (Junior Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Weather (El tiempo)
Learning to talk about weather is essential for everyday conversations in Spanish. This topic covers the key vocabulary and phrases you need to describe what the weather is like, understand weather forecasts, and discuss your favourite seasons.
Weather conversations are among the most common daily interactions in Spanish-speaking countries. Mastering this vocabulary will help you connect with locals and understand basic weather forecasts during your travels.
Key question and basic responses
The main question for asking about weather is: ¿Qué tiempo hace? (What's the weather like?)
You can respond using two main patterns:
- Hace + weather condition (for things you feel)
- Hay + weather phenomenon (for things you see)
Understanding the difference between hace and hay is crucial for correct weather expressions. Hace is used for conditions you experience (temperature, wind), while hay is for phenomena you observe (clouds, storms).
Essential weather vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| hace calor | it's hot |
| hace frío | it's cold |
| hace fresco | it's cool/fresh |
| hace sol | it's sunny |
| hace viento | it's windy |
| hace buen tiempo | the weather is good |
| hace mal tiempo | the weather is bad |
| está despejado | the sky is clear |
| está nublado | it's cloudy |
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| hay niebla | it's foggy |
| hay nieve | it's snowy |
| hay nubes (f.pl.) | there are clouds |
| hay chubascos (m.pl.) | there are showers |
| hay tormenta (f.) | there's a storm |
| llueve | it's raining |
| nieva | it's snowing |
Example sentences:
- Hoy hace mucho calor en Madrid. (Today it's very hot in Madrid.)
- Hay niebla en el norte de España. (There's fog in the north of Spain.)
- Mañana va a llover. (Tomorrow it's going to rain.)
Grammar note: When you want to emphasise intensity, use "mucho" with weather expressions: "hace mucho frío" (it's very cold), "hace mucho viento" (it's very windy).
Advanced weather vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la temperatura (f.) | temperature |
| el grado (m.) | degree |
| los vientos ligeros (m.pl.) | light winds |
| los vientos fuertes (m.pl.) | strong winds |
| los relámpagos (m.pl.) | lightning (in the sky) |
| el trueno (m.) | thunder |
| los rayos (m.pl.) | lightning (that touches ground) |
| el riesgo (m.) | risk |
| un arcoíris (m.) | a rainbow |
Advanced weather examples:
- La temperatura máxima es de treinta grados. (The maximum temperature is thirty degrees.)
- Hay riesgo de tormenta esta tarde. (There's a risk of storms this afternoon.)
- Después de la lluvia apareció un arcoíris. (After the rain a rainbow appeared.)
Grammar note: When talking about specific temperatures, use "de": "una temperatura de veinte grados" (a temperature of twenty degrees).
Compass directions for weather forecasts
Understanding compass directions is essential for following Spanish weather forecasts and describing regional weather patterns.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el norte (m.) | north |
| el sur (m.) | south |
| el este (m.) | east |
| el oeste (m.) | west |
| el noreste (m.) | northeast |
| el noroeste (m.) | northwest |
| el sureste (m.) | southeast |
| el suroeste (m.) | southwest |
Directional weather examples:
- En el norte hace más fresco. (In the north it's cooler.)
- Valencia está en el este de España. (Valencia is in the east of Spain.)
- Los vientos vienen del oeste. (The winds come from the west.)
Grammar note: Use "en el" with directions when talking about locations: "en el sur de España" (in the south of Spain).
Talking about weather in different times
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| mañana | tomorrow |
| por la mañana | in the morning |
| habrá | there will be |
The verb "hacer" changes form when talking about different times:
- Present: Hace sol (It's sunny)
- Past: Hizo frío ayer (It was cold yesterday)
- Future: Mañana hará calor (Tomorrow it will be hot)
Temporal weather examples:
- Ayer hizo mucho viento. (Yesterday it was very windy.)
- Mañana habrá chubascos por la mañana. (Tomorrow there will be showers in the morning.)
- Cuando era pequeño, hacía mucho frío en invierno. (When I was little, it was very cold in winter.)
The seasons (Las estaciones)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la primavera (f.) | spring |
| el verano (m.) | summer |
| el otoño (m.) | autumn |
| el invierno (m.) | winter |
Seasonal weather examples:
- Mi estación favorita es la primavera. (My favourite season is spring.)
- En verano hace mucho calor. (In summer it's very hot.)
- El otoño es muy bonito en España. (Autumn is very beautiful in Spain.)
Grammar note: Use "en" with seasons: "en primavera" (in spring), "en invierno" (in winter).
Useful phrases for conversation
These conversational phrases will help you engage naturally in weather discussions with Spanish speakers.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Cuál es tu estación favorita? | Which is your favourite season? |
| ¿Qué tiempo hace hoy? | What's the weather like today? |
| Hace muy buen tiempo | The weather is very good |
| ¡Qué frío hace! | How cold it is! |
Translation exercises
Spanish to English:
- Hace sol y calor en el sur de España.
- Mañana habrá tormenta con vientos fuertes.
English to Spanish: 3. It's very cold and there's snow in the mountains. 4. Tomorrow it will be cloudy in the north.
Answers:
- It's sunny and hot in the south of Spain.
- Tomorrow there will be storms with strong winds.
- Hace mucho frío y hay nieve en las montañas.
- Mañana estará nublado en el norte.
Common errors and fixes
Avoid these common mistakes:
- Error: "Está caliente" for "it's hot weather" Fix: Use "hace calor" - "estar caliente" means an object is hot to touch
- Error: "Hay sol" Fix: Use "hace sol" - use "hacer" for sun, not "hay"
- Error: Missing articles with seasons: "en primavera" Fix: This is actually correct! Don't use articles with seasons after "en"
Key Points to Remember:
- Use hace for weather conditions you can feel (temperature, wind, sun)
- Use hay for weather phenomena you can see (clouds, snow, storms, fog)
- ¿Qué tiempo hace? is the key question for asking about weather
- Weather verbs change form when talking about past or future
- Compass directions help you understand weather forecasts for different regions of Spain