Basics (Leaving Cert German): Revision Notes
Basics
Weather vocabulary is essential for everyday conversations in German. You'll use these words and phrases constantly when talking about daily life, making plans, or simply chatting with others.
Essential weather conditions
German weather vocabulary covers the full range of conditions you might experience. Here are the fundamental terms you need to know:
| German | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| sonnig | TSON-nikh | sunny |
| heiter | HY-ter | fair/bright |
| bewölkt | be-VUR-lkt | cloudy |
| regnerisch | RAYG-ner-ish | showery |
| das Gewitter | ge-VIT-ter | thunderstorms |
| windig | VIN-dikh | windy |
| trocken | TROK-ken | dry |
Pay special attention to the pronunciation of bewölkt - the ö sound is similar to the 'ur' in 'fur' but shorter and more clipped.
Describing current weather
When talking about what the weather is like right now, Germans use simple sentence structures. The word es (it) starts most weather descriptions:
Es ist sonnig. (It's sunny.) Es regnet. (It's raining.) Es schneit. (It's snowing.) Es ist windig. (It's windy.)
These sentences follow the pattern Es + verb/adjective and are your go-to phrases for weather descriptions.
Grammar Pattern: The structure Es ist + adjective is one of the most useful patterns in German weather descriptions. Notice that the adjective remains unchanged - it doesn't take any endings after "es ist."
Asking about weather
There are several ways to inquire about weather conditions. The most common question is:
Wie ist der Wetterbericht? (What is the weather forecast?)
For asking about future weather, use: Wie wird das Wetter morgen? (What will the weather be like tomorrow?)
Expressing opinions about weather
Germans are quite expressive when commenting on weather conditions. Here are useful phrases for showing your feelings about the weather:
Was für ein herrlicher Tag! (What a lovely day!) Was für ein Mistwetter! (What awful weather!)
The phrase "Was für ein..." is a versatile expression for showing strong reactions to weather. You can use it with any weather-related noun to express your opinion, whether positive or negative.
Temperature descriptions
When discussing how hot or cold it feels, use these essential phrases:
Es ist sehr heiß. (It's very hot.) Es ist sehr kalt. (It's very cold.)
The word sehr (very) intensifies the temperature description, making your statement stronger.
Example dialogue
Here's a typical weather conversation you might have:
Worked Example: Weather Conversation
Anna: "Wie ist das Wetter heute?"
(What's the weather like today?)
Ben: "Es ist sonnig aber windig."
(It's sunny but windy.)
Anna: "Morgen wird es regnerisch."
(Tomorrow it will be showery.)
Ben: "Was für ein Mistwetter für das Wochenende!"
(What awful weather for the weekend!)
Key features: Notice how this conversation uses the basic patterns we've learned - question formation with "Wie ist...", simple descriptions with "Es ist...", and expressive reactions with "Was für ein..."
Common mistakes and tips
Common Pitfalls to Avoid:
Many students confuse das Wetter (weather) with das Gewitter (thunderstorms). Remember that Wetter is the general term for weather conditions, whilst Gewitter refers specifically to storms.
When using es ist + adjective, don't forget that the adjective doesn't change its ending. It remains in its basic form: es ist sonnig (not es ist sonnige).
The pronunciation of bewölkt can be tricky - remember the ö sound is like the 'ur' in 'fur' but shorter.
Key Points to Remember:
- Use es ist + adjective for most weather descriptions
- Wie ist das Wetter? is your standard weather question
- sehr intensifies temperature descriptions (sehr heiß/kalt)
- Gewitter means thunderstorms, not general weather
- Weather adjectives don't change their endings after es ist