Essential Weather Vocabulary, El Vocabulario del Clima
These are the core weather words you will encounter daily in conversation and on weather reports. Each word includes pronunciation and a real example showing how native speakers use it.
Basic Weather Nouns
El sol (sohl) means sun. Example: "Hoy hace sol" (It's sunny today).
La lluvia (YOO-bee-ah) means rain. Example: "La lluvia no para" (The rain won't stop).
La nieve (nee-EH-beh) means snow. Example: "La nieve cubre las montañas" (Snow covers the mountains).
El viento (bee-EHN-toh) means wind. Example: "Hace mucho viento hoy" (It's very windy today).
La nube (NOO-beh) means cloud. Example: "El cielo está lleno de nubes" (The sky is full of clouds).
Storm and Atmospheric Conditions
La tormenta (tohr-MEHN-tah) means storm. Example: "Se acerca una tormenta" (A storm is approaching).
El rayo (RRAH-yoh) means lightning bolt. El relámpago (reh-LAHM-pah-goh) means lightning flash. Example: "Vi un relámpago a lo lejos" (I saw lightning in the distance).
El trueno (TRWEH-noh) means thunder. Example: "Se escuchan truenos" (You can hear thunder).
La niebla (nee-EH-blah) means fog. Example: "Hay mucha niebla esta mañana" (There is a lot of fog this morning).
Precipitation and Temperature
El hielo (ee-EH-loh) means ice. Example: "Las carreteras tienen hielo" (The roads have ice).
El granizo (grah-NEE-soh) means hail. Example: "Cayó granizo durante la tormenta" (Hail fell during the storm).
El arcoíris (ahr-koh-EE-rees) means rainbow. Example: "Después de la lluvia salió un arcoíris" (After the rain a rainbow appeared).
La temperatura (tehm-peh-rah-TOO-rah) means temperature. Example: "La temperatura es de 25 grados" (The temperature is 25 degrees).
Weather Forecasting and Conditions
Los grados (GRAH-dohs) means degrees. Example: "Hoy estamos a 30 grados" (Today it's 30 degrees).
El pronóstico (proh-NOHS-tee-koh) means forecast. Example: "El pronóstico dice que lloverá mañana" (The forecast says it will rain tomorrow).
La humedad (oo-meh-DAHD) means humidity. Example: "La humedad es muy alta en verano" (The humidity is very high in summer).
La sequía (seh-KEE-ah) means drought. Example: "La sequía afecta a los agricultores" (The drought affects farmers).
La inundación (ee-noon-dah-see-OHN) means flood. Example: "La tormenta causó inundaciones" (The storm caused floods).
| Term | Meaning | Pronunciation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| el sol | sun | sohl | Hoy hace sol., It's sunny today. |
| la lluvia | rain | YOO-bee-ah | La lluvia no para., The rain won't stop. |
| la nieve | snow | nee-EH-beh | La nieve cubre las montañas., Snow covers the mountains. |
| el viento | wind | bee-EHN-toh | Hace mucho viento hoy., It's very windy today. |
| la nube | cloud | NOO-beh | El cielo está lleno de nubes., The sky is full of clouds. |
| la tormenta | storm | tohr-MEHN-tah | Se acerca una tormenta., A storm is approaching. |
| el rayo / el relámpago | lightning bolt / lightning flash | RRAH-yoh / reh-LAHM-pah-goh | Vi un relámpago a lo lejos., I saw lightning in the distance. |
| el trueno | thunder | TRWEH-noh | Se escuchan truenos., You can hear thunder. |
| la niebla | fog | nee-EH-blah | Hay mucha niebla esta mañana., There is a lot of fog this morning. |
| el hielo | ice | ee-EH-loh | Las carreteras tienen hielo., The roads have ice. |
| el granizo | hail | grah-NEE-soh | Cayó granizo durante la tormenta., Hail fell during the storm. |
| el arcoíris | rainbow | ahr-koh-EE-rees | Después de la lluvia salió un arcoíris., After the rain a rainbow appeared. |
| la temperatura | temperature | tehm-peh-rah-TOO-rah | La temperatura es de 25 grados., The temperature is 25 degrees. |
| los grados | degrees | GRAH-dohs | Hoy estamos a 30 grados., Today it's 30 degrees. |
| el pronóstico | forecast | proh-NOHS-tee-koh | El pronóstico dice que lloverá mañana., The forecast says it will rain tomorrow. |
| la humedad | humidity | oo-meh-DAHD | La humedad es muy alta en verano., The humidity is very high in summer. |
| la sequía | drought | seh-KEE-ah | La sequía afecta a los agricultores., The drought affects farmers. |
| la inundación | flood | ee-noon-dah-see-OHN | La tormenta causó inundaciones., The storm caused floods. |
Weather Phrases and Expressions, Frases del Tiempo
Spanish weather phrases use three main verb constructions. Learning when to use each one is key to sounding natural.
Using Hacer (To Make)
The verb hacer describes most weather conditions as something that happens or is produced.
Hace calor (AH-seh kah-LOHR) means it's hot. Example: "Hace mucho calor en agosto" (It's very hot in August).
Hace frío (AH-seh FREE-oh) means it's cold. Example: "Hace frío, ponte un abrigo" (It's cold, put on a coat).
Hace sol (AH-seh sohl) means it's sunny. Example: "Hace sol, vamos a la playa" (It's sunny, let's go to the beach).
Hace viento (AH-seh bee-EHN-toh) means it's windy. Example: "Hace mucho viento, cierra la ventana" (It's very windy, close the window).
Hace buen tiempo (AH-seh bwehn tee-EHM-poh) means the weather is nice. Example: "Hoy hace buen tiempo para pasear" (The weather is nice for a walk today).
Hace mal tiempo (AH-seh mahl tee-EHM-poh) means the weather is bad. Example: "Hace mal tiempo, mejor nos quedamos" (The weather is bad, we'd better stay in).
Using Estar (To Be)
The verb estar describes visible weather conditions you can observe.
Está nublado (ehs-TAH noo-BLAH-doh) means it's cloudy. Example: "Está nublado pero no llueve" (It's cloudy but it's not raining).
Está lloviendo or Llueve (ehs-TAH yoh-bee-EHN-doh or YWEH-beh) means it's raining. Example: "Está lloviendo, necesitas un paraguas" (It's raining, you need an umbrella).
Está nevando or Nieva (ehs-TAH neh-BAHN-doh or nee-EH-bah) means it's snowing. Example: "¡Está nevando! Los niños están felices" (It's snowing! The kids are happy).
Está despejado (ehs-TAH dehs-peh-HAH-doh) means it's clear. Example: "El cielo está despejado" (The sky is clear).
Using Haber (There Is)
The verb haber (in the form hay) introduces phenomena that exist.
Hay niebla (ah-ee nee-EH-blah) means it's foggy or there is fog. Example: "Hay mucha niebla, conduce despacio" (It's very foggy, drive slowly).
Hay tormenta (ah-ee tohr-MEHN-tah) means there is a storm. Example: "Hay tormenta eléctrica esta noche" (There's a thunderstorm tonight).
Common Weather Questions and Predictions
¿Qué tiempo hace? (keh tee-EHM-poh AH-seh) means what's the weather like? Example: "¿Qué tiempo hace en Madrid hoy?" (What's the weather like in Madrid today?).
Va a llover (bah ah yoh-BEHR) means it's going to rain. Example: "Creo que va a llover esta tarde" (I think it's going to rain this afternoon).
Se espera... (seh ehs-PEH-rah) means... is expected. Example: "Se esperan lluvias para el fin de semana" (Rain is expected for the weekend).
| Term | Meaning | Pronunciation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hace calor | It's hot | AH-seh kah-LOHR | Hace mucho calor en agosto., It's very hot in August. |
| Hace frío | It's cold | AH-seh FREE-oh | Hace frío, ponte un abrigo., It's cold, put on a coat. |
| Hace sol | It's sunny | AH-seh sohl | Hace sol, vamos a la playa., It's sunny, let's go to the beach. |
| Hace viento | It's windy | AH-seh bee-EHN-toh | Hace mucho viento, cierra la ventana., It's very windy, close the window. |
| Hace buen tiempo | The weather is nice | AH-seh bwehn tee-EHM-poh | Hoy hace buen tiempo para pasear., The weather is nice for a walk today. |
| Hace mal tiempo | The weather is bad | AH-seh mahl tee-EHM-poh | Hace mal tiempo, mejor nos quedamos., The weather is bad, we'd better stay in. |
| Está nublado | It's cloudy | ehs-TAH noo-BLAH-doh | Está nublado pero no llueve., It's cloudy but it's not raining. |
| Está lloviendo / Llueve | It's raining | ehs-TAH yoh-bee-EHN-doh / YWEH-beh | Está lloviendo, necesitas un paraguas., It's raining, you need an umbrella. |
| Está nevando / Nieva | It's snowing | ehs-TAH neh-BAHN-doh / nee-EH-bah | ¡Está nevando! Los niños están felices., It's snowing! The kids are happy. |
| Hay niebla | It's foggy / There is fog | ah-ee nee-EH-blah | Hay mucha niebla, conduce despacio., It's very foggy, drive slowly. |
| Hay tormenta | There is a storm | ah-ee tohr-MEHN-tah | Hay tormenta eléctrica esta noche., There's a thunderstorm tonight. |
| Está despejado | It's clear (sky) | ehs-TAH dehs-peh-HAH-doh | El cielo está despejado., The sky is clear. |
| ¿Qué tiempo hace? | What's the weather like? | keh tee-EHM-poh AH-seh | ¿Qué tiempo hace en Madrid hoy?, What's the weather like in Madrid today? |
| Va a llover | It's going to rain | bah ah yoh-BEHR | Creo que va a llover esta tarde., I think it's going to rain this afternoon. |
| Se espera... | ... is expected | seh ehs-PEH-rah | Se esperan lluvias para el fin de semana., Rain is expected for the weekend. |
Temperature and Climate Descriptions
Describing temperature and climate helps you talk about travel plans, seasons, and different regions. Remember that Spanish-speaking countries use Celsius, not Fahrenheit.
Climate and Weather Adjectives
Caluroso/a (kah-loo-ROH-soh) means hot when describing climate or a day. Example: "El verano es muy caluroso aquí" (Summer is very hot here).
Fresco/a (FREHS-koh) means cool or fresh. Example: "Las mañanas son frescas en otoño" (Mornings are cool in autumn).
Templado/a (tehm-PLAH-doh) means mild or temperate. Example: "El clima es templado todo el año" (The climate is mild all year).
Húmedo/a (OO-meh-doh) means humid or damp. Example: "El clima tropical es muy húmedo" (The tropical climate is very humid).
Seco/a (SEH-koh) means dry. Example: "El desierto tiene un clima seco" (The desert has a dry climate).
Temperature Ranges and Extremes
Bajo cero (BAH-hoh SEH-roh) means below zero. Example: "Hoy estamos a cinco grados bajo cero" (Today it's five degrees below zero).
La ola de calor (OH-lah deh kah-LOHR) means heat wave. Example: "Hay una ola de calor esta semana" (There's a heat wave this week).
Helado/a (eh-LAH-doh) means freezing or icy. Example: "El agua del río está helada" (The river water is freezing).
| Term | Meaning | Pronunciation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| caluroso/a | hot (climate/day) | kah-loo-ROH-soh | El verano es muy caluroso aquí., Summer is very hot here. |
| fresco/a | cool / fresh | FREHS-koh | Las mañanas son frescas en otoño., Mornings are cool in autumn. |
| templado/a | mild / temperate | tehm-PLAH-doh | El clima es templado todo el año., The climate is mild all year. |
| húmedo/a | humid / damp | OO-meh-doh | El clima tropical es muy húmedo., The tropical climate is very humid. |
| seco/a | dry | SEH-koh | El desierto tiene un clima seco., The desert has a dry climate. |
| bajo cero | below zero | BAH-hoh SEH-roh | Hoy estamos a cinco grados bajo cero., Today it's five degrees below zero. |
| la ola de calor | heat wave | OH-lah deh kah-LOHR | Hay una ola de calor esta semana., There's a heat wave this week. |
| helado/a | freezing / icy | eh-LAH-doh | El agua del río está helada., The river water is freezing. |
Tips for Learning Spanish Weather Vocabulary
Weather vocabulary is ideal for daily practice because conditions change every day, giving you new reasons to use these words. These strategies help you internalize weather terms quickly and naturally.
Daily Practice Habits
Check the weather in Spanish every morning. Make this a daily habit to expose yourself to weather vocabulary in context. Set your phone's weather app to Spanish, or check "el pronóstico del tiempo" on a Spanish news website.
Describe today's weather out loud. Every morning, use complete sentences to describe what you observe outside. Look outside and say something like: "Hoy hace sol y calor. No hay nubes. La temperatura es de 28 grados." This forces you to retrieve vocabulary from memory, which is much more effective than passive reading.
Pattern Recognition Strategies
Learn the verb patterns separately. Group weather expressions by which verb they use to avoid mixing them up. Create three columns:
- HACER: calor, frío, viento, sol
- ESTAR: nublado, lloviendo, nevando, despejado
- HABER: niebla, tormenta, humedad
This visual organization helps your brain store these patterns more efficiently.
Active Learning Resources
Watch weather reports in Spanish. TV weather segments use predictable vocabulary and clear visual aids. Search YouTube for "pronóstico del tiempo España" or "pronóstico del tiempo México" for authentic listening practice with weather vocabulary.
Connect weather to seasons you already know. Link new vocabulary to information you've already learned. Create sentences that combine both: "En enero hace frío y nieva. En julio hace calor y hace sol." This builds stronger memory connections than learning words in isolation.
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Check the weather in Spanish daily | Make it a habit to check the weather forecast in Spanish every morning | Set your phone's weather app to Spanish, or check 'el pronóstico del tiempo' on a Spanish news site. |
| Describe today's weather out loud | Every morning, describe the weather in Spanish using full sentences | Look outside and say: 'Hoy hace sol y calor. No hay nubes. La temperatura es de 28 grados.' |
| Learn the hacer/estar/haber patterns | Group weather expressions by which verb they use to avoid mixing them up | HACER: calor, frío, viento, sol. ESTAR: nublado, lloviendo. HABER: niebla, tormenta. |
| Watch weather reports in Spanish | TV weather segments use repetitive vocabulary and clear visual aids | YouTube 'pronóstico del tiempo España/México' for daily listening practice with weather words. |
| Connect weather to seasons and months | Link weather vocabulary to the seasons and months you already know | Create sentences: 'En enero hace frío y nieva. En julio hace calor y hace sol.' |
How to Study Spanish Effectively
Mastering Spanish requires the right study method, not just more hours. Research in cognitive science shows that three techniques produce the best results. These are active recall (testing yourself instead of re-reading), spaced repetition (reviewing at scientifically-optimized intervals), and interleaving (mixing related topics rather than studying one in isolation). FluentFlash combines all three into one platform.
Why Flashcards Work Better Than Re-Reading
The most common mistake students make is relying on passive review. Re-reading notes, highlighting textbook passages, or watching videos feels productive, but they produce only 10-20% of the retention that active recall achieves. Flashcards force your brain to retrieve information, which strengthens memory pathways far more than recognition alone.
When you study Spanish weather words with our FSRS algorithm, every term is scheduled for review at exactly the moment you're about to forget it. This maximizes retention while minimizing study time.
Building a Consistent Study Plan
Start by creating 15-25 flashcards covering the highest-priority weather concepts. Review them daily for the first week using our FSRS scheduling. As cards become easier, intervals automatically expand from minutes to days to weeks.
You'll always work on material at the edge of your knowledge. After 2-3 weeks of consistent practice, Spanish weather concepts become automatic rather than effortful to recall.
Study Steps to Follow
- Generate flashcards using FluentFlash AI or create them manually from your notes
- Study 15-20 new cards per day, plus scheduled reviews
- Use multiple study modes (flip, multiple choice, written) to strengthen recall
- Track your progress and identify weak topics for focused review
- Review consistently. Daily practice beats marathon study sessions every time
- 1
Generate flashcards using FluentFlash AI or create them manually from your notes
- 2
Study 15-20 new cards per day, plus scheduled reviews
- 3
Use multiple study modes (flip, multiple choice, written) to strengthen recall
- 4
Track your progress and identify weak topics for focused review
- 5
Review consistently, daily practice beats marathon sessions