What's the weather like?
A very common alternative, especially in Spain. It literally means 'What weather does it make?'.
Use 'Hace' to describe general temperature conditions: 'It's hot / It's cold.'
Use 'Está' to describe the state of the sky: 'It's sunny / It's cloudy.'
Use 'Está' with the gerund (-ando/-iendo) for ongoing precipitation: 'It's raining / It's snowing.'
A: What's the weather like in Cancun? B: It's very hot! It's very sunny.
We can't go to the beach because it's raining.
A: What's the weather like in Madrid in December? B: It's very cold.
I prefer cloudy days, I don't like the sun very much.
In most of Latin America, '¿Cómo está el clima?' is the most common way to ask about the weather. 'Clima' is used for daily weather, even though it technically means 'climate'.
In Spain, '¿Qué tiempo hace?' is standard. Using 'clima' would sound like you're asking about the long-term climate patterns of the region, not the weather for today.
You will hear both '¿Cómo está el clima?' and '¿Cómo está el tiempo?'. The latter is a common variation in the Southern Cone.
Using 'es' for temperature, e.g., 'Es calor'. — The correct form is 'Hace calor'. For general weather descriptions like hot, cold, windy, or sunny, Spanish uses the verb 'hacer' in an impersonal way ('it makes heat').
Confusing 'hace frío' with 'tengo frío'. — 'Hace frío' means 'It is cold' (describing the weather). 'Tengo frío' means 'I am cold' (describing how your body feels). Use 'hacer' for the weather and 'tener' for your personal sensation.
Using 'ser' for conditions, e.g., 'Es soleado'. — The correct form is 'Está soleado'. For temporary conditions like being sunny, cloudy, or rainy, use the verb 'estar', not 'ser'.
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