Talking about the weather is a universal conversation starter, and in Spanish, it's no different. Whether you're planning your day, deciding what to wear, or just making small talk with a new acquaintance, knowing how to describe the weather is a fundamental skill for any beginner. This vocabulary list will give you the most common and practical words you'll need in everyday situations across Latin America. You'll notice some key patterns that make learning these terms easier. The verb 'hacer' (to do/make) is frequently used in phrases like 'hace calor' (it's hot) or 'hace frío' (it's cold). The verb 'estar' (to be) is used to describe current conditions, like 'está lloviendo' (it's raining). Finally, 'hay' (there is/are) is used to mention the presence of things like 'hay nubes' (there are clouds). Mastering these three structures will allow you to describe most weather situations. While most of these terms are understood everywhere, this list defaults to the most common vocabulary used in Latin America. The simple, present-tense examples are designed to get you speaking confidently from day one. ¡Vamos a hablar del tiempo!
What's the weather like?
¿Qué tiempo hace hoy en tu ciudad? — What's the weather like in your city today?
the weather
El tiempo está muy agradable hoy. — The weather is very pleasant today.
the climate
El clima en el Caribe es tropical. — The climate in the Caribbean is tropical.
it's good weather
Vamos al parque, hace buen tiempo. — Let's go to the park, the weather is good.
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it's bad weather
No quiero salir porque hace mal tiempo. — I don't want to go out because the weather is bad.
it's hot
En verano, siempre hace calor aquí. — In the summer, it's always hot here.
it's cold
Necesitas una chaqueta, hace frío afuera. — You need a jacket, it's cold outside.
it's sunny
Es un día perfecto para la playa, hace sol. — It's a perfect day for the beach, it's sunny.
it's windy
Cierra la ventana, por favor. Hace mucho viento. — Close the window, please. It's very windy.
it's sunny
El pronóstico dice que mañana va a estar soleado. — The forecast says it's going to be sunny tomorrow.
it's cloudy
No se ve el sol porque está muy nublado. — You can't see the sun because it's very cloudy.
it's clear (sky)
Por la noche, el cielo está despejado y se ven las estrellas. — At night, the sky is clear and you can see the stars.
there are clouds
Hoy hay muchas nubes, parece que va a llover. — There are a lot of clouds today, it looks like it's going to rain.
the cloud
Esa nube tiene forma de animal. — That cloud is shaped like an animal.
it's foggy (there is fog)
No puedo ver bien la carretera porque hay mucha niebla. — I can't see the road well because it's very foggy.
it's raining
Lleva un paraguas, está lloviendo. — Take an umbrella, it's raining.
to rain (it rains)
En esta región, llueve mucho en abril. — In this region, it rains a lot in April.
the rain
Me gusta el sonido de la lluvia. — I like the sound of the rain.
it's snowing
Mira por la ventana, ¡está nevando! — Look out the window, it's snowing!
to snow (it snows)
Aquí casi nunca nieva. — It almost never snows here.
the snow
Los niños juegan con la nieve en invierno. — The children play in the snow in winter.
there's a storm
Escucho truenos, creo que hay una tormenta. — I hear thunder, I think there's a storm.
the temperature
¿Cuál es la temperatura hoy? — What's the temperature today?
the degree
Estamos a treinta grados. ¡Qué calor! — It's thirty degrees. It's so hot!