You've probably been there. You're standing in a plaza in Madrid or maybe a sidewalk in Buenos Aires, trying to make small talk. You look up at the sky, remember your high school Spanish, and confidently say, "El clima es sol."
The local looks at you, blinks, and says, "Sí, hace sol."
Ouch. It’s a tiny mistake, but it’s the kind of thing that immediately marks you as a tourist. Talking about weathers in spanish for the seasons isn't just about memorizing a list of nouns. Honestly, it’s about a weird grammatical logic that feels totally backward to English speakers. We want to use "to be" for everything. Spanish? Spanish wants to use "to make," "to have," and "to be"—and it’s picky about which one goes where.
The Seasonal Flip-Flop You Weren't Expecting
Before we even get into the "how" of describing weather, we have to talk about the "when." If you’re planning a trip to South America to escape the winter, you’ve gotta remember the hemisphere swap.
Most people know this intellectually, but it still trips them up in conversation. In countries like Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, el invierno (winter) happens while you’re wearing a swimsuit in New York.
- La primavera (Spring): March–May (North) / Sept–Nov (South)
- El verano (Summer): June–Aug (North) / Dec–Feb (South)
- El otoño (Autumn): Sept–Nov (North) / March–May (South)
- El invierno (Winter): Dec–Feb (North) / June–Aug (South)
Notice something? Primavera is the only one that's feminine. You'll say la primavera, but el verano. It’s a small detail, but if you say "el primavera," people will know what you mean, but it'll sound... crunchy.
Why "Hacer" Is the King of Weather
In English, we say "It is hot." In Spanish, the weather doesn't just exist; it does things. We use the verb hacer (to make/do).
When you want to describe the general "vibe" or sensation of the day, you’ll almost always use hace.
Hace calor. (It’s hot.)
Hace frío. (It’s cold.)
Hace viento. (It’s windy.)
Hace buen tiempo. (The weather is good.)
If you want to sound like a local, you can add "un" to emphasize it. In Argentina, they might say "Hace un frío..." and just trail off, implying it’s freezing. It’s basically their way of saying "It's a whole thing."
The "Hay" Exception
Sometimes, the weather isn't a sensation; it's a thing you can see. That’s when you switch to haber (specifically, hay, meaning "there is").
You don't "make" fog. You have fog.
Hay niebla. (It’s foggy.)
Hay tormenta. (There’s a storm.)
Hay humedad. (It’s humid.)
If you say "hace niebla," most people will understand, but technically, you're saying the weather is manufacturing fog. Kinda weird, right?
Real-World Weathers in Spanish for the Seasons
Let's get specific. Depending on where you are in the Spanish-speaking world, the "typical" weather for a season changes drastically. Spain isn't just one big sunny beach, and Latin America isn't just one big jungle.
La Primavera: The Season of "Llover a Cántaros"
Spring is the trickiest. In Seville, it’s gorgeous. In Galicia (North of Spain), it’s basically a permanent shower. There’s a famous saying: "En abril, aguas mil" (In April, a thousand waters).
Common phrases you'll actually use:
- Está lloviendo. (It’s raining—right now.)
- Llueve mucho. (It rains a lot—in general.)
- Está lloviendo a cántaros. This is the big one. It literally means "it’s raining clay pots," but it’s the equivalent of "raining cats and dogs."
El Verano: When It's "Bochorno"
If you're in Madrid in August, you aren't just hot. You're suffering.
Spanish speakers have a specific word for that stifling, humid heat: bochorno.
You’ll hear: "Qué bochorno hace." (It’s so sweltering.)
Or, if you’re really feeling it: "Me muero de calor." (I’m dying of heat.)
In places like Valencia, the heat is húmedo (humid). In central Spain, it’s seco (dry). Either way, you'll be looking for la sombra (the shade) pretty quickly.
💡 You might also like: The Sol Friedman House: Why This Frank Lloyd Wright Design Still Feels Like the Future
El Otoño: The Windy Transition
Fall is when hace viento (it's windy) starts to pick up. The temperature starts to feel fresco (cool/brisk). It’s not quite "cold" yet, but you’re definitely reaching for a chaqueta.
You might say: "El día está nublado." (The day is cloudy.)
Notice we used está here? That’s because "cloudy" is a condition or a state. If you’re describing the state of the sky, use estar.
El Invierno: "Un Frío que Pela"
Winter varies. In parts of Mexico, it's just a bit chilly. In the Andes or the Spanish Pyrenees, it’s nieve (snow) and hielo (ice).
A fun idiom for when it's biting cold? Hace un frío que pela. (It’s a cold that peels—like peeling your skin off. Intense, I know.)
If you see snow falling right this second, say: "Está nevando."
If you want to say it snows every year: "Nieva mucho aquí."
Regional Slang That Makes You Sound Legit
If you really want to impress someone, you have to go beyond the textbook. Language is alive, and weather talk is where people get creative.
In Argentina, young people love to flip words around (it's called vesre).
Instead of frío, they might say "ofri."
Instead of calor, they say "lorca."
So, if someone says, "¡Qué lorca hace!", they're just saying it's really hot.
In Colombia or Venezuela, you might not have four seasons. You have the estación seca (dry season) and the temporada de lluvias (rainy season). In those places, people don't ask about "winter"; they ask if the rains are coming.
💡 You might also like: The Kinder’s Seasoning Gift Set Reality: Why Your Pantry Needs This Flavor Upgrade
Don't Make This One Huge Mistake
Whatever you do, never use the verb "ser" to talk about the current weather.
- Wrong: "El tiempo es bueno."
- Right: "Hace buen tiempo."
You only use ser if you are talking about the permanent climate of a place.
"El clima en el Caribe es tropical." (The climate in the Caribbean is tropical.) That’s a permanent fact.
But if you’re talking about the sky right now? Stick to hacer, estar, or haber.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Conversation
Stop trying to translate "It is" in your head. It’s a trap. Instead, categorize the weather in your mind before you speak:
- Is it a feeling (Hot/Cold/Windy)? Use Hace. (Hace calor, hace frío, hace viento.)
- Is it a visible thing (Sun/Fog/Clouds)? Use Hay. (Hay sol, hay niebla, hay nubes.)
- Is it an action happening right now (Raining/Snowing)? Use Está. (Está lloviendo, está nevando.)
Next time you check the forecast for a trip to a Spanish-speaking country, look up the specific words for that region. Knowing the difference between a chaparrón (a quick downpour) and llovizna (a light drizzle) can be the difference between getting soaked or just needing a light hood.
Master these basics, throw in a "qué bochorno" when it’s humid, and you’ll stop sounding like a textbook and start sounding like a human.