What's the weather like?
in Spanish¿Qué tiempo hace?
/keh tyehm-poh ah-seh/
The most classic, textbook way to ask about the weather. It literally translates to 'What weather is it making?' and is understood everywhere, though most common in Spain.
💬Other Ways to Say It
¿Cómo está el clima?
/KOH-moh ehs-TAH el KLEE-mah/
The most common way to ask in Latin America. It uses the word 'clima' instead of 'tiempo' to avoid confusion with 'time'.
¿Cómo está el tiempo?
/KOH-moh ehs-TAH el tyehm-poh/
A variation that asks 'how is' the weather right now rather than 'what is it doing'.
¿Qué tal el clima?
/keh tahl el KLEE-mah/
A shorter, friendlier version. 'Qué tal' generally means 'How's it going?' applied here to the weather.
¿Hace buen tiempo?
/ah-seh bwehn tyehm-poh/
Specifically asks 'Is the weather good?' rather than an open-ended question.
¿Cómo amaneció el día?
/KOH-moh ah-mah-neh-see-OH el DEE-ah/
Literally 'How did the day dawn?' or 'How did the day wake up?'
🔑Key Words
Key Words to learn:
📊Quick Comparison
There is a distinct split between Spain and Latin America regarding which noun is preferred for 'weather'.
| Phrase | Literal Meaning | Best For | Avoid When |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¿Qué tiempo hace? | Spain, textbooks, universal understanding | You want to sound local in Mexico (it's understood, just less common) | |
| ¿Cómo está el clima? | Mexico, Colombia, most of Latin America | You are in Spain (people might think you mean the long-term climate, not today's weather) | |
| ¿Qué tal hace? | Quick, casual check-ins with friends | Formal situations or speaking to strangers |
📈Difficulty Level
Straightforward, though the 'h' in 'hace' is silent (AH-seh), which beginners often pronounce.
The concept of 'making' weather (hace calor) vs 'being' weather (está nublado) can be tricky for English speakers.
Mainly just remembering the Spain vs. Latin America vocabulary preference (tiempo vs. clima).
Key Challenges:
- Remembering silent H in Hace
- Not using 'es' for weather descriptions
💡Examples in Action
¿Sabes qué tiempo hace en Madrid hoy?
Do you know what the weather is like in Madrid today?
Voy a salir, ¿cómo está el clima afuera?
I'm going out, how is the weather outside?
No sé qué ropa llevar porque no sé qué tiempo hace.
I don't know what clothes to take because I don't know what the weather is like.
Espero que haga buen tiempo para la boda.
I hope the weather is nice for the wedding.
🌍Cultural Context
The 'Tiempo' Double Meaning
The word 'tiempo' means both 'weather' and 'time' in Spanish. Context usually makes it clear, but this is why many Latin American countries prefer using 'clima' for weather to avoid any ambiguity.
Weather is 'Made', Not 'Is'
In English, we say the weather IS hot. In Spanish, we often say the weather MAKES heat ('hace calor'). Imagine the atmosphere is actively creating the temperature. This is a fundamental shift in how Spanish speakers conceptualize weather.
The Universal Elevator Pitch
Just like in English-speaking cultures, talking about the weather is the safest, most polite form of small talk ('la charla') in Spanish. If you get in a taxi or an elevator in Bogotá or Barcelona, commenting on the rain or heat is the perfect icebreaker.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Asking 'What is the weather?' literally
Mistake: "Saying '¿Qué es el tiempo?' or '¿Qué es el clima?'"
Correction: ¿Qué tiempo hace? / ¿Cómo está el clima?
Using 'Es' for temperature
Mistake: "Saying 'Es calor' (It is hot)"
Correction: Hace calor
Confusing 'Tiempo' and 'Hora'
Mistake: "Asking '¿Qué tiempo es?' to ask for the time."
Correction: ¿Qué hora es?
💡Pro Tips
Use 'Hace' for general feelings
If you want to say it's hot, cold, sunny, or windy, start your sentence with 'Hace' (It makes). Example: 'Hace frío' (It's cold).
Use 'Está' for visual states
If you are looking out the window and describing what you see (cloudy, raining, snowing), use 'Está'. Example: 'Está nublado' (It's cloudy).
When in doubt, use 'Cómo está...'
If you can't remember if you should use 'hace' or 'qué', the construction '¿Cómo está el clima?' (How is the climate?) is grammatically simpler for English speakers and widely understood.
🗺️Regional Variations
Spain
In Spain, 'tiempo' is the standard word. Using 'clima' sounds like you are discussing meteorology or climate change, rather than if it's raining right now.
Mexico & Colombia
Here, 'clima' is the everyday word for weather. 'Tiempo' is understood but primarily used to mean 'time' (clock/duration). Using 'clima' avoids ambiguity.
Caribbean (Cuba/PR/DR)
In the Caribbean, weather talk is very casual. Interestingly, in some Caribbean dialects, 'calor' (heat) is sometimes treated as feminine ('la calor'), though standard Spanish is masculine ('el calor').
💬What Comes Next?
You ask about the weather and they say it's hot
¡Uf, hace muchísimo calor!
Oof, it's extremely hot!
Sí, es verdad. Me estoy asando.
Yes, it's true. I'm roasting.
They tell you the weather is bad/raining
Está lloviendo a cántaros.
It's raining cats and dogs (literally: pitchers).
Mejor nos quedamos adentro entonces.
Better we stay inside then.
🧠Memory Tricks
To talk about the weather, you need to 'ACE' it. H-**ACE** calor, H-**ACE** frío. Think of the weather 'making' (hacer) the day what it is.
Think of the musical term 'Tempo'. It relates to time. In Spanish, 'Tiempo' is time, but it's also the weather. The tempo of the day is set by the weather.
🔄How It Differs from English
The biggest hurdle is the verb choice. English relies heavily on 'to be' (It IS cold). Spanish relies on 'to do/make' (It MAKES cold - 'Hace frío') for temperature, and 'to have' (I HAVE cold - 'Tengo frío') for personal feeling. Mixing these up is the #1 beginner mistake.
False Friends & Common Confusions:
Why it's different: Translating this word-for-word to '¿Qué es el tiempo?' sounds like you are asking for a dictionary definition of the word 'weather'.
Use instead: ¿Qué tiempo hace?
🎯Your Learning Path
➡️ Learn Next:
How to say it's hot in Spanish
This is the most common answer to 'What's the weather like?'
How to say it's raining in Spanish
Essential for describing bad weather states.
Seasons in Spanish
Expand your weather vocabulary to talk about yearly cycles.
How to say 'I am hot/cold'
Learn the difference between the weather being hot vs. YOU feeling hot (very important grammar difference!).
✏️Test Your Knowledge
💡 Quick Quiz: What's the weather like?
Question 1 of 3
You are in Madrid and want to ask someone on the street about the weather. What is the most natural phrase?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it wrong to say '¿Cómo es el clima?'
It's not grammatically wrong, but it sounds like you are asking for a description of the region's general climate (e.g., 'Is it tropical?'). To ask about today's weather specifically, '¿Cómo está el clima?' (using estar) is better.
Why do some people say 'tiempo' and others 'clima'?
This is a regional preference. Spain overwhelmingly uses 'tiempo'. Latin American countries prefer 'clima' because 'tiempo' also means 'time' (as in clock time), so using 'clima' prevents confusion.
Can I just say '¿Qué pasa afuera?'
That means 'What's happening outside?' It implies there might be an event or a disturbance, not necessarily weather. It's better to stick to specific weather phrases.
How do I answer if someone asks me this?
You can answer with 'Hace...' + [calor/frío/sol/viento] (It is hot/cold/sunny/windy) or 'Está...' + [nublado/lloviendo] (It is cloudy/raining).
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