February 8, 2024 by Faustina Mulnik Spanish Grammar, Spanish Vocabulary 0 comments
Learning to discuss the temperature in Spanish enables you to converse about food, thermostats, and, of course, the weather!
No small talk is complete without an introduction about the weather! In this post, I teach you how to discuss the temperature in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. I also explain each verb option and how to use them with lots of examples. Finally, I share some essential temperature vocabulary terms and practice conversations.
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How To Say Temperature in Spanish
The first word you need to learn in Spanish is temperature, or temperatura. Thankfully, it sounds very similar to its English translation. This word will play a key part in crafting your temperature sentences later on!
What’s the Temperature in Spanish
The next most important thing to learn is how to ask for the temperature. This way, you’ll never be caught off guard by the weather! Take a look at the most common ways to ask this essential question in Spanish.
¿Qué temperatura have?
What temperature is it?
¿Cuál es la temperatura?
What is the temperature?
¿Qué temperatura es?
What is the temperature?
Check Temperature in Spanish
If you are feeling ill, you might need to ask someone to take your temperature in Spanish. Likewise, if someone you know looks a little under the weather, you might want to tell them to check and see if they have a fever.
Tómate la temperatura.
Take your temperature.
¿Me tomas la temperatura?
Will you take my temperature?
Temperature Verbs
In order to talk about the temperature in Spanish, there are a few key verbs you must master. Haber, ser and estar are the most common verbs you will encounter when talking about the weather. Tener is another useful verb that can help you talk about body temperature.
Estar (To Be)
Use the verb estar to describe non-permanent weather conditions.
El día está soleado.
The day is sunny.
La mañana estaba nublada.
The morning was cloudy.
El clima está caluroso.
The weather is hot.
Ser (To Be)
Use the verb ser to describe how the weather feels like to you or to talk about the normal weather during a specific time of the year.
El clima es agradable.
The weather is nice.
El invierno es muy frío.
Winter is very cold.
Durante el otoño, el clima es ventoso.
During the fall, the weather is windy.
Hacer (To Make/Do)
Another verb you can use when talking about the weather is hacer. You can use this verb to describe what the weather “does”.
Hace mucho calor.
It is very hot.
En las noches, hace frío.
At night, it is cold.
Haber (There is)
Haber is another verb you can use to talk about the weather. Use this one in the third-person singular form.
No hay muchas nubes.
There aren’t many clouds.
Ayer hubo mucha lluvia.
Yesterday there was a lot of rain.
Tener (To Have)
You don’t only talk about the weather with temperatures. They also play an important role in discussing your body temperature, how you are feeling, or your health. This is where the verb tener comes in!
Tengo fiebre.
I have a fever.
Él tiene la temperatura alta.
He has a high temperature.
Ella tiene calor.
She’s hot.
Ellos tienen frío.
They’re cold.
The Metric System
If you’re from the U.S., then you’re probably used to using Fahrenheit when talking about the temperature. However, almost everyone else across the globe is using Celsius! It’s important to nail down this second system so that you can properly plan your outfits when traveling abroad. 20 degrees Celsius is a lot different than 20 degrees Fahrenheit!
Celsius vs Fahrenheit
The US, the Bahamas, and Belize are nearly the only ones using Fahrenheit! If you want to talk about the temperature in Spanish with everyone, then it will be necessary for you to understand the metric system in Celsius degrees. Luckily, most thermometers have both the metric (Celsius) and imperial (Fahrenheit) systems, allowing you to easily see the difference between them.
Luckily, there is no complicated Fahrenheit in Spanish translation or Fahrenheit in Spanish pronunciation. The word is spelt exactly the same! Additionally, Celsius in Spanish means the same thing as it does in English. You can also say centígrados, but either will do!
El agua hirviendo mide 100° Celsius, pero 212° Fahrenheit.
Boiling water measures 100° in Celsius, but 212° in Fahrenheit.
El agua se congela a 0° Celsius, pero a 32° Fahrenheit.
Water freezes at 0° Celsius, but at 32° Fahrenheit.
Ser vs Estar
In relation to the temperature in degrees, you can use both ser and estar, depending on the structure of your sentence.
Using Ser
Use the verb ser when the temperature is the subject.
La temperatura es de 30 grados.
The temperature is 30 degrees.
Using Estar
Meanwhile, you can use the verb estar when “we” is the subject. It’s sort of like saying “we’re at a certain temperature” or “it is a certain temperature” in English.
Estamos a 27 grados en la ciudad.
It is 27 degrees in the city.
Below Freezing Temperatures
To discuss a temperature in Spanish that is below zero, you can use ser or estar.
Just use these handy formulas!
estar a + degree + bajo cero.
Estamos a 10 grados bajo cero.
It is -10 degrees.
ser + menos + degree
La temperatura es de menos 2 grados.
The temperature is -2 degrees.
Spanish Temperature and Weather Vocabulary
Now that you have the basics down, it’s time to add some adjectives into the mix! These descriptive words will help you talk about any type of weather or temperature in Spanish. For even more practice, check out this amazing post on weather expressions.
Hot Temperature Vocabulary
Whether you need to talk about a hot temperature in Spanish or a room temperature in Spanish, this list provides you with every temperature necessary to describe your ideal cup of tea.
| English | Spanish |
| blistering | abrasador |
| hot | caluroso |
| mild | templado |
| room temperature | temperatura ambiente |
| warm | cálido |
Cold Temperature Vocabulary
| English | Spanish |
| cold | frío |
| freezing | congelado |
| frozen | helado |
| mild | templado |
| snowy | nevado |
| windy | ventoso |
Sky Vocabulary
| English | Spanish |
| clear | despejado |
| cloudy | nublado |
| foggy | neblinoso |
| sunny | soleado |
Precipitation Vocabulary
| English | Spanish |
| damp | húmedo |
| dry | seco |
| misty | brumoso |
| rainy | lluvioso |
| stormy | tormentoso |
How to Talk About the Temperature in Spanish
Great job mastering the temperature in Spanish! Now, let’s put it all together and create some practice sentences and conversations.
Below you’ll see a list of phrases, questions, and answers for you to review and use the next time you’re having a conversation about the temperature in Spanish.
Conversation Examples
Sunny Days
¿Cómo está el clima hoy?
How is the weather today?
El clima está soleado.
The weather is sunny.
Rainy Days
Hoy está lloviendo.
It is raining today.
Ayer estuvo nublado.
Yesterday it was cloudy.
Creo que mañana va a haber lluvia de nuevo.
I think tomorrow there will be rain again.
Weather Predictions
¿Cuál es el pronóstico del clima?
What is the weather forecast?
Hoy habrá lluvia toda la tarde.
Today there will be rain in the afternoon.
¿Cuál es el pronóstico del clima para mañana?
What is the weather forecast for tomorrow?
Mañana estará caluroso.
Tomorrow it will be hot.
Feeling Cold
¿Tienes frío?
Are you cold?
Puedes usar mi suéter.
You can use my sweater.
No, yo no tengo frío.
No, I’m not cold.
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Faustina Mulnik
Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy
As a native English speaker, I’ve spent over 6 years perfecting my Spanish. My studies have led me to major in Spanish, translate documents at a local museum, and communicate with people I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to know. I’ve studied abroad in Spain, lived in Yellowstone National Park for a summer, and volunteered in Costa Rica. I’m a passionate travel enthusiast seeking to share my love for all things Latin America.
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