Understanding how to talk about the weather in Italian can be tricky for learners. Unlike English, where usually sentences are structured using the verb “to be” (e.g. it’s cold), Italians use two main verbs depending on the type of expression: “fare” and “essere”. Today we will explore:
1. When and how to use “fare”
2. When and how to use “essere”
3. Common idiomatic expressions with weather
Are you ready? Let’s dive in!
1. When and how to use “fare”
The verb “fare” literally means “to make”/”to do”, but when used with weather expressions, it describes general conditions or sensations, especially the temperature. Here are the most common expressions:
• Fa caldo → It’s hot
• Fa freddo → It’s cold
• Fa fresco → It’s cool
• Fa bello/brutto tempo → The weather is nice/bad
e.g.:
• Oggi fa caldo, quindi andiamo al mare.
→ It’s hot today, so we are going to the beach.
• Non uscire senza giacca, fa freddo fuori.
→ Don’t go out without a jacket, it’s cold outside.
• Che brutto tempo fa oggi!
→ What bad weather today!
Think of “fare” as describing how the weather feels like.
2. When and how to use “essere”
The verb “essere”, literally “to be”, is used to describe the state of the sky or specific atmospheric conditions. “Essere” it is used to define, therefore it is always followed by an adjective.
Common expressions include:
• È nuvoloso → It’s cloudy
• È sereno → It’s clear
• È soleggiato → It’s sunny
• È ventoso → It’s windy
• È piovoso → It’s rainy
e.g.:
• Oggi è soleggiato, perfetto per una passeggiata.
→ It’s sunny today, perfect for a walk.
• Il cielo è nuvoloso, sembra che pioverà.
→ The sky is cloudy, it looks like it will rain.
• È ventoso, meglio non andare in bicicletta.
→ It’s windy, better not to go cycling.
Think of “essere” as describing what the weather looks like.
3. Common idiomatic expressions with weather
Italians love to talk about the weather with flair and creativity. Instead of simply saying “it’s hot” or “it’s raining”, they often use vivid, almost poetic idioms that make conversations more colorful.
Here are some of the most popular ones:
• Fa un caldo bestiale / Fa un caldo infernale / Fa un caldo da morire → It’s unbearably hot
(literally: “a beastly heat,” “a hellish heat”, “a heat to die for”).
E.g.:
Non esco, fa un caldo infernale! → I’m not going out, it’s insanely hot!
• Si muore di freddo / Fa un freddo cane
→ It’s freezing cold
(literally: “one dies of cold”, “a dog’s cold”).
e.g.:
Chiudi la finestra, fa un freddo cane! → Close the window, it’s freezing!
• Piove a catinelle / Piove a dirotto
→ It’s raining heavily
(literally: “it rains buckets”, “it rains relentlessly”).
e.g.:
Prendi l’ombrello, piove a dirotto! → Take the umbrella, it’s pouring!
• Cielo a pecorelle, acqua a catinelle
→ A proverb meaning “When there are little sheep-like clouds, heavy rain is coming.”
It refers to small, puffy clouds that often precede a storm.
• C’è un sole che spacca le pietre
→ The sun is so strong it could crack stones.
e.g.:
Meglio stare all’ombra, c’è un sole che spacca le pietre. → Better stay in the shade, the sun is scorching!
These idioms are not just decorative, they are used constantly in everyday conversations, in news reports, and even in literature.
Learning a few of them will instantly make your Italian sound more expressive and native like.
Quick tip:
When talking about the weather in Italian, don’t translate literally from English. Pay attention to whether you are describing a general feeling (“fare”) or a specific state (“essere”). This small distinction will make your Italian sound much more natural and authentic.
That’s all for today’s lesson!
I hope you found this article useful and that you feel more confident talking about the weather in Italian.
If you have any questions or topics you’d like me to cover, leave a comment below. Thank you for reading!
Ciao!
Germana
