The weather in Spanish

In Spanish you ask about the weather by saying:

¿Qué tiempo hace? What’s the weather like?

“Hace” literally means “does” so we are actually asking what is what the weather does. That’s why we say:

Todd Heisler/The NYTimes

Todd Heisler/The NYTimes

Hace frío – when the wheather “does” cold – It is cold

Hace calor – It is hot

Hace viento – It is windy

Hace sol – It is sunny

 

We won’t use the verb “hace” for

llueve – It rains

Nieva – It snows

 

Example:

– Que tiempo hace en Nueva York?

– Hace frío y nieva!