Weather, Seasons and Clothing

Weather is one of the most common small-talk topics in Germany, just like in many other countries. Being able to discuss the weather helps you connect with neighbors, colleagues, and acquaintances. Germans love to comment on the weather, especially when it is bad (which, let us be honest, is fairly often in much of Germany). Here are the essential weather expressions: Basic weather phrases: Wie ist das Wetter? -- How is the weather? / What is the weather like? Das Wetter ist schön/gut. -- The weather is nice/good. Das Wetter ist schlecht. -- The weather is bad. Es ist warm. -- It is warm. Es ist kalt. -- It is cold. Es ist heiss. -- It is hot. Es ist kühl. -- It is cool. Es ist windig. -- It is windy. Es ist schwuel. -- It is humid/muggy. Es ist neblig. -- It is foggy. Es ist bewölkt. -- It is cloudy. Es ist sonnig. -- It is sunny. Rain and precipitation: Es regnet. -- It is raining. Es schneit. -- It is snowing. Es hagelt. -- It is hailing. Es nieselt. -- It is drizzling. Es donnert und blitzt. -- There is thunder and lightning. der Regen -- rain. der Schnee -- snow. der Sturm -- storm. das Gewitter -- thunderstorm. der Nebel -- fog. die Wolke -- cloud. die Sonne -- sun. der Wind -- wind. Temperature expressions: Es sind 20 Grad. -- It is 20 degrees. (Germany uses Celsius, not Fahrenheit!) Null Grad -- zero degrees. Minus fünf Grad -- minus five degrees. As a quick reference: 0 C is freezing, 10 C is chilly, 20 C is comfortable, 30 C is hot, 35+ C is a heatwave. Useful conversational phrases: 'Heute ist es aber kalt!' -- It is really cold today! (The 'aber' adds emphasis, like 'really'.) 'Morgen soll es regnen.' -- It is supposed to rain tomorrow. 'Letzte Woche war es noch so schön.' -- Last week the weather was still so nice. 'Hoffentlich wird es bald wärmer.' -- Hopefully it will get warmer soon. German weather forecasts (Wettervorhersage) use terms like: heiter bis wolkig (fair to cloudy), vereinzelt Schauer (scattered showers), Höchsttemperatur (high temperature), Tiefsttemperatur (low temperature). Understanding these terms helps you plan your day and dress appropriately in a country where the weather can change quickly and dramatically.