If you've been studying Spanish for a while, you've probably already tackled the preterite tense and discovered that irregular verbs can feel like a real headache. The truth is, though, that once you know a few smart strategies, the whole system starts to make a lot of sense. In this lesson, we'll share 7 tricks to help you master the preterite conjugations of the most common irregular Spanish verbs — and make them stick for good.

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Two Key Terms Before We Start

Before we dive into the tricks, let's quickly clarify two terms we'll use throughout this lesson: stem and ending.

Take the verb hacer (to do/make). In the preterite, the yo form is yo hice (I did/made). Now, if you remove the -e at the end, what's left — hic- — is the stem. Simply put, the stem is the core part of the conjugated verb, and the ending is what you attach to it to indicate who is doing the action:

📌 hacer → yo hice (I did/made) → stem: hic- + ending: -e

Una de las primeras cosas que yo hice en el circo es el arte de payaso.

One of the first things that I did in the circus is the art of clowning.

Caption 24, Circo Berlín Lucas - Part 2

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Keep this in mind — it's the foundation of everything that follows!

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Trick #1: The YES Trick — Yo, Endings, Stem

This is the most important trick in the whole lesson — and the name tells you exactly what to do. The YES trick stands for Yo (I in English), Endings, and Stem, and it gives you a simple three-step method for cracking any irregular preterite conjugation in Spanish.

Step Y — The Yo Form Always Ends in -E

In irregular preterites, the yo form always ends in an unstressed -e — no exceptions and no accent mark. This is your starting point every single time.

Step E — Learn the Shared Endings

Here's something that will save you a lot of time: most irregular preterite verbs share the same set of endings, regardless of whether they end in -ar, -er, or -ir in the infinitive:

• Yo (I): -e
• Tú (you): -iste
• Él/Ella/Usted (he/she/you formal): -o
• Nosotros (we): -imos
• Vosotros (you all — used in Spain): -isteis
• Ellos/Ustedes (they/you all): -ieron

Memorize these once and you can apply them to all irregular preterites. That's a big return on a small investment!

Step S — The Yo Form Unlocks the Stem

Once you know the yo form, you automatically know the stem you'll use for the entire conjugation. Just remove the -e ending and what's left is your stem. Now watch how it all comes together with the verb hacer (to do/make):

• Yo hice (I did/made) → stem: hic- + e

• Tú (you): -iste hic + iste = tú hiciste (you did/made)

• Él/Ella/Usted (he/she/you formal): -o hiz + o = hizo (he/she did/made)*

*You may have noticed that the stem changes from hic- to hiz- here. This is a spelling adjustment to preserve pronunciation. Think of the word tráfico (traffic) — notice how the c before o makes a hard k sound. If we wrote hico, the same thing would happen and the soft sound of hice would be completely lost. By changing c to z before the -o ending, we keep the pronunciation consistent.

Listen to the following clips — first a word ending in -co, then hizo — and notice how the z in hizo preserves that softer sound:

hay mucho tráfico.

there's a lot of traffic.

Caption 19, Ariana España

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pero lo que él hizo es grave.

but what he did is serious.

Caption 12, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 3 - Part 13

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• Nosotros (we): -imos hic + imos = hicimos (we did/made)

• Vosotros (you all — used in Spain): -isteis hic + isteis = hicisteis (you all did/made)

• Ellos/Ustedes (they/you all): -ieron hic + ieron = hicieron (they did/made)

See how it all comes together? That's the YES trick in action!

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Trick #2: No Accent Marks on Irregular Preterites

This is a small but very important detail that trips up a lot of learners. Regular preterites carry accent marks on the yo and él/ella/usted forms — think hablé (I spoke) and habló (he/she spoke). Irregular preterites, however, are written without any accent marks at all. So hice (I did), vine (I came), puse (I put), tuve (I had) — all without tildes. Keep this in mind and you'll avoid one of the most common written mistakes in Spanish

yo vine aquí a España hace veintitrés años. Mm...

I came here to Spain twenty-three years ago. Mmm...

Caption 13, Adriana y Laura Mijas

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Trick #3: -Iste and -Isteis Are Almost Identical

The tú ending (-iste) and the vosotros ending (-isteis) are practically the same — you just add is at the end: -iste → -isteis. Once you know hiciste (you did/made), you practically already know hicisteis (you all did/made)! And this works for every single irregular preterite — no exceptions!

René, no sabes cuánto te agradezco lo que hiciste por nosotros.

René, you have no idea how much I appreciate what you did for us.

Caption 64, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 4 - Part 2

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¿Hicisteis vuestros deberes?

Did you guys do your homework?

Caption 56, Carlos explica Tuteo, ustedeo y voseo: Ustedes y vosotros

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Trick #4: Group Your Verbs into Families — The "U & I" Rule

One of the most effective strategies for learning irregular preterite stems is to group verbs into families based on their vowel. Most irregular preterite stems fall into one of two groups — the U verbs and the I verbs:

U verbs — their stems contain the vowel u:

• tener (to have) → tuve (I had)

• estar (to be) → estuve (I was)

• andar (to walk) → anduve (I walked)

• poner (to put) → puse (I put)

• poder (to be able to) → pude (I could)

• saber (to know) → supe (I knew)

Pues, me cogí la furgoneta y estuve aquí unas semanas

Well, I took the van, and I was here for a few weeks,

Caption 42, Amaya Recordando - Part 3

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I verbs — their stems contain the vowel i:

• hacer (to do/make) → hice (I did/made)

• venir (to come) → vine (I came)

• querer (to want) → quise (I wanted)

Yo quise mostrar las dos caras de la moneda,

I wanted to show both sides of the coin,

Caption 63, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 4 - Part 1

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⚠️ Watch out! There's a small third group worth knowing — verbs like decir (to say/to tell) → dije (I said) and traer (to bring) → traje (I brought) — whose stems end in -j. These verbs drop the i in the ellos/ustedes form and use -eron instead of -ieron: dijeron (they said) and trajeron (they brought) — not dijieron or trajieron. It's a small detail but one that's very easy to get wrong, so keep an eye on it!

Oiga, ¿y usted cómo supo mi nombre? Me lo dijeron los policías.

Hey, and how did you find out my name? The police officers told me.

Captions 25-26, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 3 - Part 13

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Trick #5: Ser and Ir Share the Exact Same Conjugation

This one always surprises learners! The verbs ser (to be) and ir (to go) — two completely different verbs — are absolutely identical in the preterite: fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fuisteis, fueron. The only thing that tells them apart is context. The upside? You only need to memorize one set of forms for two of the most common verbs in Spanish!

y allí es donde fui a estudiar... un año, interna, mm... educación física.

and that's where I went to study... for a year, boarding, mm... physical education.

Caption 6, Mari Carmen Polanco

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sí fui muy honesto con todo el mundo,

I was indeed very honest with everyone,

Caption 14, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 5 - Part 3

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Trick #6: Learn the "Parent" Verb and You'll Know Its "Children"

In Spanish, many verbs are built by adding a prefix to an existing verb — and they always follow the exact same preterite pattern as their root verb. For example, once you know poner (to put) → puse (I put), you automatically know:

• suponer (to suppose) → supuse (I supposed)

• proponer (to propose) → propuse (I proposed)

• componer (to compose) → compuse (I composed)

The same applies to tener (mantener, obtener, contener...) and venir (convenir, intervenir...). Learn the parent verb and the whole family comes for free!

y le propuse ir a tomar algo

and I suggested to her to go have a drink

Caption 46, Aprendiendo con Silvia Frases hechas - Part 2

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Mamá Bucha mantuvo el acontecimiento en secreto.

Mama Bucha kept the event secret.

Caption 34, Leyendas urbanas Chico Largo

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Trick #7: Start with the Most Common Irregular Preterites

You don't need to learn every irregular preterite at once. Focus on the most common ones first — the verbs you'll actually use in real conversations every single day — and build from there:

• ser (to be) / ir (to go) → fui (I was / I went)

• hacer (to do/make) → hice (I did/made)

• tener (to have) → tuve (I had)

• estar (to be) → estuve (I was)

• poder (to be able to) → pude (I could)

• poner (to put) → puse (I put)

• venir (to come) → vine (I came)

• decir (to say) → dije (I said)

• saber (to know) → supe (I knew)

• querer (to want) → quise (I wanted)

y no tuve tiempo de ponerme en contacto con vosotros.

and I didn't have time to get in touch with you guys.

Caption 28, Negocios Problemas laborales - Part 2

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así que solo pudimos dar una pequeña vuelta por los alrededores

so we could only take a short stroll around the surrounding area

Caption 50, Viajando con Fermín Caravaning - Part 1

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Master these and you'll be able to communicate in the past tense with confidence in the vast majority of everyday situations. Here's a visual summary of everything we've covered today — save it and keep it handy!

You can also download this cheat sheet as a PDF — perfect for printing or keeping on your phone for quick reference!

Your Shortcut to Irregular Preterite Conjugations in Spanish

Learning the preterite of irregular Spanish verbs doesn't have to feel overwhelming. Start with the YES trick, group your verbs into families, watch out for the small exceptions, and always prioritize the most common verbs first. But remember — the real trick is practice! Try building simple sentences you can actually remember: ayer fui al cine (yesterday I went to the movies), ella no pudo dormir (she couldn't sleep), ¿qué hiciste el fin de semana? (what did you do over the weekend?). The more you use these forms in real sentences, the faster they'll stick.

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Do you have questions about any of the tricks we covered today, or would you like to share what works best for you? We'd love to hear from you — send us your comments and questions! ¡Hasta la próxima!

Are you struggling with Spanish despite studying diligently? You're not alone. Common Spanish mistakes plague learners at all levels, from beginners to nearly-fluent speakers. In this comprehensive guide, we'll examine 13 of the most frequent errors English speakers make when learning Spanish, with clear examples of incorrect and correct usage. By understanding these common Spanish mistakes, you'll avoid embarrassing situations and sound more like a native speaker.

Common Spanish Mistakes with Verbs

Mistake #1: Using Ser Instead of Tener for Age

One of the most frequent Spanish grammar mistakes is directly translating "I am 30 years old" to Spanish. While in English we use the verb "to be" to express age, in Spanish we use the verb tener (to have).

❌ Incorrect: Yo soy 30 años. ["I am 30 years old." (literally: "I am 30 years.")]

✅ Correct: Yo tengo 30 años. ["I am 30 years old." (literally: "I have 30 years.")]

This mistake happens because in English we say "I am [age]," but in Spanish, you literally say "I have [age] years."

Hola, yo me llamo Miguel. Tengo veinte años y estudio composición.

Hi, my name is Miguel. I'm twenty years old and I study composition.

Captions 5-6, Amigos D.F. Consejos para la calle

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✏️ Related lesson: "Todo sobre los cumpleaños (All About Birthdays) in Spanish"

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Mistake #2: Using "Estar + Gerund" Instead of "Haber + Participle" for Ongoing Actions That Started in the Past

English speakers often use the present continuous tense to describe ongoing situations that started in the past. This is one of the common Spanish mistakes with tenses.

❌ Incorrect: Estoy viviendo aquí por 3 años. ["I am living here for 3 years."]

✅ Correct: He vivido aquí por 3 años. / Vivo aquí desde hace 3 años. ["I have lived here for 3 years." / "I have been living here for 3 years."]

When referring to an action that began in the past and continues into the present, Spanish prefers the present perfect ("he vivido") or a present tense construction with "desde hace."

Soy mariachi, soy papá, soy músico y vivo aquí desde hace veinte años en Alemania,

I'm a mariachi musician, I'm a dad, I'm a musician, and I've lived here in Germany for twenty years,

Captions 3-4, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Fernando y el mariachi

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✏️ Related lesson: "The Present Perfect In Spanish"

Mistake #3: Using Plural Verb Son Instead of Singular Es with Collective Nouns

Collective nouns like gente (people) are singular in Spanish, even though they refer to multiple individuals.

❌ Incorrect: La gente son amables. ["The people are nice." (incorrectly using plural verb with singular collective noun)]

✅ Correct: La gente es amable. ["The people are nice." (literally: "The people is nice.")]

Remember that agreement must be maintained both with the verb and any adjectives that follow.

la gente es superhospitalaria,

the people are super hospitable,

Caption 72, Adriana y Laura Mijas

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✏️ Related lesson: "Grammatical Agreement in Spanish"

Mistake #4: Using Me Recuerdo Instead of Me Acuerdo or Recuerdo

This is a frequent error made by English speakers because of the way we think about remembering in English.

❌ Incorrect: Me recuerdo de mi infancia. ["I remember myself of my childhood." (incorrect reflexive usage)]

✅ Correct: Me acuerdo de mi infancia. / Recuerdo mi infancia. ["I remember my childhood." (two correct ways to express remembering)]

The confusion stems from the fact that in English, we say "I remember," which might lead learners to translate it directly as me recuerdo. However, in Spanish, there are two distinct verbs: acordarse (reflexive, requiring "me acuerdo de") and recordar (non-reflexive, simply recuerdo). The incorrect form "me recuerdo" combines elements of both verbs incorrectly.

Pero ya no recuerdo cuándo fue la última vez que estuvimos juntos viendo un partido.

But now I don't remember when the last time was that we were together watching a game.

Captions 6-7, Fermín y Manuel El pasado - Part 1

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✏️ Related lesson: "35 Spanish Phrasal Verbs"

Mistake #5: Using Incorrect Past Participles

Many Spanish learners struggle with irregular past participles, often applying regular verb patterns to irregular verbs.

❌ Incorrect: He ponido mis llaves en la mesa. ["I have putted my keys on the table." (incorrect participle)]

✅ Correct: He puesto mis llaves en la mesa. ["I have put my keys on the table." (correct participle)]

Spanish has many irregular past participles that don't follow the standard -ado/-ido pattern. Common mistakes include saying ponido instead of puesto (to put), hacido instead of hecho (to do/make), abrido instead of abierto (to open), and escribido instead of escrito (to write).

Entonces, a las chicas les hemos puesto una flor,

So, we've put a flower on the girls,

Caption 98, Amaya Evento

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✏️ Related lesson: "The Different Uses of the Word Hecho in Spanish"

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Preposition Errors English Speakers Make in Spanish

Mistake #6: Using En Instead of A for Movement

Prepositions rarely translate directly between languages, creating common Spanish mistakes for English speakers.

❌ Incorrect: Voy en España. ["I'm going in Spain." (incorrect preposition)]

✅ Correct: Voy a España. ["I'm going to Spain."]

In Spanish, en indicates location (being in a place), while a indicates movement or direction (going to a place).

Pues, me voy a Barcelona.

Well, I'm going to Barcelona.

Caption 7, El Aula Azul Conversación: Planes de fin de semana

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✏️ Related lesson: "The Preposition a in Spanish"

Mistake #7: Using Por Instead of Para (and Vice Versa)

This is perhaps one of the most notorious common Spanish mistakes that English speakers make. Both por and para can be translated as "for" in English, but they have different uses in Spanish.

❌ Incorrect: Gracias para la cena. (When thanking someone) ["Thanks by the dinner." (incorrect preposition)]

✅ Correct: Gracias por la cena. ["Thanks for the dinner."]

The correct preposition to use when expressing gratitude in Spanish is por, not para. This is because por is used to indicate reason or cause - you're thanking someone because of the dinner they provided. Por expresses the reason behind your gratitude, while para would incorrectly suggest purpose or destination. In Spanish, we always say "gracias por..." when expressing thanks for something someone has done or given.

Gracias por la toalla.

Thank you for the towel.

Caption 12, Mónica El baño

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✏️ Related lesson: "Por vs. Para: How and When to Use These Spanish Prepositions"

Mistake #8: Using Sobre Instead of En After Pensar (to Think)

Another common preposition mistake involves thinking "about" something.

❌ Incorrect: Estoy pensando sobre mi futuro. ["I am thinking on/about my future." (incorrect preposition)]

✅ Correct: Estoy pensando en mi futuro. ["I am thinking about my future."]

While sobre does mean about in some contexts, with verbs like pensar, the correct preposition is en.

Yo "estaba en las nubes", pensando en la tortilla que me iba a comer después.

I "was in the clouds" thinking about the tortilla that I was going to eat later.

Captions 48-49, Beatriz Expresiones relacionadas con el clima

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✏️ Related lesson: "The Preposition en in Spanish"

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False Friends That Lead to Common Spanish Mistakes

Mistake #9: Using Embarazada Instead of Avergonzada for "Embarrassed"

False friends (or falsos amigos) are words that look similar in both languages but have different meanings, causing frequent Spanish language errors.

❌ Incorrect: Estoy embarazada por tu pregunta. ["I am pregnant because of your question." (false friend mix-up)]

✅ Correct: Estoy avergonzada por tu pregunta. ["I am embarrassed by your question."]

Embarazada means "pregnant," not "embarrassed"! The correct word for feeling embarrassed is avergonzado/a.

✏️ Related lesson: "Top 10 False Cognates in Spanish"

Mistake #10: Using Realizar Instead of "Darse Cuenta De" for "To Realize"

This is a classic false cognate trap that English speakers often fall into when speaking Spanish.

❌ Incorrect: Realizé mi error. ["I carried out/fulfilled my error." (false cognate mistake)]
✅ Correct: Me di cuenta de mi error. ["I realized my error." (correct expression for becoming aware)]

The Spanish verb realizar means "to carry out," "to fulfill," or "to make real," not "to realize" in the sense of becoming aware of something. When you want to express that you've realized or become aware of something, use "darse cuenta de" instead.

Mire, yo me di cuenta de algo muy importante,

Look, I realized something very important,

Caption 13, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 5 - Part 11

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✏️ Related lesson: "Darse Cuenta: The Real "Realize""

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Other Common Spanish Mistakes To Avoid

Mistake #11: Using Muy Instead of Mucho (and Vice Versa)

English speakers often mix up these two words for expressing "very" and "much" in Spanish, creating common Spanish grammar mistakes.

❌ Incorrect: Tengo muy calor. / Estoy mucho cansado. ["I have very heat." (incorrect intensifier) / "I am much tired." (incorrect intensifier)]

✅ Correct: Tengo mucho calor. / Estoy muy cansado. ["I'm very hot" / "I am very tired"]

Remember that muy modifies adjectives and adverbs (muy cansado), while mucho can be an adjective itself (mucho calor) or can modify verbs (estudia mucho).

"Llevo un mes durmiendo fatal y estoy muy cansado".

"I've been sleeping horribly for a month, and I'm very tired."

Caption 47, Fermín y Manuel El verbo "llevar" - Part 2

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✏️ Related lesson: "Muy vs. Mucho in Spanish"

Mistake #12: Using "Estar + Adjective" Instead of "Tener + Noun" for Sensations

Some basic expressions in Spanish are constructed completely differently than in English.

❌ Incorrect: Estoy caliente. ["I am hot." (but with sexual connotations)]

✅  Correct: Tengo calor. ["I have heat." (meaning "I am hot" temperature-wise)]

In Spanish, you "have" sensations rather than "being" them. "Estoy caliente" would be understood as "I'm aroused," not "I'm hot temperature-wise."

Tenemos mucho calor.

We are very hot.

Caption 26, El Aula Azul Estados de ánimo

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✏️ Related lesson: "Idiomatic Expressions with The Verb Tener"

Mistake #13: Using Ser Instead of Estar for Temporary States

The distinction between ser and estar remains one of the most challenging aspects of Spanish, even for advanced learners.

❌ Incorrect: Soy aburrido. ["I am boring." (permanent characteristic)]

✅  Correct: Estoy aburrido. ["I am bored." (temporary state)]

Ser refers to permanent characteristics, while estar refers to temporary states or conditions.

Yo estoy aburrido y usted es... como tener una carga encima.

I'm tired of you, and you are... like having a weight on my shoulders.

Captions 66-67, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 2 - Part 7

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✏️ Related lesson: "Ser vs. Estar: An Easy Trick for Using These Verbs"

How to Avoid Making Common Spanish Mistakes

Being aware of these common Spanish mistakes will help you sound more natural and fluent in Spanish. Remember that making errors is a natural part of the language learning process – even native speakers sometimes make these mistakes! The key is to recognize them and gradually incorporate the correct forms into your speech and writing.

Practice identifying these errors in your own Spanish, and don't be afraid to ask native speakers for feedback. With time and attention, you'll avoid these common Spanish mistakes and develop more authentic, confident Spanish communication skills.

Which common mistake are you making when speaking in Spanish? Please, send us your comments and suggestions!

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If you want to engage in everyday conversation in Spanish, knowing how to talk about the weather is essential. Whether you're making small talk with locals, discussing your day, or planning activities, weather vocabulary will prove indispensable. In this practical guide, we'll explore the most common and useful expressions to discuss weather conditions in Spanish.

Basic Weather Terms: El Tiempo and El Clima

In Spanish, there are two main terms used to refer to "weather":

El tiempo vs. El clima

El tiempo and el clima both refer to weather, but with subtle differences:

El tiempo  generally refers to the current atmospheric conditions
El clima  typically describes the weather patterns of a region over time

incluso, cuando el tiempo es bueno, se puede ver Gibraltar y África.

including, when the weather is good, one can see Gibraltar and Africa.

Caption 9, Mijas perla dell'Andalucia

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El clima es fantástico y la comida, aún mejor.

The weather is fantastic and the food, even better.

Caption 46, Feria de Vinos Españoles en Londres Bodegas Castell D'Age

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El pronóstico del tiempo

The weather forecast is called el pronóstico del tiempo. You might say "Según el pronóstico del tiempo, mañana va a llover" (According to the weather forecast, it's going to rain tomorrow).

les informo que el pronóstico del tiempo dice que las lluvias llegarán pronto.

I inform you that the weather forecast says that the rains will come soon.

Captions 25-26, Kikirikí Agua - Part 8

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Essential Temperature Expressions

In Spanish, we use specific structures to talk about temperature. Let's explore the most common expressions you'll need for everyday conversations:

Hace + Temperature Adjective

The most common structure for describing weather is "hace + [adjective]":

Hace calor. (It's hot.)
Hace frío. (It's cold.)
Hace fresco. (It's cool.)
Hace buen tiempo. (It's good weather.)
Hace mal tiempo. (It's bad weather.)
Hace viento. (It's windy.)

Los países donde hace calor.

Countries where it's hot.

Caption 81, Clase Aula Azul El verbo gustar - Part 5

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Está + Weather Condition

Another important structure uses "está + [condition]":

Está nublado. (It's cloudy.)
Está despejado. (It's clear.)
Está soleado. (It's sunny.)
Está lloviendo. (It's raining.)
Está nevando. (It's snowing.)

Está lloviendo muy fuerte hoy. Voy a ponerme mis botas de agua.

It's raining really hard today. I'm going to put on my rain boots.

Captions 48-49, Clara explica El tiempo - Part 1

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Expressing Personal Temperature

To express how you personally feel regarding temperature:

Tengo frío. (I'm cold.)
Tengo calor. (I'm hot.)
Estoy congelado/a. (I'm freezing.)
Estoy sudando. (I'm sweating.)

Remember, in Spanish we say "tengo frío/calor" (literally "I have cold/heat") rather than "estoy frío/calor" (literally "I am cold/hot"). This is an important distinction to make as a Spanish learner, since it's different from how we express this feeling in English.

¡Ay, tengo calor! -Vale.

Oh, I'm hot! -OK.

Caption 106, El Aula Azul Ester y Paula

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Weather Conditions: Rain, Sun, and Clouds

Rain (La lluvia)

Rain vocabulary is essential in Spanish, especially for countries with rainy seasons:

Llueve - It's raining
Está lloviendo - It's raining
Llovizna - It's drizzling
Chispea - It's sprinkling
Llueve mucho - It's raining a lot
Ha dejado de llover - It has stopped raining
Va a llover - It's going to rain

"Creo que más tarde va a llover".

"I think that it's going to rain later."

Caption 34, Carlos explica Cómo expresar opiniones en español - Part 1

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Sun and Clear Skies

Here's how to describe sunny and clear weather:

Hace sol - It's sunny
Hay sol - There's sun
Está soleado - It's sunny
Está despejado - It's clear
El cielo está despejado - The sky is clear
Hay mucho sol - There's a lot of sun
El sol está fuerte - The sun is strong

El día está precioso. El cielo está superdespejado.

The day is beautiful. The sky is totally clear.

Captions 42-43, Eduardo y Luciana de Argentina Historia del Rio

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Clouds and Fog

For cloudy and foggy conditions:

Está nublado - It's cloudy
Hay nubes - There are clouds
El cielo está nublado - The sky is cloudy
Está parcialmente nublado - It's partly cloudy
Hay niebla - There's fog
Está brumoso - It's foggy

Mi amiga Amaya os habló de este lugar maravilloso que hoy está un poco nublado, pero una temperatura ideal.

My friend Amaya talked to you about this wonderful place, which today, is a bit cloudy but an ideal temperature.

Captions 7-9, Montserrat El burrito Luz

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Wind and Other Weather Elements

Wind (El viento)

Hace viento - It's windy
Hay viento - There's wind
El viento está fuerte - The wind is strong
No hay viento - There's no wind
Hay brisa - There's a breeze

Hoy hace tanto viento que casi me deja caer.

Today it is so windy that it almost makes me fall [over].

Caption 22, Clara explica El tiempo - Part 2

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Storms and Severe Weather

Hay tormenta - There's a storm
Está tronando - It's thundering
Hay relámpagos - There's lightning
Hay truenos - There's thunder
Está granizando - It's hailing
Hay granizo - There's hail

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The Four Seasons in Spanish

Las estaciones del año (The seasons of the year)

Knowing how to talk about the seasons in Spanish is important for discussing weather patterns:

La primavera - Spring
El verano - Summer
El otoño - Fall/Autumn
El invierno - Winter

You might say:

En primavera, hace más calor y llueve menos. (In spring, it's warmer and it rains less.)
En verano, hace mucho calor y está muy soleado. (In summer, it's very hot and sunny.)
En otoño, hace fresco y el clima es variable. (In fall, it's cool and the weather is variable.)
En invierno, hace frío y a veces nieva. (In winter, it's cold and it sometimes snows.)

y después vamos por todos los pueblos de Málaga, en primavera y en otoño, haciendo mercado todos los sábados y domingos.

and then we go through all the towns of Málaga, in spring and in autumn, doing a market every Saturday and Sunday.

Captions 12-14, Casabermeja Gastronomía - Part 1

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Weather Questions and Conversations

Asking about the weather

Here are the most common ways to ask about weather in Spanish:

¿Qué tiempo hace? (What's the weather like?)
¿Cómo está el tiempo? (How's the weather?)
¿Qué tal hace afuera? (How is it outside?)
¿Llueve? (Is it raining?)
¿Hace frío? (Is it cold?)
¿Hace calor? (Is it hot?)

¿Y cómo es el tiempo en el sur? Pues, el tiempo en el sur es muy bueno en general.

And how is the weather in the south? Well, the weather in the south is very good in general.

Captions 27-28, Clara y Cristina Hablan de actividades

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Responding to weather questions

Hace buen tiempo. (The weather is good.)
Hace mal tiempo. (The weather is bad.)
Sí, está lloviendo. (Yes, it's raining.)
No, no hace frío. (No, it's not cold.)
Está nublado pero no llueve. (It's cloudy but it's not raining.)
Hace mucho calor hoy. (It's very hot today.)

Complete weather conversations

Here are some example conversations about the weather:

Conversation 1:

¡Buenos días! ¿Qué tiempo hace hoy?
Good morning! What's the weather like today?
Hace frío y está nublado. Creo que va a llover más tarde.
It's cold and cloudy. I think it's going to rain later.
¿Necesito un paraguas?
Do I need an umbrella?
Sí, llévalo por si acaso.
Yes, take it just in case.

Conversation 2:

¿Hace calor afuera?
Is it hot outside?
Sí, hace mucho calor y está muy soleado. Ponte protector solar.
Yes, it's very hot and sunny. Put on sunscreen.
Gracias por el consejo. Tengo mucho calor.
Thanks for the advice. I'm very hot.

Conversation 3:

¿Qué tiempo hace en tu ciudad?
What's the weather like in your city?
En general, en verano hace calor y en invierno hace frío, pero no nieva.
In general, in summer it's hot and in winter it's cold, but it doesn't snow.
¿Llueve mucho?
Does it rain a lot?
Sí, especialmente en primavera.
Yes, especially in spring.

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Planning Activities Based on Weather

Making plans according to the weather

Weather often determines what activities we can do. Here are some useful phrases:

Si hace buen tiempo mañana, podemos ir al parque. (If the weather is good tomorrow, we can go to the park.)
Como está lloviendo, mejor quedémonos en casa. (Since it's raining, let's better stay home.)
Hace demasiado calor para caminar. Tomemos el autobús. (It's too hot to walk. Let's take the bus.)
¿Hace frío afuera? Necesito saber si llevo un abrigo. (Is it cold outside? I need to know if I should bring a coat.)

Yo creo que después del video nos vamos a ir tú y yo a tomar algo, ¿no? -Sí, Adriana, mañana, si hace buen tiempo, tenemos que ir a la playa, que {todavía}... -¿Buen tiempo? Seguro. -Sí, aquí el tiempo está garantizado.

I think that after the video, we're going to go, you and I, to have a drink, right? -Yes, Adriana, tomorrow, if the weather is good, we have to go to the beach, as still... -Good weather? For sure. -Yes, here the weather is guaranteed.

Captions 102-105, Adriana y Laura Mijas

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That's it for our practical guide to talking about the weather in Spanish! With these expressions, you'll be able to discuss weather conditions confidently in your everyday conversations. Remember to practice these phrases regularly.

¿Qué tiempo hace donde vives? (What's the weather like where you live?) Let us know, and don't forget to send us your questions and suggestions!

¡Hasta la próxima!

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