How to talk about the weather in English. How to Describe the Weather in English Important Grammar Points

"When two Englishmen meet, their first talk is of the weather."
When two Englishmen meet, their first words are always about the weather.
Samuel Johnson

Hello! Who else but the British should talk about the weather? Shouldn't they scold the weather on damp, foggy days, and shouldn't they rejoice if it's a fine day? Often the British, when meeting acquaintances on the street, first of all say such phrases:

- It's splendid weather, isn't it? - Lovely weather, isn't it??

- What a terrible day! — What a terrible day! Weather in English in expressions Weather in English is the topic of our conversation today

In many countries, talking about the weather is considered the most neutral and acceptable way to communicate with unfamiliar people, acquiring the status of “small talk,” probably due to the fact that it only reflects real weather conditions, without causing disputes or disagreements. Let's look at the most common expressions about weather conditions on English language.

Four seasons - everyone has different weather!

Expressions about the weather at different times of the year

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Spring

Phrases and expressions about the weather in English

Translation of interesting phrases and expressions about the weather

In any foreign language There are words whose translation is somewhat surprising. I think the translation of the following words and expressions in English related to weather phenomena will surprise you a little.

Rain (rain)

Snow (snow)

Wind (wind)

Cloud (cloud, cloud)

Dialogue as a way to learn new expressions

Let's look at how to support a dialogue about the weather in English, namely:

ask about weather conditions
tell us what the weather is like in your hometown etc.

Here are some similar dialogues on various similar conditions

First topic of dialogue:

Meeting in the park on a nice sunny day

- Hello, Nick! What a beautiful day!
Hello Nick! What a good day!
- Hello, Kate! Oh, indeed, the weather is fine!
Hello Kate! Oh, actually, the weather is wonderful!
— We had a lot of heavy rain this morning. I thought that it would be terrible weather today.
It was raining this morning. I thought the weather would be terrible today.
- Yeah! Now it doesn’t look like rain.
Yes! But it doesn't look like it's going to rain right now.
— It is sunny and probably about 20 °C.
Sunny and probably around 20°C.
— Enjoy yourself, Kate.
I hope you have a good time, Kate.
- Thank you!
Thank you!

Second topic of dialogue:

Autumn changeable weather

- Hi, Tom! The weather is nasty today!
Hi Tom! The weather is disgusting today!
- Hi, Ann! What’s the forecast for today?
Hello En! What is the weather forecast?
— I didn’t weather forecast for today. But it is cold today.
I don't know today's weather forecast. But today it's cold.
— Yes, also the sky’s overcast. It looks like rain.
Yes, the sky is also overcast. Seems it will rain.
- The sun's just gone in.
The sun has disappeared.
- We have to go back.
We have to go back.
- I agree. I don't want to be wet through.
I agree. I don't want to get wet.
— Let's hurry! It’s starting to rain. It’s necessary to keep the rain out.
Let's hurry! It's starting to rain. It is necessary to take shelter from the rain.
- That sounds like thunder!
It looks like there's thunder too!
— The bus stop is very close. Let's go.
Bus stop nearby. Went.

Third topic of dialogue:

A phone call from a foreign friend in winter

- Hello, John!
Hello John!
— Good afternoon, Alex! Nice to hear from you! Are you right? It seems to me that your voice chanced.
Good afternoon, Alex! Glad to hear from you! Are you all right? I think your voice has changed.
— I"ve caught a cold.
I caught a cold.
- Oh! I forgot that now it’s so cold in your country.
ABOUT! I forgot that it's so cold now, and your country.
— It's very cold. Besides, the strong wind blows.
Very cold. In addition, strong winds blow.
— What`s the temperature?
How many degrees?
— It`s 12 degrees below zero.
12 degrees below zero.
— Is it snowing?
Snowing?
- No, now it isn’t.
No, it's not coming now.
— But it was snow-storm 3 days ago.
But there was a snowstorm 3 days ago.
— It's difficult to imagine such weather conditions.
It's hard to imagine such weather conditions

Fourth topic of dialogue:

First fresh spring morning

— Good morning, dear neighbor!
Good morning, dear neighbor!
- Good morning, Ann! What a nice morning!
Good morning, En! What a wonderful morning!
- The sun is coming out. It will be a sunny day.
The sun is peeking out. It will be a sunny day.
— I there are no clouds in the sky. I think it will not be rain.
There is not a cloud in the sky. I don't think it will rain.
— I hope so, but it’s a windy day. We have to dress warmly.
Hopefully, but it's windy today. We should dress warmer.
- I agree. Now it is easy to catch cold.
Agree. It's very easy to catch a cold now.

How to describe the weather in English

Perhaps we will start this article with the famous song “Nature has no bad weather”... Indeed, it is so. Some people like rain, some like sun, some like frost.

The weather is a favorite topic of conversation among the British. Of course, it doesn't always rain here, but English weather characterized by strong instability, that is, the sun can shine in the morning, and an hour later it is already raining with might and main.

We hope this article will help you learn to talk about the weather in English as well as Prince Charles does.

How to describe the weather in English?

Word weather in English usually requires an article the:
the weather is fine today.
If the word is preceded by an adjective, the article disappears:
I like fine weather.

In order to describe the weather outside the window, the British use the construction “ it is”:
It`s sunny - sunny, It`s rainy - rainy.

Offers " it's raining", "it's snowing" are translated into English as follows: it's snowing, it's raining. In this case, we used to show that the action is happening at the moment.

Note: Read more grammatical rule: The Present Continuous (Progressive) Tense /

If you want to say that it USUALLY snows or rains in winter, then you should use: It snows in winter(this is a common occurrence for you). It rains in autumn(this happens often, this is a characteristic phenomenon for autumn).

Note: Read the grammar rule: The Present Simple Tense /

Russian " What is the weather today?» corresponds to English « What is the weather like today?«.

And before you start memorizing the words below, check out the board game that will help you master the most common vocabulary on the topic “Weather.”

English board game: Weather calendar

Under the cast, we selected vocabulary on the topic “Weather”, which we divided into topics:

Words, adjectives and verbs in English on the topic “Weather” with translation
Words on the topic “Climate” in English with translation
Vocabulary (words) in English that are related to the word "Rain". Describing rainy weather.
Vocabulary (words) in English that are related to the word "Snow". We describe snowy weather.
Vocabulary (words) in English that are related to the word "Fog". We describe foggy weather.
Vocabulary (words) in English that are related to the word "Sky". Let's talk about the sky.
Vocabulary (words) in English that are related to the word “Wind”. We describe windy weather.

Words in English on the topic “Weather” with translation

weather forecast [‘weðəˌ’fɔːkɑːst] - weather forecast;
temperature [‘temp(ə)rəʧə] - temperature;
weatherman [‘weðəmæn] - meteorologist;

thunderstorm [‘θʌndəstɔːm] - thunderstorm;
thunder [‘θʌndə] - thunder;
lightning [‘laɪtnɪŋ] - lightning;
[‘ʃəuə] - downpour;
fog - fog;
heat - heat;
wind - wind;
frost - frost;
snow - snow;
sunny [‘sʌnɪ] (day) - sunny (day);
dull (day) - cloudy (day);
cool (day) - cool (day).

humid [‘hjuːmɪd] - humid (about climate);
dry - dry (about climate);
mild - soft (about climate);
continental [ˌkɔntɪ’nent(ə)l] (climate) - continental (about climate);
warm - warm, hot (about climate);
lovely [‘lʌvlɪ] - wonderful (about the weather);
changeable [‘ʧeɪnʤəbl] - changeable (about the weather);
dreadful [‘dredf(ə)l], [-ful] - terrible (about the weather);
unpredictable [ˌʌnprɪ’dɪktəbl] - unpredictable (about the weather);
temperate climate - temperate climate;
genial climate - mild, temperate climate;
kindly climate - good, favorable climate;
arid climate - dry climate;
tropical climate - tropical climate;
hot/torrid climate - hot climate;
rigorous climate (severe) - harsh, cold climate;
freakish climate - unstable climate.

excellent - excellent;
clorious – delightful, glorious;
cuperb – wonderful;
adverse - unfavorable;
sweltering - sultry;
boiling – very hot;
scorching – scorching, sultry;
atrocious/vile – disgusting;
inclement – severe;
nasty - rainy;
freezing – very cold, freezing;
foul – disgusting, disgusting;
raw – dank;
humid – wet;
muggy – warm and moist, suffocating;
sultry – sultry, stuffy;
mild – moderate;
settled – permanent;
unpredictable - unpredictable;
changeable - changeable;
fierce - frantic;
frosty – frosty;
stormy – thunderstorm, stormy;
unseasonable - out of season;
A spell of ... weather - a period of such and such weather.

to let up - pause (about rain), improve;
to warm up - to warm up;
to hold out - remain the same, continue;
to keep up - continue, remain the same;
to deteriorate - to deteriorate;
to worsen - to become worse, to worsen;
to remain - remain the same;
to allow / permit - to allow;
to prevent - to prevent.

Common common phrases on the topic “Weather” in English with translation

A change in the weather - Change in the weather.
In all weathers - In any weather.
The vagaries of the weather - Whims, quirks of the weather.
Whatever the weather - In any weather.
Nice weather for ducks! - A good owner will not let his dog go outside!
It's a bit wild out there! - The weather is stormy!
What's it like outside? - How is it outside?
Weather forecast - Weather forecast.
No precipitation expected. — Precipitation is unlikely.

Vocabulary (words) and verbs in English that are associated with the word "Rain"

Many people have an opinion. that in England there is constant and continuous rain all year round. Of course this is not true! In fact, England is not the rainiest country in Europe. Rain falls mostly evenly throughout the year. Duration is about a couple of minutes, but a maximum of half an hour.

rain - rain;
thunderstorm - thunderstorm;
slush - slush;
driving - torrential;
pouring - torrential rain;
lashing - lashing;
heavy - strong;
occasional - irregular;
steady - lingering;
gentle - weak;
patchy - in places;
intermittent - intermittent;
overnight - night;
persistent - continuous;
outbreaks of rain - short periods of rain;
dry interludes - a period of dry weather.

to beat - to beat;
to drip - to drip;
to drum - to drum;
to fall - to fall;
to lash - to whip;
to patter - Knock;
to pour down - pour like from a bucket;
to splash - to splash;
to trickle - to trickle down;
to set in - charge;
to cease - to cease;
to let up - to pause;
to continue - to continue.

Vocabulary (words) and verbs in English that are associated with the word "Snow"

Snow in England is not a frequent occurrence, depending on the region, but it does happen nonetheless.

a snowfall - snowfall;
a snowflake - snowflake;
an icicle – icicle;
a snowstorm - blizzard, snow storm;
an ice storm - blizzard, ice storm;
a snowman - a snowman;
a snowdrift / a snow bank - snowdrift;
black ice - ice, frost;
sleet – rain with snow;
bitterly cold - burning frost;
frostbite - frostbite.

havy – strong;
thick – thick, strong;
light – light;
damp – wet;
crisp – creaking, crunchy;
powder/powdery – snow crumbs, small;
drifting – swept by the wind;
swirling – whirling;
newly fallen – freshly fallen;
melting – melting;
frozen - frozen.

to be covered in - to be covered;
to cover smth up - to cover;
to pile up - to pile up, layer;
to settle - to linger (not to melt);
to swirl - to spin.

Vocabulary (words) and verbs in English that are associated with the word "Fog"

Britain, Great Britain, the United Kingdom - it's all England. But few people know that England has another name, Foggy Albion. This name fully corresponds to the almost daily weather in this amazing country.

mist / fog - fog;
dense - thick;
heavy - strong;
thick - dense;
slight - weak;
dark - dark;
gray - gray;
white - white.

to be cloaked in - to be shrouded, covered;
to be covered in - to be covered;
to be shrouded in - to be shrouded;
to be wreathed in - shrouded in a foggy haze;
to loom out - to appear, to appear in the fog;
to shine through - weakly break through the fog;
to disappear into - to disappear;
to lie - to lie down;
to come down - to go down;
to float - floating on the surface of the water;
to roll - to envelop;
to obscure - to interfere with the view, to obscure.

Vocabulary (words) and verbs in English that are associated with the word "Sky"

Unfortunately, the sky in England evokes sadness, it is always gray. But, fortunately, in such a great country, besides the sky, there is something else to see. For example, attractions.

Note: You can get acquainted with the sights of Great Britain and more in the “Life in Britain” section.

clear - clean;
open - open;
cloudless - cloudless;
sunny - sunny;
cloudy - in the clouds;
overcast - covered in clouds;
sullen - gloomy;
starry - starry;
azure - azure;
pale - pale;
leaden - lead.

A patch of... - a piece.
To clear up - to clear.
To lighten - to brighten.
To cloud over - to become covered in clouds.
To brighten - to become clearer.
To darken - to darken.
To turn gray - become gray.
To be streaked with smth - to be painted with some color.

Vocabulary (words) and verbs in English that are associated with the word "Wind"

The wind in England is constant. He is everywhere and everywhere. Cold, damp...

fierce - frantic;
gale-force - stormy;
high - strong wind;
stiff - fierce;
strong - strong;
terrible - terrible;
light - light;
moderate - moderate;
slight - small;
blastery - violent;
gusty - impetuous;
biting - piercing;
bitter - sharp;
brisk - fresh;
chill - cool;
icy - icy;
howling - howling;
favorable - tailwind;
gust of wind - gust of wind.

to blow - to blow;
to blow up - to play out;
to sweep (through) smth - to carry away;
to howl - howl;
to moan - moan;
to roar - to roar;
to whistle - whistle;
to increase - to increase;
to pick up - gain strength;
to rise - to rise, to soar;
to die down - calm down, subside;
to drop - to stop.

Thematic cards “Seasons. Weather. Nature" . Suitable for school work individual lessons and at home.

Weather / Vocabulary (words) “Weather” in English or learning to describe the weather

- snow
["sʌnɪ] (day) – sunny (day)
(day) – cloudy (day)
(day) – cool (day)

Other words:

weather– weather; atmospheric absolute pressure- Atmosphere pressure; barometer– barometer; thermometer– thermometer, thermometer; weather forecaster, weather chart maker– weather forecaster

breeze– light breeze, breeze; humidity humidity; damp– dampness; mist– (light) fog, haze, haze, cloudiness; rainfall– precipitation; drizzle– light rain; rain- rain; cold- cold; snowfall- snowfall; hail– hail; sleet(shower sleet) – rain and snow, sleet, freezing rain, pellets; ice; hoarfrost- frost, hoarfrost

fair– good clear; bright– clear, fine; clearly, clear– clear; hot– sultry, hot; windy– windy; cloudy– cloudy, cloudy; rainy– rainy; foggy– foggy; chilly– cold, fresh, cool; stormy– stormy; frosty– frosty

...........................................

2 Words on the topic: Climate (sound, transcription)

The topic of weather is always relevant. How to conduct a dialogue about it and what English vocabulary do you need to know to keep the conversation going? Let's look at the topic in detailweather in English.

The weather is mentioned almost daily. We look at forecasts, discuss rain, and make plans for active recreation when sunny days are promised. In addition, this is a standard topic for starting a conversation with people you don’t know well.

The vocabulary in this topic is very diverse. This includes natural phenomena, temperature, weather forecasts. Discussing onEnglish weather, we also come across jokes and proverbs. Weather phenomena appear in many idioms. To make it easier for you to master this topic, the article contains various examples of word combinations and phrases aboutweather in English with translation.

What's the weather like today

Keyword inweather topic in English- weather (weather). You can ask your interlocutor a question like this:

What's the weather like? - What's the weather like today?

The answer can be constructed through an impersonal sentence with the subject it:

It’s windy today - It’s windy today

The definitions in this construction are the words:

sunny - sunny
cloudy - cloudy
rainy - rainy
windy - windy
foggy - foggy

In the construction it's... we can also use words that convey sensations from temperature:

cold - cold
warm - warm
chilly - cool
freezing - very cold
hot - hot
frosty - frosty

It’s a cold day / it’s cold today - It’s cold today

If we want to talk more specifically about temperature, then we can note how many degrees there are outside, use the phrases below / above zero (below / above zero), minus / plus (minus / plus).

It is 25 degrees above zero in the shade today - Today in the shade plus 25 degrees

You can find out how many degrees it is outside by asking:

What is the temperature? - What temperature is it now?

To describe the weatherEnglish languageYou can also use adjectives that convey impressions, for example, nice (good), fine (wonderful), dreadful (disgusting), terrible (terrible).

To add emotional coloring, you can use the constructions “What a...” or “Such”:

What a nice day! - What a pleasant day!

Such terrible weather! - What terrible weather!

Other adjectives that can be used when we describeEnglish weather:

changeable / variable - changeable
unsettled - unstable, changeable
unpredictable - unpredictable

The weather is so unpredictable this week - The weather this week is so unpredictable

You can also construct a phrase using verbs:

to warm up - to get warmer
to settle - settle down
to worsen - to become worse
to remain / keep up - remain the same

Will the weather keep up? - The weather won't change?

Natural phenomena

To tell you more about the weather outside, we will need othersEnglish words about weather: names natural phenomena and related vocabulary.

Consider words to describe the sky and the sun:

sky - sky
cloud - cloud
rain clouds - rain clouds
snow clouds - snow clouds
sun - sun
sunlight - sunlight
sunburst - sun rays from behind the clouds
sunrise - sunrise
sunset - sunset

The words that can be used as definitions are:

clear - clear, pure
sunny - sunny
cloudless - cloudless
open - open
starry - starry
overcast - covered in clouds
cloudy - in the clouds

It was an overcast winter morning - It was a gloomy winter morning

This also includes verbs:

to clear up - to clear up, to clear up
to brighten - brighten, become clearer
to lighten - to lighten
to darken - to darken
to cloud over - to become covered in clouds

Suddenly the sky clouded over, and the storm broke - The sky suddenly became cloudy and a storm began

English weatherfamous for its rains:

rainfall - precipitation
rain - rain
shower - shower
drizzle - light rain
puddle - puddle
mud - slush, dirt
rainbow - rainbow
thunder - thunder
hail - hail
thunderstorm - thunderstorm
lightning - lightning

Rain can be different:

steady - lingering
persistent - long-lasting, constant
heavy - strong
driving - frantic, torrential
pouring - torrential
gentle - weak
occasional - at times, fickle
intermittent - short-term

Overcast morning is a sure forerunner of steady rain - A gloomy morning certainly foreshadows persistent rain

Verbs that can be used with the word rain:

to lash - to lash
to fall - to fall
to drum on / upon - drum on
to patter - drum, knock
to beat - to beat
to pour down - to pour out
to set in - install
to drip - drip, flow down
to cease - stop
to let up - weaken, pause

The rain lashed against the roof - Rain lashed on the roof

Suddenly the rain poured down - Suddenly the rain poured down

If we are talking about winter, you will need the word snow and its relatives:

snow - snow
snowfall - snowfall
snow cover - snow cover
blizzard - blizzard, blizzard
snowstorm - blizzard
snowflake - snowflake
icicle - icicle
snowdrift / snowbank - snowdrift, snow drift
sleet - sleet, sleet
black ice - frost, sleet
snowbroth - melted snow, snow slush

This winter broke the record for snowfall - This winter broke all records in terms of the amount of snow

Temperatures are expected to drop below zero, black ice is possible - Frosts are expected, ice is possible

Like rain, the word snow itself can be used inEnglish weather themeas a verb to snow (it is snowing). In addition, you can use other verbs:

to fall - go, fall
to settle - linger (not melt)
to cover up - to cover
to melt - melt
to swirl - to spin
to be covered in - to be covered
to be snowed under - to be covered in snow

All the fields are snowed under - All fields are covered with snow

Wind in English sounds like wind. There can be different definitions for it:

high - strong, strong
strong - strong
fierce - ferocious
gale-force - squall, stormy
biting - sharp, piercing
stiff - strong, fierce
icy - icy
gusty - impetuous
slight - light
favorable - favorable
light - light, weak
brisk - fresh
howling - howling

The trees were despoiled of their leaves in the high wind - A strong wind tore off all the leaves from the trees

A slight wind rippled the crops in the valley - A light breeze stirred the tops of the plants in the valley

The following verbs can be used with wind:

to blow - to blow
to rise / increase - to increase
to strengthen - strengthen
to fall away - weaken
to howl - howl
to drop - calm down, subside

The temperature is dropping rapidly, the wind is howling and it"s beginning to snow- The temperature drops sharply, the wind howls and snow begins to fall

The wind fell away and all was calm - The wind died down and everything calmed down

England is called "Foggy Albion". ForEnglish weathercharacterized by fog (fog). The word mist (light fog) is close in meaning to it.

What adjectives can describe fog:

dense - dense
thick - dense
light - light, weak

I cannot describe him more accurately, I have only seen him in dense fog - I cannot describe him more accurately, I only saw him in dense fog

Corresponding verbs:

to lie - lie down
to roll - to envelop
to obscure - darken, interfere with visibility

The view was obscured by fog - Visibility was difficult due to fog

Climate

Weather is not only changeable phenomena. Stable characteristics in a certain area are determined by climate. Therefore, we bring toweather topic in Englishand climate types:

temperate - moderate
hot / torrid - hot
tropical - tropical
subtropical - subtropical
warm - warm, hot
continental - continental
arid - arid
dry - dry
maritime - sea
humid - wet
mild - soft
fertile - favorable
severe - severe

These clothes aren't suited to the tropical climate - These clothes are not suitable for tropical climates

Weather forecast

Our plans sometimes depend on the weather, which is why it is so important to understand the forecast in English. Basic concepts:

weather forecast - weather forecast
weather forecaster / weather chart maker - weather forecaster
to give the weather forecast - transmit the weather forecast

IN weather forecast in Englishyou may come across such phrases:

The forecast is for... - The forecast promises...
Rain is spreading east - Rains are spreading to the south
A change in the weather - Weather change
It looks like the weather should remain settled - The weather remains unchanged
Most places will have long sunny periods - Sunny weather will continue in most areas
Some wet and windy weather is possible - Wet and windy weather is possible

You can ask about the forecast using the question:

What"s the forecast / What"s the forecast like? - What's the weather forecast?

We also give colloquial expressions forweather forecast in English with translation:

It looks like rain - It seems like it’s going to rain now
It looks like it "s going to snow - It seems like it’s going to snow now
It’s supposed to get cold next Monday - It should get colder next Monday
I hope it would soon be nice and warm - I hope it will soon become warm
It"s going to freeze tonight - There will be frost at night

Idioms

Weather phenomena often appear in the formation of phraseological units, so let's look at some idioms from the topicweather in English with translation.

fair-weather friends - unreliable friends:

Don"t trust him, he"s just a fair-weather friend - Don’t trust him, he’s an unreliable friend

rain or shine - no matter what happens, under any circumstances:

Every morning, rain or shine, they discussed what work had to be done that day - Every morning, under any conditions, they discussed what work needed to be done today

to be under a cloud - to be in bad standing, under suspicion:

After the scandal in the press, the company was under a cloud for a year - After the scandal in the press, the company was in disgrace for a year

The topic of weather is always relevant. How to conduct a dialogue about it and what English vocabulary do you need to know to maintain a conversation? Let's look at the topic in detailweather in English.