The weather is the easiest thing to talk about with anyone, anywhere. This lesson shows you how to say what it's like outside, and how you feel in it.

Tu turno

On a hot afternoon, Karen says Ho caldo!, and Signor Greco says Fa caldo! What's the difference?

The main idea

The weather

Che caldo!
It's so hot!
Fa freddo oggi.
It's cold today.
Che bella giornata!
What a beautiful day!
C'è il sole.
It's sunny.
Piove.
It's raining.
C'è vento.
It's windy.
Fa bel tempo.
The weather's nice.
Domani piove?
Is it going to rain tomorrow?

In oggi (OD-jee) and giornata (jor-NA-ta, a day as you live it), g before i or e sounds like j, and the i of gio is silent. c'è is cheh, and piove is PYO-veh.

How you feel

Ho caldo.
I'm hot.
Ho freddo.
I'm cold.

On an October afternoon in the piazza:

Greco: Che caldo oggi!
It's so hot today!
Karen: Sì, ho caldo! A Columbus adesso fa freddo.
Yes, I'm hot! In Columbus it's cold right now.
Greco: Qui fa caldo anche a ottobre.
Here it's hot in October too.
Karen: E domani? Piove?
And tomorrow? Is it going to rain?
Greco: No, no. C'è il sole tutta la settimana.
No, no. It's sunny all week.

Quick check

Tu turno

Karen is cold. What does she say?

Tu turno

Complete: It's nice weather today.

Oggi bel tempo.
Tu turno

Write what you hear.

A morning in Lecce

Karen's morning in the piazza. Answer each time as Karen.

Tu turno

Signor Greco asks Lei è di qui? Say you're American, from Columbus, here on vacation.

Tu turno

He tells you there's a concert in the piazza tonight. React.

Tu turno

He says you speak Italian really well. Answer modestly.

Tu turno

He says Che caldo oggi! Agree, and say you're hot.

Take with you

Che caldo!
It's so hot!
Fa freddo oggi.
It's cold today.
Che bella giornata!
What a beautiful day!
C'è il sole.
It's sunny.
Piove.
It's raining.
Fa bel tempo.
The weather's nice.
Ho caldo.
I'm hot.
Ho freddo.
I'm cold.

Fa caldo outside, ho caldo inside you: the weather is always a good start.