# Weather and seasons in Esperanto – words and phrases

Source: https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/weather-seasons/
Language: en
Updated: 2026-10-08

> Esperanto weather verbs need no subject – Pluvas is "it's raining", Neĝas "it's snowing". Seasons, Estas varme, temperatures and useful phrases.

In Esperanto, weather verbs have no subject: ***Pluvas*** is "It's raining", ***Neĝas*** "It's snowing" and ***Tondras*** "It's thundering". For conditions and temperature, *estas* is followed by an adverb: ***Estas varme*** "It's warm", ***Estas malvarme*** "It's cold". The four seasons are ***printempo, somero, aŭtuno, vintro***. Pronunciation guides on this page show the stressed syllable in capitals; it is always the second-to-last (see the [alphabet](https://esperantopedia.org/learn/alphabet/)).

## The four seasons

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| spring | *printempo* | prin-TEM-po |
| summer | *somero* | so-ME-ro |
| autumn, fall | *aŭtuno* | aŭ-TU-no |
| winter | *vintro* | VIN-tro |
| season | *sezono* | se-ZO-no |
| rainy season | *pluvsezono* | pluv-se-ZO-no |
| dry season | *seka sezono* | SE-ka se-ZO-no |
| weather | *vetero* | ve-TE-ro |

Season names are ordinary nouns, written with a small letter (the [months](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/days-months/) are traditionally capitalised). ReVo treats *printempo* as one root, although it ends in *tempo* "time". It dates the seasons by the Gregorian calendar: northern-hemisphere spring runs from about 21 March to 21 June, southern-hemisphere spring from about 23 September to 21 December.

## How do you say "in summer"?

| Pattern | Esperanto | English |
|---|---|---|
| noun + *-e* | *Somere mi naĝas en la maro.* | In summer I swim in the sea. |
| *en la* + noun | *En la somero ni veturis al la maro.* | In the summer we travelled to the sea. |
| *dum la* + noun | *Dum la vintro la tagoj estas mallongaj.* | During the winter the days are short. |
| *ĉi-* + noun + *-e* | *Ni havis malmulte da neĝo ĉi-vintre.* | We had little snow this winter. |
| adjective + noun + *-n* | *Venontan someron mi vojaĝos.* | Next summer I will travel. |
| *tuta* + noun + *-n* | *Neĝis la tutan vintron.* | It snowed all winter long. |

The ending *-e* turns a noun into an adverb of time: *somere*, *vintre*, *matene* (see [adverbs](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/adverbs/)). Both *somere* and *en la somero* are correct. The Fundamento's own exercises, quoted in ReVo, even use *en somero* and *en vintro* without the article.

A time noun with the [accusative *-n*](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/accusative/) and no preposition marks a point or a stretch of time (PMEG): *la sekvan dimanĉon* "the following Sunday", so *pasintan vintron* "last winter", *la tutan vintron* "all winter". The word *ĉi* means "this, near the speaker", and PMEG shows it in compounds such as *ĉi-nokte* "tonight" and *ĉi-jara* "of this year"; *ĉi-vintre* and *ĉi-somere* follow the same pattern.

## Weather words

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| sky | *ĉielo* | ĉi-E-lo |
| sun | *suno* | SU-no |
| sunshine | *sunbrilo* | sun-BRI-lo |
| cloud | *nubo* | NU-bo |
| fog, mist | *nebulo* | ne-BU-lo |
| rain | *pluvo* | PLU-vo |
| snow | *neĝo* | NE-ĝo |
| hail | *hajlo* | HAJ-lo |
| ice | *glacio* | gla-CI-o |
| frost, freezing cold | *frosto* | FROS-to |
| rainbow | *ĉielarko* | ĉi-e-LAR-ko |
| wind | *vento* | VEN-to |
| breeze | *venteto* | ven-TE-to |
| gale, very strong wind | *ventego* | ven-TE-go |
| storm | *ŝtormo* | ŜTOR-mo |
| hurricane | *uragano* | u-ra-GA-no |
| lightning | *fulmo* | FUL-mo |
| thunder | *tondro* | TON-dro |
| thunderstorm | *fulmotondro* | ful-mo-TON-dro |

The matching adjectives end in *-a*: *suna tago* "a sunny day", *nuba* "cloudy", *sennuba* "cloudless", *pluva* "rainy", *neĝa* "snowy", *venta* "windy", *glacia* "icy", *seka* "dry", *malseka* "wet", *kota* "muddy". With *vetero* use an ordinary adjective: *bela vetero* "nice weather".

## Weather verbs: no subject, no "it"

English needs a dummy *it* ("it rains"); Esperanto does not. PMEG says plainly not to use *ĝi* with such verbs: *Hodiaŭ pluvas*, not *Ĝi pluvas hodiaŭ*. It adds that the redundant *ĝi* in Zamenhof's *Ĝi estis varmega posttagmezo* has disappeared and counts as an error today. See [pronouns](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/pronouns/).

| Esperanto | English | Infinitive | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| *Pluvas.* | It's raining. | *pluvi* | PLU-vas |
| *Neĝas.* | It's snowing. | *neĝi* | NE-ĝas |
| *Tondras.* | It's thundering. | *tondri* | TON-dras |
| *Fulmas.* | There is lightning. | *fulmi* | FUL-mas |
| *Hajlas.* | It's hailing. | *hajli* | HAJ-las |
| *Ventas.* | The wind is blowing. | *venti* | VEN-tas |
| *Frostas.* | It's freezing. | *frosti* | FROS-tas |
| *Ŝtormas.* | A storm is blowing. | *ŝtormi* | ŜTOR-mas |
| *Sunas.* | The sun is shining. | *suni* | SU-nas |
| *Tagiĝas.* | Day is breaking. | *tagiĝi* | ta-GI-ĝas |

The usual endings give the tenses (see [verbs](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/verbs/)): *Hieraŭ pluvis* "It rained yesterday", *Morgaŭ pluvos* "It will rain tomorrow". Adverbs add force: *Pluvas forte* "It's raining hard", *Neĝas multe* "It snows a lot".

If something other than rain falls like rain, that thing becomes the subject, so it takes no *-n*: *Pluvis ŝtonoj sur la tegmenton* "Stones rained down on the roof". PMEG warns against *ŝtonojn* here.

## "It's warm": Estas varme

When *estas* has no real subject, the word that describes the situation is an adverb in *-e*, not an adjective (PMEG): *Estas varme*, not *Estas varma*. PMEG's own examples include *Estas mallume* "It is dark".

| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| *Estas varme.* | It's warm. |
| *Estas malvarme.* | It's cold. |
| *Estas sune.* | It's sunny. |
| *Estas nube, sed ne pluvas.* | It's cloudy, but it isn't raining. |
| *Estas nebule.* | It's foggy. |
| *Estas malseke.* | It's wet. |
| *Estas tro malvarme por naĝi.* | It's too cold to swim. |

With a subject the adjective returns and agrees with it: *La vetero estas varma* "The weather is warm" (subject *vetero*), *Estas bela vetero* "It's nice weather" (the adjective belongs to *vetero*).

To say how you feel, use the verbs *varmi* and *malvarmi*, which ReVo defines as being or feeling warm and cold: *Mi malvarmas* "I am cold", *Al mi varmas* "I feel warm", *Ĉu tro varmas?* "Is it too warm?". *Mi frostas* means "I'm freezing"; ReVo defines *frosti* as to feel a freezing cold.

## Temperature

| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| *Kiom da gradoj estas ekstere?* | How many degrees is it outside? |
| *Estas dudek gradoj.* | It's twenty degrees. |
| *Estas dudek du gradoj celsiaj.* | It's 22 degrees Celsius. |
| *Estas dek gradoj super nulo.* | It's ten degrees above zero. |
| *Estis dek gradoj sub nulo ĉi-matene.* | It was ten degrees below zero this morning. |
| *La temperaturo nun estas minus dek gradoj.* | The temperature is now minus ten degrees. |
| *Morgaŭ estos pli varme.* | Tomorrow it will be warmer. |

Say the number first, then *gradoj* ("one degree" is *unu grado*); see [numbers](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/numbers/). PMEG gives both ways to read a temperature sign: +10° is *plus dek gradoj* or *dek gradoj super nulo*, and −10° is *minus dek gradoj* or *dek gradoj sub nulo*.

The suffixes *-eg-* "stronger" and *-et-* "weaker" make a scale: *malvarmega* "very cold", *malvarma* "cold", *malvarmeta* "cool", *varma* "warm", *varmega* "hot". Change *-a* to *-e* for the weather sentence: *Estas varmege* "It's very hot".

ReVo says *varma* is traditionally a moderate, comfortable warmth, while *varmega* means unpleasantly hot, even burning. It adds that the dictionaries PV and PIV lost this nuance, which Russian and German-speaking Esperantists keep.

## Word building with weather roots

| Word | Parts | English |
|---|---|---|
| *pluvego* | pluv·eg·o | downpour |
| *pluveto* | pluv·et·o | drizzle |
| *pluvero* | pluv·er·o | raindrop |
| *neĝero* | neĝ·er·o | snowflake |
| *neĝulo*, *neĝhomo* | neĝ·ul·o, neĝ·hom·o | snowman |
| *pluvneĝo* | pluv·neĝ·o | sleet (snow melting as it falls) |
| *senpluveco* | sen·pluv·ec·o | drought |
| *pluvombrelo*, *sunombrelo* | pluv·ombrel·o, sun·ombrel·o | umbrella, parasol |
| *pluvmantelo* | pluv·mantel·o | raincoat |
| *fulmotondro* | fulm·o·tondr·o | thunderstorm |
| *ĉielarko* | ĉiel·ark·o | rainbow |
| *malvarmumo* | mal·varm·um·o | a common cold |

The suffix *-er-* names one piece of a mass, so *neĝero* is one flake of *neĝo*. The verb forms follow: *pluveti* "to drizzle", *pluvegi* "to pour". ReVo defines *ombrelo* itself as a portable shield against rain or sun, and *pluvombrelo* and *sunombrelo* say which. Be careful with "cold": *malvarmo* is low temperature, while *malvarmumo* is the illness. More in [word building](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/word-building/).

Verbs with *-iĝ-* "become" can also stand alone: *Aŭtune pli kaj pli malvarmiĝas* "In autumn it gets colder and colder", *Vesperiĝas* "Evening is falling".

## Talking about the weather

| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| *Kia estas la vetero en via urbo?* | What's the weather like in your city? |
| *Kia bela tago!* | What a lovely day! |
| *Pluvas, prenu ombrelon.* | It's raining, take an umbrella. |
| *Surmetu mantelon, ĉar estas malvarme.* | Put on a coat, because it's cold. |
| *Ĉu morgaŭ pluvos?* | Will it rain tomorrow? |
| *Laŭ la veterprognozo morgaŭ neĝos.* | According to the forecast it will snow tomorrow. |
| *Kiun sezonon vi plej ŝatas?* | Which season do you like best? |
| *Mi plej ŝatas la printempon.* | I like spring best. |

The last two sentences use the accusative: the season is the object of *ŝatas*, so it ends in *-n*.

## Common questions

### How do you say "It's raining" in Esperanto?

*Pluvas.* There is no word for "it": weather verbs have no subject, and PMEG says not to add *ĝi*. Past: *Pluvis*; future: *Pluvos*.

### How do you say "It's cold" or "It's hot" in Esperanto?

*Estas malvarme* and *Estas varme*; for very hot, *Estas varmege*. The word after *estas* is an adverb in *-e*.

### What are the seasons in Esperanto?

*Printempo* (spring), *somero* (summer), *aŭtuno* (autumn) and *vintro* (winter), all with a small letter.

### How do you say "in winter" in Esperanto?

*Vintre* or *en la vintro*. For "this winter" say *ĉi-vintre*, and for "last winter" *pasintan vintron*.

### How do you give the temperature in Esperanto?

Say the number and *gradoj*: *Estas dek gradoj*. For below zero, use *minus dek gradoj* or *dek gradoj sub nulo*.

## Sources

- [PMEG: Sensubjektaj verboj (pluvi, neĝi, hajli, ŝtormi, frosti, fulmi, tondri)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/verboj_frazroloj/sensubjektaj.html)
- [PMEG: Tria persono (no *ĝi* with subjectless verbs)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/pronomoj/tria.html)
- [PMEG: Uzo de E-vortoj (Estas mallume, Kritiki estas facile)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/e-vortoj/uzo.html)
- [PMEG: N por tempopunkto](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/rolmontriloj/n/tempopunkto.html) and [N por mezuro](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/rolmontriloj/n/mezuro.html)
- [PMEG: Dum](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/rolmontriloj/rolvortetoj/aliaj_rolvortetoj/dum.html)
- [PMEG: Ĉi (ĉi-nokte, la ĉi-jara somero)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/e-vortecaj_vortetoj/lokaj/chi.html)
- [PMEG: Plus kaj minus (plus dek gradoj, dek gradoj sub nulo)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/kunligaj_vortetoj/plus_minus.html)
- [ReVo: printempo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/printe.html), [somero](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/somer.html), [aŭtuno](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/auxtun.html), [vintro](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/vintr.html), [sezono](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sezon.html)
- [ReVo: pluvo and derived words](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/pluv.html), [neĝo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/negx.html), [vento](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/vent.html), [nebulo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/nebul.html), [fulmo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/fulm.html), [tondri](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/tondr.html), [hajlo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/hajl.html)
- [ReVo: ŝtormo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sxtorm.html), [uragano](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/uragan.html), [frosto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/frost.html), [glacio](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/glaci.html), [nubo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/nub.html), [vetero](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/veter.html), [suno](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sun.html)
- [ReVo: varma, malvarma and derived words](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/varm.html), [grado](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/grad.html), [ombrelo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/ombrel.html)
- [Tatoeba](https://tatoeba.org/) sentences (CC BY 2.0 FR), used as written: [#2127737](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/2127737), [#980568](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/980568), [#557222](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/557222), [#583328](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/583328); shortened or adapted, and used to check usage: [#13090664](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/13090664), [#12313539](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/12313539), [#2652792](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/2652792), [#639494](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/639494), [#870840](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/870840), [#6380476](https://tatoeba.org/en/sentences/show/6380476)