Talking About the Weather
Talking about the weather · a free German immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Heute ist das Wetter wirklich schön, findest du nicht?
The weather is really nice today, don't you think?
Literal Today is the weather really beautiful, find you not?
A classic small-talk opener that invites the listener to agree, using the tag question 'findest du nicht?'.
- 'Heute' fronts the sentence, so the verb 'ist' stays in second position.
- 'Findest du nicht?' is a tag question used to seek agreement, equivalent to 'don't you think?'
Es soll morgen regnen, also nehme ich einen Regenschirm mit.
It's supposed to rain tomorrow, so I'm taking an umbrella.
Literal It should tomorrow rain, so take I an umbrella with.
Uses the modal 'soll' for a reported forecast and the separable verb 'mitnehmen' split across the clause.
- 'Soll' expresses hearsay or forecast: something has been reported or predicted.
- 'Mitnehmen' is separable: in present tense it splits into 'nehme ... mit'.
Im Winter wird es hier sehr kalt, manchmal bis minus zehn Grad.
In winter it gets very cold here, sometimes down to minus ten degrees.
Literal In the winter becomes it here very cold, sometimes to minus ten degrees.
Describes a recurring seasonal fact using 'wird' in its sense of 'gets' or 'becomes'.
- 'Im Winter' is the contraction of 'in dem Winter'.
- 'Wird' here means 'gets/becomes', not a future tense construction.
Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich am liebsten zu Hause.
When it rains, I most like to stay home.
Literal When it rains, stay I at most-liked at home.
A conditional sentence with 'wenn' showing a personal preference triggered by bad weather.
- In a 'wenn' clause the finite verb moves to the end: 'regnet' closes the clause.
- 'Am liebsten' is the superlative adverb of 'gern', meaning 'most of all / preferably'.
Der Himmel ist heute total bedeckt, kein einziges Wölkchen.
The sky is completely overcast today, not a single little cloud.
Literal The sky is today totally covered, not one single little cloud.
Uses the colloquial intensifier 'total' and the diminutive 'Wölkchen' for expressive colour.
- 'Bedeckt' is a participial adjective from 'bedecken' (to cover).
- 'Kein einziges' reinforces absolute negation: not even one.
Die Sonne scheint endlich wieder, das hebt die Stimmung sofort.
The sun is finally shining again — that lifts the mood immediately.
Literal The sun shines finally again, that lifts the mood immediately.
Expresses relief at returning sunshine and its emotional effect, using 'Stimmung heben' (to lift the mood).
- 'Endlich' (finally) conveys relief or impatience and is very natural in spoken German.
- 'Hebt' is third-person singular of 'heben' (to lift).
Ich kann das Picknick leider nicht machen, wegen des schlechten Wetters.
Unfortunately I can't do the picnic because of the bad weather.
Literal I can the picnic unfortunately not do, because of the bad weather.
Cancels a plan using 'leider' (unfortunately) and 'wegen' (because of) with the genitive case.
- 'Wegen' governs the genitive case: 'des schlechten Wetters'.
- 'Leider' (unfortunately) is a discourse particle signalling regret politely.
Nächste Woche soll es wärmer werden, ich freue mich schon darauf.
Next week it's supposed to get warmer — I'm already looking forward to it.
Literal Next week should it warmer become, I look forward already to it.
Combines a forecast with an emotional reaction, using 'sich freuen auf' (to look forward to).
- 'Soll ... werden' is the forecast construction: expected change.
- 'Sich freuen auf' is a reflexive verb phrase that takes the accusative: 'darauf'.
Es gibt Gewitter am Abend, also sollten wir früh nach Hause gehen.
There will be a thunderstorm this evening, so we should go home early.
Literal It gives thunderstorm in the evening, so should we early to home go.
Uses 'es gibt' for a weather event and the polite modal 'sollten' to make a practical suggestion.
- 'Es gibt' + accusative is the standard expression for 'there is/there will be'.
- 'Sollten' is the subjunctive II of 'sollen', softening the recommendation.
Der Herbst bringt bunte Blätter und kühle Luft, das ist meine Lieblingszeit.
Autumn brings colourful leaves and cool air — that's my favourite time of year.
Literal The autumn brings colourful leaves and cool air, that is my favourite time.
A warm descriptive sentence about seasonal change that expresses personal preference naturally.
- 'Bunt' (colourful/varied) is a vivid adjective common in nature and season descriptions.
- 'Lieblingszeit' is a compound noun: 'Liebling' (favourite) + 'Zeit' (time).
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
das Wetter
the weather
Das Wetter heute ist perfekt.
The weather today is perfect.
Used in countless everyday phrases; always neuter
regnen
to rain
Es regnet seit dem Morgen.
It has been raining since morning.
Always used impersonally with 'es' as subject
der Regenschirm
the umbrella
Vergiss deinen Regenschirm nicht!
Don't forget your umbrella!
Compound: Regen (rain) + Schirm (screen/shield)
bedeckt
overcast, cloudy
Der Himmel ist stark bedeckt.
The sky is heavily overcast.
Participial adjective from 'bedecken' (to cover)
das Gewitter
the thunderstorm
Ein Gewitter zieht auf.
A thunderstorm is rolling in.
Related to 'Wetter'; very common in German weather talk
die Stimmung
the mood, the atmosphere
Der Sonnenschein hebt meine Stimmung.
The sunshine lifts my mood.
Often paired with weather to describe emotional impact
wärmer
warmer
Es wird nächste Woche wärmer.
It will be warmer next week.
Comparative of 'warm'; note umlaut shift: warm > wärm-
endlich
finally, at last
Endlich scheint die Sonne wieder!
The sun is finally shining again!
Conveys relief or impatience; very natural in conversation
kühle
cool (inflected)
Ich mag die kühle Herbstluft.
I like the cool autumn air.
Base form 'kühl'; inflected here for feminine noun 'Luft'
leider
unfortunately
Leider können wir nicht draußen spielen.
Unfortunately we can't play outside.
Polite tone softener signalling regret; very common
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Heute Morgen wachte Lisa auf und schaute sofort aus dem Fenster. Der Himmel war grau und bedeckt, aber der Wetterbericht sagte, dass die Sonne am Nachmittag wieder scheinen soll. Sie nahm trotzdem ihren Regenschirm mit, weil man in dieser Jahreszeit nie weiß, was das Wetter bringt. Ihr Kollege Tom sagte, nächste Woche soll es viel wärmer werden — das freute sie sehr. Wenn das Wetter schön ist, gehen sie immer zusammen in der Mittagspause spazieren.
Sentence by sentence
wachte Lisa auf
Lisa woke up
Separable verb 'aufwachen' in simple past: the prefix 'auf' moves to the end of the clause.
schaute sofort aus dem Fenster
immediately looked out the window
'Aus dem Fenster schauen' (to look out the window) uses the preposition 'aus' with the dative case.
dass die Sonne ... scheinen soll
that the sun ... should shine
The subordinating conjunction 'dass' pushes both verbs to the end of the clause: 'scheinen soll'.
weil man ... nie weiß
because one never knows
'Man' is the impersonal pronoun meaning 'one / you / people in general'; 'weiß' is the irregular present of 'wissen'.
das freute sie sehr
that made her very happy
Here 'freuen' is used transitively: the subject 'das' (that) pleases her, rather than the reflexive 'sich freuen'.
gehen sie ... spazieren
they go for a walk
'Spazieren gehen' is a fixed collocation; 'spazieren' acts as an infinitive complement without 'zu'.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Conditional Weather Clauses with 'wenn'
Use 'wenn' (when / if) to link a weather condition to a consequence or plan. In the 'wenn' clause the finite verb moves to the very end. The main clause that follows then opens with its verb (verb-second rule), making the whole sentence flow naturally.
Wenn + [subject] + [other elements] + [verb-at-end], [verb] + [subject] + [rest of main clause].
Wenn es regnet, nehme ich einen Schirm.
When it rains, I take an umbrella.
Wenn die Sonne scheint, gehen wir spazieren.
If the sun is shining, we go for a walk.
Wenn es kalt ist, bleibe ich zu Hause.
When it is cold, I stay home.
Wenn es schneit, fahren die Kinder Schlitten.
When it snows, the children go sledding.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to German: 'When it rains, I prefer to stay at home.'
Hint Use 'wenn' to start the conditional clause.
Complete the sentence: 'Es soll morgen ________, also nehme ich einen Regenschirm mit.'
Hint Think about why someone would bring an umbrella.
What does this sentence mean? 'Die Sonne scheint endlich wieder, das hebt die Stimmung sofort.'
Hint 'die Stimmung heben' is an idiomatic phrase.
Which sentence correctly uses 'wenn' for a weather condition?
Rewrite using 'wenn': 'Es gibt Gewitter. Wir sollten früh nach Hause gehen.'
Hint Combine the two sentences with 'wenn' and watch word order.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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