🎯 Today's Learning Goals / Lernziele
- Learn core weather expressions using the impersonal subject 'es'
- Describe weather conditions: sonnig, bewölkt, windig, neblig, regnet, schneit
- Ask and answer temperature questions using Celsius and 'Grad'
- Name all four seasons in German and know they are all masculine
- Use 'es soll + infinitive' to talk about weather forecasts
- Make weather-based small talk with strangers and colleagues
📚 Grammar & Rules / Grammatik
1. The Impersonal 'es' in Weather Sentences
German weather sentences always require the impersonal subject 'es' — you can never omit it.
In English, casual speech allows you to drop the subject: 'Raining today.' German never allows this. Every weather sentence must begin with 'es' as a grammatical placeholder. This 'es' does not refer to anything specific — it is a structural requirement from the verb-second rule (Position 1 must always be filled). Think of it as the weather subject that exists only because German grammar demands a subject.
| CORRECT | INCORRECT | NOTE |
|---|---|---|
| Es regnet. | Regnet. | Always include 'es' |
| Es schneit. | Schneit. | Never drop the subject |
| Es ist kalt. | Ist kalt. | 'es' is mandatory |
Es regnet heute.
— It's raining today.
💡 'es' = impersonal subject, always required
Es schneit seit gestern.
— It's been snowing since yesterday.
💡 Even with time expressions, keep 'es'
Es ist sehr windig draußen.
— It's very windy outside.
💡 'es' + sein + adjective = weather description
Heute regnet es.
— Today it's raining.
💡 When time word is in Position 1, 'es' moves after the verb
⚠️ Common Mistake: When a time word takes Position 1, 'es' moves behind the verb but does NOT disappear: 'Heute regnet es.' NOT 'Heute regnet.'
💡 Study Tip: No weather without 'es'! If you see a weather sentence without 'es', something is wrong.
2. Core Weather Expressions
Weather descriptions use two patterns: 'Es ist + adjective' (for conditions) and 'Es + verb' (for precipitation).
German weather vocabulary falls into two neat groups. Conditions like sunny, cloudy, windy, and foggy use 'Es ist + adjective': Es ist sonnig. Precipitation like rain and snow use a dedicated verb: Es regnet, Es schneit. Temperature also uses 'Es ist': Es ist warm, Es ist kalt. The expression 'Es gibt + noun' is used for storms and special weather events: Es gibt ein Gewitter.
| PATTERN | EXAMPLE | ENGLISH |
|---|---|---|
| Es ist + Adjektiv | Es ist sonnig. | It's sunny. |
| Es ist + Adjektiv | Es ist bewölkt. | It's cloudy. |
| Es + Verb | Es regnet. | It's raining. |
| Es + Verb | Es schneit. | It's snowing. |
| Es gibt + Nomen | Es gibt ein Gewitter. | There's a thunderstorm. |
Es ist sonnig und warm.
— It's sunny and warm.
💡 Combine adjectives with 'und'
Es ist bewölkt und kühl.
— It's cloudy and cool.
💡 bewölkt = overcast/cloudy
Es regnet und es ist kalt.
— It's raining and it's cold.
💡 Repeat 'es' in each clause
Es gibt ein Gewitter mit Blitz und Donner.
— There's a thunderstorm with lightning and thunder.
💡 'Es gibt' for weather events
⚠️ Common Mistake: Do not say 'Es ist regnen' — rain and snow are verbs, not adjectives. Say 'Es regnet' (not 'Es ist Regen'), and 'Es schneit' (not 'Es ist Schnee').
💡 Study Tip: Two patterns only: 'Es ist + adjective' for conditions, 'Es + verb' for precipitation. That covers 90% of weather talk.
3. Temperature: Grad and Celsius
Use 'Es sind X Grad' for temperatures. 'Grad' never changes form — no plural ending. German-speaking countries use Celsius.
To ask the temperature, say 'Wie viel Grad sind es?' (literally: how many degrees are it?). The answer uses 'Es sind': 'Es sind 20 Grad.' Note the plural verb 'sind' because you are talking about multiple degrees. However, for one degree, use singular: 'Es ist ein Grad.' The word 'Grad' never adds -e or -s for plural — it stays 'Grad' regardless of the number. Throughout German-speaking Europe, Celsius is the standard scale.
| GERMAN | ENGLISH | NOTE |
|---|---|---|
| Wie viel Grad sind es? | What's the temperature? | Standard question |
| Es sind 20 Grad. | It's 20 degrees. | Plural: sind |
| Es sind minus 5 Grad. | It's minus 5 degrees. | Below zero: minus + number |
| Es ist ein Grad. | It's one degree. | Singular: ist |
Es sind 25 Grad und sonnig.
— It's 25 degrees and sunny.
💡 Combine temperature with weather
Wie viel Grad sind es heute?
— What's the temperature today?
💡 Add 'heute' for today
Es sind nur 3 Grad draußen.
— It's only 3 degrees outside.
💡 'nur' = only, 'draußen' = outside
Im Sommer sind es oft 30 Grad.
— In summer it's often 30 degrees.
💡 'oft' = often
⚠️ Common Mistake: Never say 'Graden' or 'Grade' — 'Grad' is invariable. Also never say 'Es hat 20 Grad' — use 'Es sind 20 Grad' (some Swiss German dialects use 'es hat', but standard German uses 'es sind').
💡 Study Tip: Quick Fahrenheit-to-Celsius cheat: subtract 30, divide by 2. 70°F ≈ 20°C. Not exact, but close enough for small talk!
4. Die vier Jahreszeiten — The Four Seasons
All four seasons in German are masculine: der Frühling, der Sommer, der Herbst, der Winter. Use 'im' (in dem) before seasons.
German seasons are all masculine — no exceptions. When talking about what happens in a season, use the contraction 'im' (= in + dem, dative of der): 'Im Winter schneit es.' This is the same 'im' you use with months. The seasons follow the natural order: Frühling (spring), Sommer (summer), Herbst (autumn/fall), Winter (winter).
| SEASON | ENGLISH | MONTHS | WEATHER |
|---|---|---|---|
| der Frühling | spring | März, April, Mai | warm, sonnig, Regen |
| der Sommer | summer | Juni, Juli, August | heiß, sonnig, Gewitter |
| der Herbst | autumn/fall | September, Oktober, November | kühl, windig, neblig |
| der Winter | winter | Dezember, Januar, Februar | kalt, Schnee, Eis |
Im Frühling wird es wärmer.
— In spring it gets warmer.
💡 'im' = in + dem (dative masculine)
Im Sommer ist es heiß.
— In summer it's hot.
💡 All seasons use 'im'
Im Herbst ist es oft neblig.
— In autumn it's often foggy.
💡 Herbst = autumn/fall
Im Winter schneit es viel.
— In winter it snows a lot.
💡 'viel' = a lot
⚠️ Common Mistake: Do not use 'in der' or 'in das' with seasons — they are all masculine, so it is always 'im' (in dem). Never say 'in dem Sommer' either — always contract to 'im Sommer'.
💡 Study Tip: All four seasons are 'der' — no exceptions. That makes 'im' (in dem) the only preposition form you ever need with seasons.
5. Weather Forecasts: 'es soll + Infinitiv'
'Es soll + infinitive' expresses what the weather is supposed to do — used for forecasts and predictions.
To talk about future or expected weather, German uses 'es soll + infinitive at the end': 'Es soll morgen regnen' (It's supposed to rain tomorrow). The modal verb 'soll' means 'is supposed to' or 'should', and it pushes the main verb to the end of the sentence in its infinitive form. This is the same modal verb pattern from Module 2. 'Werden' (will/to become) is also used: 'Es wird kälter' (It's getting/going to get colder).
| GERMAN | ENGLISH | NOTE |
|---|---|---|
| Es soll regnen. | It's supposed to rain. | Forecast — not certain |
| Es soll morgen schneien. | It's supposed to snow tomorrow. | Time word before infinitive |
| Es wird wärmer. | It's getting warmer. | 'werden' for gradual change |
| Es wird morgen sonnig. | It will be sunny tomorrow. | 'werden' for future prediction |
Es soll am Wochenende regnen.
— It's supposed to rain on the weekend.
💡 'soll' + infinitive at end
Morgen soll es schneien.
— Tomorrow it's supposed to snow.
💡 Time in Position 1 pushes 'es' after 'soll'
Es wird morgen noch kälter werden.
— It's supposed to get even colder tomorrow.
💡 'werden' used twice: modal + infinitive
Wie wird das Wetter morgen?
— What will the weather be like tomorrow?
💡 'werden' for future questions
⚠️ Common Mistake: Do not confuse 'soll' (is supposed to — external expectation/forecast) with 'will' (wants to — internal desire). 'Es soll regnen' = forecast. 'Er will regnen' makes no sense.
💡 Study Tip: Think of 'es soll' as the weatherperson speaking: 'The forecast says it is supposed to rain.' It implies reported information, not certainty.
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📖 Core Vocabulary / Wortschatz (45 Words)
Click 🔊 to hear correct German pronunciation. Nouns are marked with articles: der (masculine) die (feminine) das (neuter).
| Audio | German | English | Type | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dasWetter | weather | noun (n.) |
Wie ist das Wetter heute? (What's the weather like today?)
|
|
| sonnig | sunny | adjective |
Es ist sonnig und warm. (It's sunny and warm.)
|
|
| bewölkt | cloudy, overcast | adjective |
Es ist bewölkt. (It's cloudy.)
|
|
| wolkig | cloudy | adjective |
Heute ist es wolkig. (Today it's cloudy.)
|
|
| dieWolke, -n | cloud | noun (f.) |
Es gibt viele Wolken. (There are many clouds.)
|
|
| regnen | to rain | verb |
Es regnet seit gestern. (It's been raining since yesterday.)
|
|
| derRegen | rain | noun (m.) |
Der Regen hört nicht auf. (The rain doesn't stop.)
|
|
| schneien | to snow | verb |
Es schneit im Winter. (It snows in winter.)
|
|
| derSchnee | snow | noun (m.) |
Der Schnee ist weiß. (The snow is white.)
|
|
| windig | windy | adjective |
Es ist sehr windig heute. (It's very windy today.)
|
|
| derWind | wind | noun (m.) |
Der Wind ist stark. (The wind is strong.)
|
|
| neblig | foggy | adjective |
Es ist neblig am Morgen. (It's foggy in the morning.)
|
|
| derNebel | fog | noun (m.) |
Der Nebel ist dicht. (The fog is thick.)
|
|
| heiß | hot | adjective |
Im Sommer ist es heiß. (In summer it's hot.)
|
|
| warm | warm | adjective |
Es ist warm und sonnig. (It's warm and sunny.)
|
|
| kühl | cool | adjective |
Es ist kühl am Abend. (It's cool in the evening.)
|
|
| kalt | cold | adjective |
Es ist sehr kalt draußen. (It's very cold outside.)
|
|
| dasGewitter, - | thunderstorm | noun (n.) |
Es gibt ein Gewitter. (There's a thunderstorm.)
|
|
| derBlitz, -e | lightning | noun (m.) |
Der Blitz ist hell. (The lightning is bright.)
|
|
| derDonner | thunder | noun (m.) |
Ich höre den Donner. (I hear the thunder.)
|
|
| derGrad | degree | noun (m.) |
Es sind 20 Grad. (It's 20 degrees.)
|
|
| dieTemperatur, -en | temperature | noun (f.) |
Die Temperatur steigt. (The temperature is rising.)
|
|
| derFrühling | spring | noun (m.) |
Im Frühling blühen die Blumen. (In spring the flowers bloom.)
|
|
| derSommer | summer | noun (m.) |
Im Sommer ist es heiß. (In summer it's hot.)
|
|
| derHerbst | autumn, fall | noun (m.) |
Im Herbst ist es windig. (In autumn it's windy.)
|
|
| derWinter | winter | noun (m.) |
Im Winter schneit es. (In winter it snows.)
|
|
| dieJahreszeit, -en | season | noun (f.) |
Welche Jahreszeit magst du? (Which season do you like?)
|
|
| dieSonne | sun | noun (f.) |
Die Sonne scheint. (The sun is shining.)
|
|
| scheinen | to shine | verb |
Die Sonne scheint heute. (The sun is shining today.)
|
|
| trocken | dry | adjective |
Es ist trocken und warm. (It's dry and warm.)
|
|
| nass | wet | adjective |
Es ist nass draußen. (It's wet outside.)
|
|
| derHimmel | sky | noun (m.) |
Der Himmel ist blau. (The sky is blue.)
|
|
| draußen | outside | adverb |
Es ist kalt draußen. (It's cold outside.)
|
|
| dieVorhersage, -n | forecast | noun (f.) |
Die Wettervorhersage sagt Regen. (The weather forecast says rain.)
|
|
| schrecklich | terrible, terribly | adjective/adverb |
Schrecklich kalt heute! (Terribly cold today!)
|
|
| wirklich | really | adverb |
Ja, wirklich! (Yes, really!)
|
|
| normalerweise | usually, normally | adverb |
Normalerweise ist es wärmer. (Usually it's warmer.)
|
|
| wenigstens | at least | adverb |
Wenigstens regnet es nicht. (At least it's not raining.)
|
|
| zum Glück | luckily, fortunately | phrase |
Zum Glück regnet es nicht. (Luckily it's not raining.)
|
|
| endlich | finally | adverb |
Der Bus kommt endlich! (The bus is finally coming!)
|
|
| anders | different, differently | adjective/adverb |
Dieses Jahr ist es anders. (This year it's different.)
|
|
| morgen | tomorrow | adverb |
Morgen soll es regnen. (Tomorrow it's supposed to rain.)
|
|
| heute | today | adverb |
Heute ist es sonnig. (Today it's sunny.)
|
|
| wärmer | warmer | adjective (comp.) |
Im Frühling wird es wärmer. (In spring it gets warmer.)
|
|
| kälter | colder | adjective (comp.) |
Es soll kälter werden. (It's supposed to get colder.)
|
💬 Key Conversational Phrases / Redemittel
Wie ist das Wetter heute?
What's the weather like today? · Asking about current weather
Wie wird das Wetter morgen?
What will the weather be like tomorrow? · Asking about forecast
Es ist sonnig und warm.
It's sunny and warm. · Describing good weather
Es regnet / Es schneit.
It's raining / It's snowing. · Describing precipitation
Es sind 20 Grad.
It's 20 degrees. · Stating temperature
Wie viel Grad sind es?
What's the temperature? · Asking about temperature
Es soll morgen regnen.
It's supposed to rain tomorrow. · Talking about forecasts
Schrecklich kalt heute, oder?
Terribly cold today, isn't it? · Starting weather small talk
Zum Glück regnet es nicht.
Luckily it's not raining. · Commenting positively on weather
Im Winter ist es kalt und es schneit.
In winter it's cold and it snows. · Describing seasonal weather
Schönes Wetter heute!
Nice weather today! · Casual weather greeting
Es wird wärmer / kälter.
It's getting warmer / colder. · Describing weather change
🗣️ Practical Dialogue / Dialog
Situation: Smalltalk an der Bushaltestelle (Small Talk at the Bus Stop)
Ingrid:
Schrecklich kalt heute, oder?
Terribly cold today, isn't it?
Samuel:
Ja, wirklich! Und es soll morgen noch kälter werden.
Yes, really! And it's supposed to get even colder tomorrow.
Ingrid:
Wirklich? Ich dachte, im Frühling wird es wärmer.
Really? I thought it gets warmer in spring.
Samuel:
Normalerweise schon, aber dieses Jahr ist es anders.
Usually yes, but this year it's different.
Ingrid:
Zum Glück regnet es wenigstens nicht.
Luckily it's at least not raining.
Samuel:
Stimmt. Ach, da kommt der Bus endlich!
True. Ah, there's the bus finally!