What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of kayfa (how) and al-taqs (the weather).
Which one should you use?
While كيف الطقس؟ asks how the weather is, you may also see كيف الجو؟ used in many spoken Arabic dialects. In these cases, al-jaw (the atmosphere/air) is used instead of al-taqs (the weather).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Formal ways to ask about the weather include ما هو حال الطقس؟ (What is the weather like?) and ما أخبار الطقس؟ (Any news about the weather?). For informal situations, you can use شو أخبار الطقس؟ (What's up with the weather?) or كيف الجو؟ (How's the weather?).
Is it said differently in some regions?
Different regional dialects use specific forms: in Egyptian Arabic, you can say إزي الجو؟, in Gulf Arabic, use شلون الجو؟ and in Levantine Arabic, use شو وضع الطقس to mean "What's the weather situation?"
How do you pronounce it?
kayfa al-taqs?
When do people say it?
A common way to respond to a question about the weather is الطقس جميل (al-taqs jamil), which means "the weather is beautiful".
Did you know?
- In the Gulf region, you can use the word شلون (shlon) to ask how the weather is, which is a contraction of 'what is its colour'.
- The word كيف ('kayfa') can be derived from a root meaning 'to cut off entirely'.
- In some Arabic cultures, asking about the weather can serve as a social 'buffer' to avoid jumping straight into business or personal requests.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries كيف, CC BY-SA 4.0.
