Hace frío
/aθe fɾio/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the phrase for the weather is cold is Hace frío.
For instance, the word gélido can be used to mean freezing.
Which one should you use?
Use Hace frío to describe the ambient temperature or weather, whereas Está frío is used to describe a specific object that has become cold to the touch.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, specifically in regions like Andalusia, Está fresco. is used to mean 'It's chilly'. In Argentina, people might say Hace un fresquete bárbaro. to describe when the weather is quite chilly. In Mexico, Está haciendo mucho frío. is a common expression used to describe very cold weather.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say it is 'very' cold, you add mucho (much/a lot) before frío rather than using an adverb like muy.
How do you pronounce it?
/aθe fɾio/
Did you know?
- The Argentine expression Hace un fresquete bárbaro uses the word bárbaro, which usually means 'barbaric' or 'wild', to emphasize how chilly it is.
- The word frío is a distant relative of the English words 'fridge' and 'refrigerator'.
- While English speakers say the weather 'is' cold, Spanish speakers use the verb hacer, meaning 'to make', so the phrase literally translates to 'it makes cold'.
Examples in context
- Hace frío.The weather is cold.Tatoeba #2926 by Shishir, translation #1766684 by AlanF_US
- ¡Hola! Estoy bien, pero hace un frío que pela.Hi! I'm fine, but it's freezing cold.
- El tiempo está helado, ¡necesitaré mi abrigo!The weather is icy, I'll need my coat!
- Hace frío, ¿no?It's cold, isn't it?
- Está helado hoyIt's freezing today
- Hoy hace frío en la calle.Today it is cold in the street.
- No salgas sin abrigo porque hace frío.Don't go out without a coat because it is cold.
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are deciding whether to go for a walk.
- Alejandro¿Quieres ir al parque ahora?Do you want to go to the park now?
- MaríaNo, creo que hace frío.No, I think it is cold.
- AlejandroEs verdad, María, hace mucho frío.It's true, María, it is very cold.
- MaríaMejor nos quedamos en casa.Better if we stay at home.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries frío, hace, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
