In Spanish, certain weather-related verbs are used impersonally, meaning they don’t have a specific subject performing the action. These expressions are crucial for describing weather conditions accurately in Spanish. Let’s explore the usage of impersonal weather expressions, focusing on verbs like “llover” (to rain) and “nevar” (to snow).
Key Characteristics
- Third-Person Singular Only: These verbs are only conjugated in the third person singular form.
- No Specific Subject: They don’t have a specific subject (like “it” in English).
- Natural Phenomena: They’re used to describe natural phenomena related to weather.
Common Impersonal Weather Verbs
- Llover (to rain)
- Example: “Llueve mucho en abril” (It rains a lot in April)
- Nevar (to snow)
- Example: “Está nevando en las montañas” (It’s snowing in the mountains)
- Granizar (to hail)
- Example: “Granizó ayer por la tarde” (It hailed yesterday afternoon)
- Relampaguear (to lightning)
- Example: “Relampagueaba durante toda la noche” (It was lightning all night)
Usage Notes
- Conjugation: These verbs are always conjugated in the third person singular, regardless of tense:
- Present: Llueve (It rains/It’s raining)
- Preterite: Llovió (It rained)
- Imperfect: Llovía (It was raining/It used to rain)
- Future: Lloverá (It will rain)
- Emphasis on Ongoing Action: They can be used with “estar” to emphasize ongoing action:
- “Está lloviendo” (It’s raining)
- “Estaba nevando cuando salí” (It was snowing when I left)
- Expressions with “hacer”: Other weather-related expressions often use “hacer” (to make/do):
- “Hace sol” (It’s sunny)
- “Hace frío” (It’s cold)
- “Hace calor” (It’s hot)
- “Hace viento” (It’s windy)
- Expressions with “estar”: Some expressions use “estar”:
- “Está nublado” (It’s cloudy)
- “Está despejado” (It’s clear [sky])
Conclusion
Understanding and correctly using these impersonal weather expressions is essential for describing weather conditions in Spanish. They allow speakers to discuss weather phenomena naturally and idiomatically. By incorporating these expressions into your vocabulary, you’ll enhance your ability to communicate effectively about the weather in Spanish. ¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)