Italian grammar
Fa caldo, c'è il sole, piove
Talk about the weather.
From the scene Che tempo fa? (What's the weather like?)
In short
Hot and cold use fa: fa caldo, fa freddo. Sun is c'è il sole; rain is just piove.
- it's hot fa caldo
- it's cold fa freddo
- it's sunny c'è il sole
- it rains piove
- what's the weather like? che tempo fa?
Your turn
Which one goes with it's cold?
Options: fa freddo · fa caldo · c'è il sole
Show answer
it's cold → fa freddo
How it works
For hot and cold weather Italian says fa (it makes) + caldo / freddo, not è caldo.
Good to know
Sun is c'è il sole (there is the sun), and rain is its own verb with nothing in front: piove (it rains).
it's hot fa caldo
Elena
Sì, fa caldo. Ma d'inverno fa freddo.
Yes, it's hot. But in winter it's cold.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Sì, (blank). Ma d'inverno fa freddo.
Options: fa caldo · c'è il sole · piove
Show answer
Elena
Sì, fa caldo. Ma d'inverno fa freddo.
Yes, it's hot. But in winter it's cold.
it's cold fa freddo
Nuria
Fa freddo d'inverno?
It's cold in winter?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) d'inverno?
Options: Fa freddo · Fa caldo · C'è il sole
Show answer
Nuria
Fa freddo d'inverno?
It's cold in winter?
it's sunny c'è il sole
Elena
E lì c'è il sole?
And is it sunny there?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
E lì (blank)?
Options: fa freddo · c'è il sole · fa caldo
Show answer
Elena
E lì c'è il sole?
And is it sunny there?
it rains piove
Elena
Molto freddo. E a volte piove.
Very cold. And sometimes it rains.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Molto freddo. E a volte (blank).
Options: piove · fa caldo · fa freddo
Show answer
Elena
Molto freddo. E a volte piove.
Very cold. And sometimes it rains.
what's the weather like? che tempo fa?
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| it's hot | fa caldo |
|---|---|
| it's cold | fa freddo |
| it's sunny | c'è il sole |
| it rains | piove |
| what's the weather like? | che tempo fa? |
More lines from the story
- NuriaÈ vero. Nel mio paese piove sempre.True. In my village it always rains.
- NuriaSignora Elena, fa molto caldo!Signora Elena, it's very hot!