In 15 Seconds
- Use 'Es schneit' to say 'It is snowing.'
- Always pair it with the neutral pronoun 'es'.
- Perfect for winter small talk and weather descriptions.
Meaning
It simply means that snow is falling from the sky. It is the go-to word for describing that magical white winter weather.
Key Examples
3 of 6Looking out the window in the morning
Schau mal, es schneit endlich!
Look, it is finally snowing!
Checking the weather forecast
Morgen soll es den ganzen Tag schneien.
It is supposed to snow all day tomorrow.
Texting a friend about a surprise visit
Ich schneie heute Abend mal kurz bei dir rein!
I'll just pop in on you for a bit tonight!
Cultural Background
The 'Räumpflicht' is a serious matter. If it snows, you must clear the path by 7 AM on weekdays. Snow is a major economic factor for tourism. The 'Neuschnee' (fresh snow) report is a daily staple in winter. Frau Holle is the legendary figure who makes it snow by shaking her pillows. Snow in big cities like Berlin often leads to immediate 'Bahnchaos' (train chaos).
The 'Es' Rule
Always use 'es' as the subject for weather. Never say 'Der Himmel schneit'.
Scheinen vs Schneien
This is the #1 mistake for A1 students. Practice saying them back-to-back to hear the difference.
In 15 Seconds
- Use 'Es schneit' to say 'It is snowing.'
- Always pair it with the neutral pronoun 'es'.
- Perfect for winter small talk and weather descriptions.
What It Means
schneien is a basic weather verb. It describes the act of snow falling. Think of it as the winter version of regnen (to rain). It is simple, clear, and very common. You will hear it every winter in Germany. It evokes images of cozy sweaters and hot cocoa. It is a word of wonder for many.
How To Use It
In German, weather verbs use the pronoun es. You must always say Es schneit. Never just say Schneit. To talk about the past, use Es hat geschneit. If you want to say it is starting, use Es fängt an zu schneien. It is an impersonal verb. This means the 'it' doesn't refer to a specific thing. It just refers to the state of the world. Keep your sentences short and sweet.
When To Use It
Use it the moment you see white flakes. It is perfect for small talk. Tell your neighbor Es schneit heute. Use it when planning a trip to the mountains. Text your friends to go sledding. It is great for describing a beautiful landscape. Use it in a weather report. Use it when you are surprised by the cold. It is a very safe, neutral word.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it for rain or hail. Germans have specific words like hageln for hail. Do not use it if it is just cold. If there is no white stuff, do not use schneien. Avoid using it for 'cocaine' in polite company. That is a very different slang context. Do not use it to describe a person's movement. Unless you use the special variation hereinschneien. Otherwise, keep it to the weather.
Cultural Background
Germans have a deep love for Weiße Weihnachten. This means a White Christmas. It is a classic cultural obsession. Snow makes the traditional Christmas markets feel authentic. In the South, snow is a way of life. People prepare their Winterreifen (winter tires) early. There is a sense of Gemütlichkeit when it snows. It means staying inside with a warm tea. It is a time for family and peace.
Common Variations
A very popular variation is hereinschneien. This means to drop by unexpectedly. It is like you just 'snowed in' through the door. Another one is verschneit. This describes a town covered in snow. You might also hear Schneegestöber. That means a heavy snow flurry or blizzard. Use Puderzucker (powdered sugar) to describe light, pretty snow. These variations make your German sound much more natural.
Usage Notes
The verb is very straightforward for A1 learners. Just remember the 'es' and the 'hat geschneit' past tense form. It is a perfect 'icebreaker' for winter conversations.
The 'Es' Rule
Always use 'es' as the subject for weather. Never say 'Der Himmel schneit'.
Scheinen vs Schneien
This is the #1 mistake for A1 students. Practice saying them back-to-back to hear the difference.
Figurative Use
Use 'reinschneien' when visiting friends to sound more like a native speaker.
Examples
6Schau mal, es schneit endlich!
Look, it is finally snowing!
A common expression of excitement for the first snow.
Morgen soll es den ganzen Tag schneien.
It is supposed to snow all day tomorrow.
Using 'soll' to report what the forecast says.
Ich schneie heute Abend mal kurz bei dir rein!
I'll just pop in on you for a bit tonight!
Uses the metaphorical variation 'hereinschneien'.
Es hat die ganze Nacht geschneit, der Verkehr ist furchtbar.
It snowed all night, the traffic is terrible.
Past tense 'hat geschneit' used for a current complaint.
Es schneit so leise, es ist wunderschön.
It is snowing so quietly, it is beautiful.
Focuses on the aesthetic and peaceful nature of snow.
Es schneit im April? Das ist doch ein Witz!
Snowing in April? That must be a joke!
Expressing disbelief at late-season weather.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct form of 'schneien' in the present tense.
Guck mal! Es ____ draußen.
The subject 'es' requires the third person singular ending '-t'.
Which sentence is correct for 'It snowed yesterday'?
Gestern...
'schneien' uses 'haben' in the Perfekt and the participle is 'geschneit'.
Match the German phrase with its English meaning.
Match the pairs:
These are the standard tense variations.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Gehen wir heute skifahren? B: Nein, es ____ zu stark.
In the context of skiing, 'schneien' is the most logical weather condition to mention.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Types of Snowing
Intensity
- • leicht schneien
- • dicht schneien
- • stark schneien
Practice Bank
4 exercisesGuck mal! Es ____ draußen.
The subject 'es' requires the third person singular ending '-t'.
Gestern...
'schneien' uses 'haben' in the Perfekt and the participle is 'geschneit'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are the standard tense variations.
A: Gehen wir heute skifahren? B: Nein, es ____ zu stark.
In the context of skiing, 'schneien' is the most logical weather condition to mention.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
7 questionsNo, that's redundant. Just say 'Es schneit'.
It is a weak verb (schneite, geschneit).
'Schneien lassen' would mean 'to make it snow', which only a weather god or a snow machine could do.
Use 'Es fängt an zu schneien'.
Yes, you can say 'Es rieselt' or 'Es pudert'.
This is a regional variation found in Southern Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. In standard High German, 'hat' is correct.
Rarely, but poetically it can describe things falling like snow, e.g., 'Blütenblätter schneien von den Bäumen' (Petals snow from the trees).
Related Phrases
einschneien
specialized formTo be snowed in
verschneit
builds onSnow-covered
reinschneien
specialized formTo drop by unexpectedly
Schneefall
similarSnowfall
flocken
synonymTo snow in flakes
