Meaning
Commenting on the weather.
Cultural Background
In the central plateau of Spain, the phrase 'Nueve meses de invierno y tres de infierno' (Nine months of winter and three of hell) is common. 'Hace mucho frío' is a badge of honor for people from cities like Burgos or Ávila. In Mexico City, because of the high altitude, it can 'hacer mucho frío' in the shade but be very hot in the sun. People often dress in layers (like an onion) to cope. In Patagonia, 'hace mucho frío' is often accompanied by 'mucho viento.' The wind chill factor is a major part of the conversation. In these 'cities of eternal spring,' 'hace mucho frío' is used whenever it rains or the sun goes down, even if the temperature is 15°C, because houses often lack central heating.
The 'H' Rule
Always remember the 'H' in 'Hace' is silent. Don't pronounce it like 'H' in 'Hello'.
Avoid 'Muy'
Never say 'Hace muy frío'. It's the most common mistake for English speakers. Stick to 'Mucho'.
Meaning
Commenting on the weather.
The 'H' Rule
Always remember the 'H' in 'Hace' is silent. Don't pronounce it like 'H' in 'Hello'.
Avoid 'Muy'
Never say 'Hace muy frío'. It's the most common mistake for English speakers. Stick to 'Mucho'.
Emphasize with 'Qué'
To sound more native, say '¡Qué frío hace!' instead of just 'Hace mucho frío'.
Small Talk Gold
If you don't know what to say to a Spanish speaker, just mention the cold. It works every time.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct way to say 'It is very cold' in Spanish.
Hoy ________ mucho frío.
Weather expressions in Spanish use the verb 'hacer' in the third person singular.
Complete the sentence with 'mucho' or 'muy'.
No quiero salir porque hace ________ frío.
'Frío' is a noun in this phrase, so it requires the adjective 'mucho'.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of 'hacer'.
A: ¿Qué tal el viaje a Islandia? B: Increíble, pero ________ mucho frío todos los días.
The preterite 'hizo' is used to describe the weather during a completed event (the trip).
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
Phrase: '¡Tengo mucho frío!'
'Tengo frío' refers to personal physical sensation, not the weather.
Match the Spanish phrase with its English equivalent.
Match the following:
Distinguishing between weather, personal feeling, and object state is crucial.
🎉 Score: /5
Visual Learning Aids
Hacer vs. Tener vs. Estar
Practice Bank
5 exercisesHoy ________ mucho frío.
Weather expressions in Spanish use the verb 'hacer' in the third person singular.
No quiero salir porque hace ________ frío.
'Frío' is a noun in this phrase, so it requires the adjective 'mucho'.
A: ¿Qué tal el viaje a Islandia? B: Increíble, pero ________ mucho frío todos los días.
The preterite 'hizo' is used to describe the weather during a completed event (the trip).
Phrase: '¡Tengo mucho frío!'
'Tengo frío' refers to personal physical sensation, not the weather.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Distinguishing between weather, personal feeling, and object state is crucial.
🎉 Score: /5
Frequently Asked Questions
14 questionsYes, but that describes a climate type (e.g., 'The climate of Alaska is cold'). To talk about today's weather, use 'Hace frío'.
In this phrase, 'frío' is a noun (The Cold). Adjectives like 'mucho' modify nouns. 'Muy' is an adverb and only modifies adjectives.
Use 'hace' for weather. Use 'está' for things you can touch, like a cold glass of water.
Use 'Tengo frío'. Never use 'hacer' or 'ser' for your own feelings.
Use 'hacía frío' for descriptions ('It was cold that day') or 'hizo frío' for specific events.
It's neutral. You can use it with your boss, your grandma, or a stranger.
You can say 'Hace un frío tremendo' or 'Hace un frío insoportable'.
Yes, but their 'mucho frío' might be 15-20°C (60-70°F). It's all relative!
No. For rain, we use 'llueve' (it rains) or 'está lloviendo'. 'Hacer' is for temperature, wind, and sun.
It's an idiom meaning 'it's so cold it peels your skin off.' It's very common in Spain.
Yes, 'el frío' is always masculine.
Yes, 'bastante' means 'quite' or 'enough'. It's a bit less than 'mucho'.
Just say '¿Hace frío?' with a rising intonation.
The opposite is 'hace mucho calor' (it is very hot).
Related Phrases
Hace calor
contrastIt is hot.
Hace fresco
similarIt is cool/chilly.
Hace viento
similarIt is windy.
Tengo frío
builds onI am cold.
Está frío
specialized formIt is cold (to the touch).
Hace un frío que pela
specialized formIt's freezing cold.
