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Talking about the weather

It's true! British people often start a conversation with strangers and friends by talking about the weather. As weather is a neutral topic of conversation, it's usually safe to use it to strike up a conversation – at the bus stop, in a shop, or with a neighbour over the garden fence.

Some examples of conversation starters

"Lovely day, isn't it!"

"Bit nippy today."

"What strange weather we're having!"

"It doesn't look like it's going to stop raining today."

Attitude to weather

Although British people like to complain about bad weather, they generally put a brave face on it.

If someone complains about too much rain, you might hear:

"Never mind – it's good for the garden."

If someone complains that it's too hot, you could hear:

"At least my tomatoes will be happy."

If the conversation has been about general bad weather, perhaps someone will say:

"Well, I've heard it's worse in the west. They've had terrible flooding."

Predicting the weather

We can make predictions about the weather, using a range of forms – not just the "will" or "going to" form:

"I think it'll clear up later."

"It's going to rain by the looks of it."

"We're in for frost tonight."

"They're expecting snow in the north."

"I hear that showers are coming our way."

Human attributes

We also attribute human features to the weather, almost as if the weather can decide what to do:

"The sun's trying to come out."

"It's been trying to rain all morning."

"It's finally decided to rain."

Understanding the forecast

Many British people are keen gardeners, and they keep a close eye on the weather forecast. Here are some of the weather features which can worry gardeners:

a hard frost
blizzard / galeforce conditions
hailstones
prolonged rain
blustery wind
a drought

Here are some more temperate conditions which gardeners like:

mild weather
sunny spells
light drizzle

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29 comments on “Talking about the weather”

lejuste

I found your article relating about the weather really helpful, it really gives an outline of English speakers locals on start conversaton.

Lejuste

Abduls

it's very helpful to know how tallk about the weather

thanks

fatima

it's very important to know how tallk about the weather thanks so much.

emroz

Wow! This site is really awesome, so easy to understand and every word is so knowledgeable! It's far better than those sites that crawls into your pocket for money! I wish good luck with english-at-home.com's succes and wish to see updated information regularly.

Morteza Jafari

The article presented in this web page really knocked my socks off. I learnt some points just at the time I finished reading. I really appreciate you.

dinesh

wow, this site is very useful, particularly these conversations are related to our real life. if any body want to improve their softskills, this site is very helpful for them.

STEPANKO

Its very clever and good site

it's very important to know how talk about the weather thanks so much.

Michael

"If you live in Manchester and you can see the
mountains, it will be raining. If you cannot see
the mountains, it is raining."
Real nice web site!

omar

related vocabulary:
hot ,cold ,freezing,cloudy,rainy,snowy,fog,partly cloudy,sunny,cool,…
it would be nice to include vocabulary related to the topic

naruan

nice articles because it makes me know how to talk about weather. Thank you very much

sharizah@abber

this website really help me to write and talk better in English… simple but very useful and informative…
thank you very much to you who built this website……

Valeria

Thank you so much for your website.It helps me to write and talk better in English.You give me a lo of information.

Mohammad

Dear Clare,

Sorry that I frequently bother you with my questions, but in fact, you are doing me the favor of teaching English as an appreciable master, while I'm just simply thanking you out of my heart. That will be a very kind of you if you tell me what "galeforce" means?
Another point to say is learning these expressions is a kind of difficult for me–who lives in a Persian country. I hope I can put them in practice anyway.
And last, my humble suggestion is to cover also American expressions, for those who are practicing American English like me.

Truly obliged,
Mohammad

Clare

Mohammad ยป "Galeforce wind" means a very strong wind.

Roy

In my opinion, the weather is also the important topic in China. we always start a conversation with talk about the weather. for example, "lovely day, is'nt it?"

Pukar

what is a blustery wind ?

Clare

It's a wind that blows strong gusts.

Ebtesam

I'm very glad to find website for english for me it's very important to improve my self in english becuase englishis a globle language I hope to be a good speaker at english. many thanks to all.
The weather in my country its warm in the afternoon and cold in the morning and night.

fly

thanks guys you are very helpful and tihis site very good

sunkanmi simisola

i like this!its helpful to people and students.great job keep it up.

Noor

wow nice
it's easy to learn how describe weather
thaaaaaaaaaanks alot

manorama

what a similirity in hindi while start talking to unknown person we start our communication including whether as a importent topic

norah

I don't think it's an important topic in China.We often talk about our work ,our cloth,our family among friends or relationship.

Sebastian

I have just found that your sources are really useful for me to express the emotion in my way of speaking.

I'd like to know more about the communication ways while in the situation talking with a quite strange person. Thanks for your information

Clare

What do you mean by strange person? Someone who doesn't seem very normal to you, or someone foreign?

manel

Thank -you for this helpful site. It gives me good expressions.can you explaine some words please whiche are hard frost,blizzard, nippy, prolonged rain
and light drizzle.

Clare

Hard frost – when there's been a frost and the ground is almost frozen.
Blizzard – snow storm
Nippy – quite cold
Prolonged rain – rain for a long period of time
Light drizzle – light rain

extinct

hi clare, it is true? i hope the rain will stop before we are going home..

Clare

I hope the rain will stop before we go home.

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