Talking about the weather is easy small talk in Mandarin. In this lesson, you’ll learn simple, useful words and patterns to say things like “It’s raining,” “It’s hot,” and “What’s the weather like today?” Perfect for A1 learners who want quick wins for daily conversation.

Core weather words you’ll use

Here are the most common words you’ll hear and say. Read the examples and repeat out loud.

Tip: Adjectives in Chinese use 很

When you talk about weather with adjectives (hot, cold, warm…), we usually add 很 (very) between the subject and the adjective. It often just makes the sentence sound natural; it doesn’t always mean “very.”

• 今天很冷。 (It’s cold today.)
• 今天很热。 (It’s hot today.)

Avoid using 是 (to be) with adjectives here.

今天是很冷。 → 今天很冷。 很 already links the subject to the adjective; 是 is not used.

今天冷。

Ask and answer: “What’s the weather like?”

A common question is:

• 今天天气怎么样？ (How’s the weather today?)

To answer, you can use a simple adjective or action:

• 今天天气很好。 (The weather is good today.)
• 今天下雨。 (It’s raining today.)
• 今天多云。 (It’s cloudy today.)

今天天气？

Quick check

Choose the best English meaning.

Talk about rain, snow, and wind

Use simple verb patterns:

• 今天下雨。 (It’s raining today.)
• 明天会下雪。 (It will snow tomorrow.)
• 外面刮风。 (It’s windy outside.)

今天。

Express intensity: too and a little

When you want to show your feeling about the weather:

• 太…了 = too (excessive)

  • 太热了！ (It’s too hot!)
  • 太冷了！ (It’s too cold!)

• 有点儿 = a little (often for something negative or not ideal)

  • 有点儿冷。 (It’s a bit cold.)
  • 有点儿风。 (It’s a bit windy.)

Mini-dialogue: small talk about the weather

Try ordering the conversation. Then read it aloud with a friend.

Cultural note

In Mandarin-speaking places, weather is common small talk, especially when meeting someone or starting a chat:

• Comment on the day: 今天很热。 (It’s hot today.)
• Show concern: 路上小心，可能会下雨。 (Be careful on the way, it might rain.)
• Carrying an umbrella is common in many cities—people often say: 带伞吧。 (Take an umbrella.)

Keep it short and friendly, and you’ll sound natural.

今天有下雨。 → 今天下雨。 In daily speech, we say 下雨 (to rain) directly, not 有下雨.

Practice roundup

Try these patterns with words from the list:

• 今天很____ (热/冷/凉快/暖和)
• 今天____ (下雨/下雪/刮风)
• 明天会____ (下雨/下雪)
• 今天天气怎么样？—— 天气很好/多云/阴天。

Say them about your city and the season right now.

You’ve got this!

With just a few words—下雨, 下雪, 刮风, 热, 冷—and the patterns 今天很… and 今天天气怎么样, you can handle everyday weather talk in Mandarin. Keep listening, repeating, and noticing what locals say. Next time you step outside, try a sentence right away: 今天多云！ (It’s cloudy today!)