Temperature vocabulary covers the common words and phrases used in English to talk about how hot or cold something is, as well as how we describe weather conditions.
Common Temperature Words
Common temperature words include the basic terms we use to describe different levels of heat or cold.
| English Singular | English Plural | English Example | Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | Spanish Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| degree | degrees | It's 30 degrees Celsius today. | grado | grados | Hoy hace 30 grados Celsius. |
| thermometer | thermometers | I bought a new thermometer. | termómetro | termómetros | Compré un termómetro nuevo. |
| temperature | temperatures | The temperature is rising. | temperatura | temperaturas | La temperatura está subiendo. |
| heat | — | I can't stand the heat. | calor | — | No soporto el calor. |
| cold | — | She feels cold. | frío | — | Ella tiene frío. |
I can’t stand the _______ during the summer.
heat
'Heat' refers to high temperature or warmth, especially in summer.
Range Descriptions
Range descriptions help us talk about general levels of temperature, from freezing to scorching.
| English Singular | English Plural | English Example | Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | Spanish Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| freezing point | freezing points | Water freezes at 0°C, the freezing point. | punto de congelación | puntos de congelación | El agua se congela a 0°C, el punto de congelación. |
| freezing cold | — | It’s freezing cold outside. | frío helado | — | Hace frío helado afuera. |
| cool | — | The evening is cool. | fresco | — | La noche está fresca. |
| warm | — | The water is warm. | cálido | — | El agua está cálida. |
| hot | — | The soup is hot. | caliente | — | La sopa está caliente. |
| boiling point | boiling points | Water boils at 100°C, the boiling point. | punto de ebullición | puntos de ebullición | El agua hierve a 100°C, el punto de ebullición. |
Weather Expressions
Weather expressions are common ways to talk about how the temperature feels in everyday weather descriptions.
| English Singular | English Plural | English Example | Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | Spanish Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| heat wave | heat waves | There’s a heat wave this week. | ola de calor | olas de calor | Hay una ola de calor esta semana. |
| cold snap | cold snaps | A cold snap is coming tomorrow. | ola de frío | olas de frío | Mañana viene una ola de frío. |
| frost | frosts | There was frost last night. | helada | heladas | Hubo helada anoche. |
| chill | chills | I felt a chill in the air. | frío | fríos | Sentí un frío en el aire. |
| sunshine | — | There’s plenty of sunshine today. | sol | — | Hay mucho sol hoy. |
Units of Measurement
Units of measurement show how temperature is quantified in English, including the symbols and typical usages.
| English Singular | English Plural | English Example | Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | Spanish Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| degree Celsius (°C) | degrees Celsius | The temperature is 20 degrees Celsius. | grado Celsius | grados Celsius | La temperatura es 20 grados Celsius. |
| degree Fahrenheit (°F) | degrees Fahrenheit | It’s 68 degrees Fahrenheit outside. | grado Fahrenheit | grados Fahrenheit | Hace 68 grados Fahrenheit afuera. |
| kelvin (K) | kelvins | Scientists measure temperature in kelvins. | kelvin | kelvins | Los científicos miden la temperatura en kelvin. |
The temperature is 20 degrees _______.
Celsius
'Degrees Celsius' is a temperature scale where water freezes at 0°C.
Descriptive Adjectives
Descriptive adjectives are used to describe temperature in a more expressive way, often to convey comfort or discomfort.
| English Singular | English Plural | English Example | Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | Spanish Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lukewarm | — | The tea is lukewarm. | tibio | — | El té está tibio. |
| scorching | — | It’s scorching hot today. | abrasador | — | Hace un calor abrasador hoy. |
| freezing | — | I’m freezing! | helado | — | ¡Estoy helado! |
| mild | — | The climate is mild here. | templado | — | El clima aquí es templado. |
| chilly | — | It’s a bit chilly outside. | frío | — | Hace un poco de frío afuera. |
Everyday Phrases
Everyday phrases are common sentences and questions that help you talk about temperature in daily life.
| English Singular | English Plural | English Example | Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | Spanish Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What’s the temperature? | What are the temperatures? | What’s the temperature today? | ¿Cuál es la temperatura? | ¿Cuáles son las temperaturas? | ¿Cuál es la temperatura hoy? |
| It’s hot. | — | It’s hot outside. | Hace calor. | — | Hace calor afuera. |
| It’s cold. | — | It’s cold in here. | Hace frío. | — | Hace frío aquí. |
| I’m cold. | — | I’m cold, can I have a blanket? | Tengo frío. | — | Tengo frío, ¿puedo tener una manta? |
| I’m hot. | — | I’m hot after running. | Tengo calor. | — | Tengo calor después de correr. |
______ hot outside.
It’s
'It’s hot outside.' is the correct way to describe a high temperature.
_______ the temperature today?
What’s
'What’s the temperature today?' is a common way to ask about the current temperature.
Summary
The temperature vocabulary in English includes basic words like degree, thermometer, and temperature, as well as descriptive words like freezing, warm, and scorching. We also use specific expressions for weather conditions like heat wave and cold snap, and units such as degrees Celsius and degrees Fahrenheit. These words help you talk about temperature clearly and naturally.
Flashcards (1 of 29)
- English Singular: degree
- English Plural: degrees
- English Example: It's 30 degrees Celsius today.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
