This page provides a comprehensive list of German vocabulary for talking about temperature, including key nouns, adjectives, and verbs.
Common Temperature Nouns
Here are some of the most common German nouns related to temperature and weather. These will help you describe different aspects of temperature in conversation.
| German Singular | German Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Example Sentence (German) | Example Sentence (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| die Temperatur | die Temperaturen | temperature | temperatures | Die Temperatur beträgt heute 25 Grad. | The temperature is 25 degrees today. |
| der Grad | die Grade | degree | degrees | Es sind 30 Grad Celsius. | It is 30 degrees Celsius. |
| die Hitze | — | heat | — | Die Hitze im Sommer ist oft unerträglich. | The heat in summer is often unbearable. |
| die Kälte | — | cold | — | Ich friere wegen der Kälte. | I'm freezing because of the cold. |
| die Wärme | — | warmth | — | Die Wärme kommt zurück. | The warmth is coming back. |
| die Klimaanlage | die Klimaanlagen | air conditioning | air conditioning units | Die Klimaanlage kühlt den Raum. | The air conditioning cools the room. |
| der Frost | — | frost | — | Es gab starken Frost letzte Nacht. | There was heavy frost last night. |
| die Hitzeperiode | die Hitzeperioden | heatwave | heatwaves | Eine Hitzeperiode kann gefährlich sein. | A heatwave can be dangerous. |
| die Temperaturanzeige | die Temperaturanzeigen | temperature display | temperature displays | Die Temperaturanzeige ist defekt. | The temperature display is broken. |
| der Thermometer | — | thermometer | — | Das Thermometer zeigt 20 Grad an. | The thermometer shows 20 degrees. |
Fill in the blank: Die Klimaanlage ___ den Raum.
kühlt
Kühlt means 'cools,' which is the function of an air conditioner. Erhitzt and erwärmt mean to heat or warm, and überhitzt means to overheat.
Temperature Adjectives
These German adjectives help you describe temperature conditions. They can be used with nouns like Wetter (weather) or Temperatur (temperature).
| German Adjective | English Adjective | Example Sentence (German) | Example Sentence (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| heiß | hot | Das Wetter ist heute sehr heiß. | The weather is very hot today. |
| kalt | cold | Es ist draußen kalt. | It is cold outside. |
| warm | warm | Ich fühle mich warm. | I feel warm. |
| kühl | cool | Am Abend wird es kühl. | It will be cool in the evening. |
| frostig | frosty | Der Morgen ist frostig. | The morning is frosty. |
| angenehm | pleasant | Die Temperatur ist angenehm. | The temperature is pleasant. |
| tropisch | tropical | Wir haben ein tropisches Klima. | We have a tropical climate. |
| eisig | icy | Der Wind ist eisig kalt. | The wind is icily cold. |
| mild | mild | Im Frühling ist das Wetter mild. | The weather is mild in spring. |
| schwül | humid | Es ist schwül und warm. | It is humid and warm. |
Temperature Verbs
These German verbs are useful for talking about changes in temperature and weather conditions.
| German Verb | English Verb | Example Sentence (German) | Example Sentence (English |
|---|---|---|---|
| steigen | to rise | Die Temperatur steigt im Laufe des Tages. | The temperature rises during the day. |
| fallen | to fall | Die Temperatur fällt nachts. | The temperature falls at night. |
| erhöhen | to increase | Der Wecker erhöht die Temperatur automatisch. | The system increases the temperature automatically. |
| sinken | to sink | Die Temperatur sinkt am Abend. | The temperature sinks in the evening. |
| kühlen | to cool | Der Ventilator kühlt den Raum. | The fan cools the room. |
| erwärmen | to warm up | Die Sonne erwärmt die Erde. | The sun warms the earth. |
| frieren | to freeze / to be cold | Ich friere im Winter immer. | I’m always cold in winter. |
| tauen | to thaw | Das Eis taut in der Sonne. | The ice thaws in the sun. |
| schwitzen | to sweat | Bei 30 Grad schwitze ich viel. | I sweat a lot at 30 degrees. |
| überhitzen | to overheat | Das Auto kann bei Hitze überhitzen. | The car can overheat in the heat. |
Which verb means ‘to cool’? Fill in the German verb: Der Ventilator ___ den Raum. (er / kühlen)
kühlt
Kühlen means 'to cool.' The correct third-person singular form is kühlt. Erwärmen means 'to warm,' steigt means 'rises,' and friert means 'freezes.'
Key Temperature Phrases
These common German phrases will help you talk about the weather and temperature in everyday conversation.
| German Phrase | English Phrase |
|---|---|
| Wie ist die Temperatur? | What is the temperature? |
| Es sind 20 Grad Celsius. | It is 20 degrees Celsius. |
| Mir ist kalt. | I am cold. |
| Mir ist warm. | I am warm. |
| Es ist draußen kühl. | It is cool outside. |
| Die Temperatur steigt. | The temperature is rising. |
| Die Temperatur sinkt. | The temperature is falling. |
| Es herrscht Hitze. | There is a heatwave. |
| Im Winter ist es oft frostig. | It is often frosty in winter. |
| Die Klimaanlage ist an. | The air conditioning is on. |
Now you have all the essential German vocabulary you need to talk about temperature. Practice using these words and phrases in your own sentences to improve your skills.
Flashcards (1 of 40)
- English Singular: temperature
- English Plural: temperatures
- Example Sentence (English): The temperature is 25 degrees today.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
