The Four Seasons in Spanish (Everything You Need to Know)

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If you’re looking for a quick answer, the four seasons in Spanish are:

• la primavera – “spring”
• el verano – “summer”
• el otoño – “autumn/fall”
• el invierno – “winter”

There are two other seasons in Spanish that you should also know, especially if you plan to visit a Spanish-speaking country in the tropics:

• la estación lluviosa – “the rainy season”
• la estación seca – “the dry season”

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s take a look at more words to talk about the seasons in Spanish.

I find that asking questions about the seasons can be a good way to make conversation with a new acquaintance when you’ve run out of topics. It’s a nice spin on asking about the weather, but as a bonus, you get to know the other person better. I’ll share more tips on how to start those conversations at the end of the article.

Aside from that, learning about the seasons and their impact on local climate helps you understand the culture a little bit better. If you want to blend in when you travel to a foreign country, local culture is an important thing to keep in mind. Plus, when you learn about the seasons you learn about many related topics, such as the months and holidays. That’s what I will do in this post: give you the basics you need to confidently talk about the seasons in Spanish. ¿Listos? Vamos! (“Ready? Let’s go!)

Actually, there’s something you should learn before I start telling you the seasons in Spanish…

Not All Hispanic Countries Have the Same Seasons at the Same Time

There are over 20 countries across the world where Spanish is the official language, and more where it is a popular regional language — think about Florida in the United States, as an example. All those countries are spread across both hemispheres and in the tropics.

For this reason, not all Hispanic countries have the same seasons at the same time.

In Spain, spring starts in March. In Argentina and other southern-hemisphere countries, spring starts in September. In the Dominican Republic, which is a tropical country, there isn’t even a real spring season!

This may be a bit obvious, but important to keep in mind when talking about the seasons especially if you live in a different hemisphere and climate.

So, let’s learn more about that.

How to Say “Season” in Spanish: Estación

The Spanish word for “season” is estación and occasionally época, although época means more “the time of the year” rather than “season”.

Seasons begin on solstices, either the shortest or longest day of the year, and equinoxes, the only two days of the year when day and night are both equally long. In Spanish, “year” is año, “solstice” is * solsticio, and “equinox” is *equinoccio.

To say “the four seasons” in Spanish, you would say las cuatro estaciones. However, I want to teach you about more Spanish seasons than the four regular ones we learn about in kindergarten.

The Four Seasons in Spanish

As I mentioned earlier, the four seasons in Spanish are:

• la primavera – “spring”
• el verano – “summer”
• el otoño – “autumn/fall”
• el invierno – “winter”

However, if you want to know all the seasons in Spanish, you should become familiar with la estación lluviosa (“the rainy season”) and la estación seca (“the dry season”), especially if you’re planning on visiting a Hispanic country located in the tropics.

La estación lluviosa is characterized by almost-daily heavy rainfall and humidity. You can also hear it called invierno.

La estación seca is a period of nearly uninterrupted drought and very hot weather, sometimes called verano.

A Few Grammar Tips to Remember When Talking About the Seasons in Spanish

In Spanish, the seasons are almost always preceded by a definite article: either la (feminine “the”) or el (masculine “the”).

It’s possible to omit the article when the season follows a form of the verb ser and after the prepositions en and de.

Examples:

• Es verano. – “It’s summer.”
• Nos vamos en primavera – “We’re leaving in the spring.”
• Es una fiesta de invierno – “It’s a winter party.”

Learn More About the Seasons in Spanish

Now that you know all the basics, let’s have a closer look at each season.

I’m going to share vocabulary that will help you talk about the seasons in Spanish and some Hispanic holidays. Keep in mind that to make the post simpler to understand, I categorized the holidays according to the seasons from the northern hemisphere.

How to Say “Spring” in Spanish: Primavera

Primavera, the Spanish word for “spring”, has Latin origins. It derives from the words prima (“first”) and ver, also known as veris.

Ver was one of the two seasons known in ancient Rome. It included what are known today as spring and summer. Primavera is hence the first part of the ver season.

It is a feminine noun, so its definite article is la: la primavera.

The adjective derived from primavera is primaveral (“spring-like”), but de primavera (“of spring”) is more common.

Let’s Talk About Spring in Spanish

Some words and topics related to la primavera are juventud (“youth”), despertar (“to wake up” or “awakening”), nuevo comienzo (“new beginning”), renacimiento (“rebirth”), luz (“light”), and amor (“love”).

Here is some vocabulary to help you talk about spring in Spanish.

La naturaleza (“nature”):

• la flor – “flower”, also “blossom”
• florecer – “to bloom”
• la oruga – “caterpillar”
• la mariposa – “butterfly”
• el pájaro – “bird”
• la mariquita – “ladybug”
• la semilla – “seed”
• la planta – “plant”
• el ramo – “bouquet”

Los colores (“colors”):

• verde – “green”
• rosa or rosado in some Latin American countries – “pink”
• colores claros – “light colors” → verde claro (“light green”)
• colores pastel – “pastel colors” → azul pastel (“pastel blue”)

El clima (“the weather”):

• clima templado – “temperate weather”
• temperatura fresca – “cool temperature”
• lloviznar – “to drizzle”
• la brisa – “breeze”
• Tengo un poco de frío – “I’m a bit cold”

Actividades (“activities”):

• sembrar – “to sow” or “to plant”
• ir de picnic – “to have a picnic”
• la limpieza de primavera – “spring cleaning”

Spring Holidays in Spanish

Hispanics celebrate quite a few holidays during the spring season. A few popular ones are Pasqua (“Easter”), semana santa (“Holy Week”), viernes santo (“Good Friday”) and el Día del Trabajador (“Labor Day” which is on May 1st).

In Mexico, hundreds of people spend the equinoccio de primavera (“spring equinox”) in Teotihuacán or Chiche Itzán. They dress in white to follow the local tradition of welcoming the cosmic energy.

In Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay, the locals celebrate la Fiesta de Primavera (“the spring party”) or el Día de la Primavera (“Spring Day”) with picnics and family time.

Some countries also have vacaciones de primavera (“spring holidays”).

El Día de la Madre (“Mother’s Day”) takes place in May while el Día de los Padres (“Father’s Day) is celebrated in March in Spain.

How to Say “Summer” in Spanish: Verano

Do you recognize the root of the word verano (“summer”)? It’s ver, which we already know because of primavera.

You might also come across “summer” as estío in Spanish, but it’s only used in literary works.

The adjectives for “summery” in Spanish are veraniego or estival, although de verano (“of summer”) is more common.

Let’s Talk About Summer in Spanish

In Spain, the summer months are June, July, and August. In the southern hemisphere, summer takes place from December until March.

El verano is often connected with the concepts of vida (“life”), relajarse (“to relax”), felicidad (“happiness”), celebraciones (“celebrations” or “parties”), aventuras (“adventures”), and amplitud (“spaciousness” or “openness”).

Here is some vocabulary to help you talk about summer in Spanish.

La naturaleza (“nature”):

• el mar – “sea”
• la arena – “sand”
• el campo – “the country”
• los mosquitos – “mosquitoes”

La comida (“food”):

• la fruta – “fruits”
• la sandía – “watermelon”
• la piña – “pineapple”
• una barbacoa – “a barbecue”
• el chicle – “chewing gum”
• el helado – “ice cream”

Los colores (“colors”):

• colores vivos – “vibrant colors”
• colores llamativos – “flashy colors”
• azul – “blue”
• amarillo – “yellow”

El clima (“the weather”):

• clima templado – “temperate weather”
• temperaturas altas – “high temperatures”
• el sol – “sun”
• un día soleado – “a sunny day”
• días largos – “long days”
• noches cortas – “short nights”

Actividades (“activities”):

• las vacaciones de verano – “summer vacations”
• tomar helado – “to have ice cream”
• ir a la playa – “to go to the beach”
• nadar – “to swim”
• ir de viaje – “to go on a trip”
• acampar, ir de acampada, or ir de camping – “to go camping”
• una excursión – “a hike” or “a field trip”
• relajarse – “to relax”
• divertirse – “to have fun”

Some Summer Holidays in Spanish

The most popular summer holiday for Hispanic people is obviously las vacaciones de verano (“summer holidays”), when children take a break from school and adults get some time off work as well.

The summer solstice has always been considered an important occasion throughout the Hispanic world, and nowadays it’s celebrated as la Noche de San Juan (“Saint John’s Night”).

El Día de los Padres (“Father’s Day”) is a summer holiday in some Latin American countries.

At the end of August, a quirky holiday called la Tomatina is held in Valencia. People spend the day having food fights with tomatoes!.

In addition, summer is the perfect seasons for fiestas (“parties”), so Hispanics organize plenty of these!

How to Say “Autumn” in Spanish: Otoño

Otoño comes from the Latin word autumnus, which also appears in the English word “autumn”.

Maybe you’re wondering what’s the word for “fall” in Spanish? Unlike in English, there is only one way to say “autumn” or “fall” in Spanish. So the word for “fall” in Spanish is otoño as well.

The Spanish word for “autumnal” is otoñal, although del otono (“of autumn”) is often used instead of the adjective.

Let’s Talk About Autumn in Spanish

El otono is often a symbol of edad de oro (“golden age”), muerte (“death”), tranquilidad (“calmness”), agradecimiento (“thankfulness”), melancholía (“melancholy”), and tristeza (“sadness”).

Here is some vocabulary to help you talk about the autumn in Spanish.

La naturaleza (“nature”):

• la hoja – “leaf”
• el árbol – “tree”
• el tronco – “trunk”
• el caracol – “snail”
• el barro or el lodo – “mud”
• cosecha – “harvest”

Los colores (“colors”):

• marrón – “brown”
• rojo – “red”
• naranja or anaranjado – “orange”
• colores cálidos – “warm colors”

El clima (“the weather”):

• el viento – “wind”
• temperaturas en caída – “falling temperatures”
• el cielo gris – “grey sky”
• la tormenta – “storm”

La comida (“food”):

• el vino – “wine”
• la manzana – “apple”
• el maíz – “corn”
• la calabaza – “pumpkin”

Actividades (“activities”):

• recoger hojas – “gather up leaves”
• saltar en charcos – “jump into puddles”
• bricolaje – “DIY”
• hacer una fogata – “to build a bonfire”

Some Autumn Holidays in Spanish

La Fiesta de la Hispanidad (“Spanish Culture Day”) is a holiday celebrated throughout the Hispanic world on October 12th.

While Halloween isn’t very popular in Spain, it’s widely celebrated in Latin America on the 31st of October. On the following day, it’s the famous Día de los Muertos (“Day of the Dead”) in Mexico.

How to Say “Winter” in Spanish: Invierno

The word invierno comes from the Latin word for winter, hibernum, which is also the root of the verb “to hibernate”. The adjective for invierno in Spanish is invernal (“wintry”), although de invierno (“of winter”) is more commonly used to describe winter things.

Let’s Talk About Winter in Spanish

El invierno is often about familia (“family”), fiestas (“holidays”), reflexión (“reflection”), planear (“to plan”), and pureza (“purity”).

Here is some vocabulary to help you talk about winter in Spanish.

La naturaleza (“nature”):

• la montaña – “mountain”
• el muérdago – “mistletoe”
• hibernación – “hibernation”
• el pino – “pine”

Los colores (“colors”):

• colores fríos – “cold colors”
• white – “blanco”
• gris – “grey”
• plata – “silver”
• dorado – “golden”

El clima (“the weather”):

• temperaturas bajas – “low temperatures”
• la nieve – “snow”
• el hielo – “ice”
• la escarcha – “frost”
• las nubes – “clouds”

La ropa (“clothes”):

• la bufanda – “scarf”
• las medias or “lo calcetines” – “socks”
• el abrigo – “coat”
• las botas – “boots”
• el gorro – “coat”
• los guantes – “gloves”

La comida (“food”):

• la cena – “dinner”
• chocolate a la taza or chocolate caliente – “hot chocolate”
• bebidas calientes – “hot drinks”
• la sopa – “soup”

Actividades (“activities”):

• hacer un muñeco/hombre de nieve – “to build a snowman”
• tirar bolas de nieve – “to play snowballs”
• una vuelta en trineo – “a sleigh ride”
• celebrar – “to celebrate”
• esquiar – “to ski”
• patinar sobre hielo – “to ice skate”
• snowboard – “to snowboard”

Some Winter Holidays in Spanish

The following are winter holidays in Spain, but they happen during summer in the southern hemisphere.

The first and perhaps most important winter holiday in Hispanic culture is la Navidad (“Christmas”), which is preceded by la Nochebuena (“Christmas Eve”, literally “Good Night”).

On the 31st of December, Hispanics celebrate la Nochevieja (“New Year’s Eve”, literally “Old Night”). As soon as the clock strikes midnight on the 1st of January, it’s el Día de Año Nuevo (“New Year’s Day”), which introduces *el Año Nuevo (“New Year”).

On January 6 comes la Epifanía (“Epiphany”), also called “Día de Reyes” (“Day of the Kings”) in honor of the Reyes Magos (“Three Wise Men”).

The next popular winter holidays are San Valentín (“Valentine’s Day”), celebrated on February 14, and el Carnaval (“Carnival”).

The first official day of the Carnival week is known as Jueves Lardero, Jueves Gordo, Jueves Graso, or Jueves de Carnival (“Fat Thursday” or “Carnival Thursday”), and it comes every year between mid-January and early February before el Miércoles de Cenizas (“Ash Wednesday”).

How to Start Conversations about the Seasons in Spanish

Asking questions about the seasons can be a good way to practice speaking Spanish and to get to know people better.

Here are some questions you can use to start conversations about the seasons in Spanish:

¿Cuál es tu estación favorita? – “What’s your favorite season?” Mi estación favorita es… – “My favorite season is…”

¿Cuál es la estación que te gusta más? – “Which season do you like the most?” La estación que más me gusta es… – “The season I like the most is…”

¿Cuál es la estación que te gusta menos? – “Which season do you like the least?” La estación que menos me gusta es… – “The season I like the least is…”

• Prefieres (el otoño) o (la primavera)?* – “Do you prefer (autumn) or (spring)?”
• Prefiero (el otoño), porque me gusta (el clima).* – “I prefer (autumn) because I like (the weather).”
• ¿Qué te gusta más (del otoño)?* or ¿Qué es lo que te gusta más (del otoño)? – “What do you like the most about (autumn)?”
• Lo que me gusta más (del otoño) es…* – “What I like the most about (autumn) is…”

How to Say “Month” in Spanish: Mes

“Month” in Spanish is mes. Seasons in temperate climates last tres meses (“three months”).

Do you remember all you need to know about the Spanish months of the year? Let me give you a quick refresher.

(https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1U1OvOSUyXOkmzluOIw6jh3jOiMZ6wJnrEzjg5dKIfrY/edit?usp=sharing)

In Spanish, all months are masculine nouns.

To say “a hot June” or “a cold December”, use the indefinite article un:

• un Junio caluroso
• un Diciembre frío

Keep in mind that they are not capitalized unless they’re found at the beginning of a sentence.

If you want to say “in (month)”, use the preposition en:

• “in June” – en junio
• “in December” – en diciembre

Weather and Seasons in Spanish: How to Talk About the Weather in Spanish

Let me give you a few tips on how to talk about el clima (“the weather”) in Spanish.

Use the Verb Hacer

Some Spanish weather expressions use the verb hacer (“to do”) because they’re describing a general aspect of the weather, usually regarding la temperatura (“the temperature”). As a result, when it comes to the weather, we don’t say “it’s cold”, but it “does cold”: hace frio.

Examples:

• Hace calor/frío/fresco – “It’s hot/cold/cool.”
• Hace buen/mal tiempo – “The weather is good/bad.”

Use the Verb Estar

Estar (“to be”) is used to talk about more specific aspects of the weather and it generally precedes adjectives.

Examples:

• Está soleado – “It’s sunny.”
• Está lloviendo – “It’s raining.”
• Está nevando – “It’s snowing.”

Use the Verb Haber

Haber (“to have”) also describes specific aspects of the weather, except it precedes nouns.

Examples:

• Hay sol – “There’s sun.”
• Hay viento – “There’s wind.”