Japanese Weather Vocabulary: 50 Words and Phrases for Every Season
Weather is the universal opener for Japanese conversation. Whether you are waiting for a train, meeting a colleague, or listening to the morning news, knowing your weather vocabulary pays off immediately. This guide covers 50 core weather words, the seasonal expressions that make you sound natural, forecast grammar patterns, and the small-talk phrases Japanese speakers use every day.
Core weather words
| Japanese | Reading | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 晴れ | はれ (hare) | sunny, clear | 今日は晴れです。 |
| 雨 | あめ (ame) | rain | 雨が降っています。 |
| 曇り | くもり (kumori) | cloudy | 午後は曇りでしょう。 |
| 雪 | ゆき (yuki) | snow | 北海道では雪が多いです。 |
| 台風 | たいふう (taifuu) | typhoon | 台風が来ます。 |
| 嵐 | あらし (arashi) | storm | 嵐の夜でした。 |
| 霧 | きり (kiri) | fog, mist | 朝は霧が出ています。 |
| 雷 | かみなり (kaminari) | thunder, lightning | 雷が鳴っています。 |
| 虹 | にじ (niji) | rainbow | 雨の後に虹が出た。 |
| 風 | かぜ (kaze) | wind | 今日は風が強いです。 |
| 霜 | しも (shimo) | frost | 朝に霜が降りた。 |
| 露 | つゆ (tsuyu) | dew | 草に露がついている。 |
| 吹雪 | ふぶき (fubuki) | blizzard | 吹雪で視界がゼロだった。 |
| 梅雨 | つゆ (tsuyu) | rainy season | 梅雨が始まりました。 |
| 猛暑 | もうしょ (mousho) | intense heat | 今年は猛暑が続いています。 |
| 大雨 | おおあめ (ooame) | heavy rain | 大雨警報が出ています。 |
| 小雨 | こさめ (kosame) | light rain, drizzle | 小雨が降っています。 |
| みぞれ | mizore | sleet | みぞれが降ってきた。 |
Weather verbs and expressions
| Verb / Expression | Reading | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 降る | ふる (furu) | to fall (rain/snow) | 雨が降っています。 |
| 晴れる | はれる (hareru) | to clear up | 午後から晴れるでしょう。 |
| 曇る | くもる (kumoru) | to become cloudy | 夕方から曇ります。 |
| 吹く | ふく (fuku) | to blow (wind) | 強い風が吹いています。 |
| 降り積もる | ふりつもる | to pile up (snow) | 雪が50センチ降り積もった。 |
| 溶ける | とける (tokeru) | to melt | 雪が溶けています。 |
| 凍る | こおる (kooru) | to freeze | 道が凍っています。 |
| 蒸す | むす (musu) | to be humid/muggy | 今日は蒸し暑いですね。 |
| 冷え込む | ひえこむ | to get cold (sharply) | 夜は冷え込みます。 |
| やむ | yamu | to stop (rain/wind) | 雨がやみました。 |
Seasonal vocabulary
春 (haru) — Spring
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 桜 | さくら (sakura) | cherry blossoms |
| 花見 | はなみ (hanami) | flower viewing |
| 春雨 | はるさめ (harusame) | spring rain (light, gentle) |
| 暖かい | あたたかい (atatakai) | warm |
| 花粉 | かふん (kafun) | pollen (hay fever season) |
夏 (natsu) — Summer
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 蒸し暑い | むしあつい (mushiatsui) | hot and humid |
| 梅雨 | つゆ (tsuyu) | rainy season (June–July) |
| 日差し | ひざし (hizashi) | sunlight, sunshine |
| 熱帯夜 | ねったいや (nettaiya) | tropical night (above 25°C) |
| 夕立 | ゆうだち (yuudachi) | evening shower |
秋 (aki) — Autumn
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 紅葉 | こうよう (kouyou) | autumn leaves, fall foliage |
| 涼しい | すずしい (suzushii) | cool, refreshing |
| 秋晴れ | あきばれ (akibare) | clear autumn sky |
| 長雨 | ながあめ (nagaame) | prolonged rain |
| 朝晩 | あさばん (asaban) | mornings and evenings (getting cooler) |
冬 (fuyu) — Winter
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 寒い | さむい (samui) | cold |
| 雪景色 | ゆきげしき (yukigeshiki) | snowy landscape |
| 凍結 | とうけつ (touketsu) | freezing, icy road |
| 乾燥 | かんそう (kansou) | dryness, low humidity |
| 冬晴れ | ふゆばれ (fuyubare) | clear winter day |
Forecast language: 〜でしょう、〜らしい、〜かもしれない
Japanese weather forecasts use specific grammar to express certainty levels. Here are the three main patterns:
- 〜でしょう — probable prediction (high certainty)
明日は晴れでしょう。— It will probably be sunny tomorrow.
週末は雨が降るでしょう。— It will probably rain on the weekend. - 〜らしい — based on evidence or reports
今夜は雪が降るらしいです。— Apparently it will snow tonight. (heard from somewhere)
台風が来るらしい。— It seems a typhoon is coming. - 〜かもしれない — uncertain possibility
明日は曇るかもしれません。— It might become cloudy tomorrow.
雨が降るかもしれないので、傘を持ってください。— It might rain, so please bring an umbrella.
Weather small-talk phrases
Japanese social interaction often starts with weather comments. These phrases are essential for natural conversation:
| Phrase | Romanisation | Meaning / Usage |
|---|---|---|
| いい天気ですね。 | Ii tenki desu ne. | Nice weather, isn't it? (universal opener) |
| 蒸し暑いですね。 | Mushiatsui desu ne. | It's muggy, isn't it? (summer) |
| 寒くなりましたね。 | Samuku narimashita ne. | It's gotten cold, hasn't it? (autumn/winter) |
| 今日は暖かいですね。 | Kyou wa atatakai desu ne. | It's warm today, isn't it? |
| 雨、やみましたね。 | Ame, yamimashita ne. | The rain has stopped, hasn't it? |
| 梅雨らしいですね。 | Tsuyu rashii desu ne. | Very rainy-season weather, isn't it? |
| 桜が綺麗ですね。 | Sakura ga kirei desu ne. | The cherry blossoms are beautiful, aren't they? |
| 台風、大丈夫でしたか？ | Taifuu, daijoubu deshita ka? | Were you okay with the typhoon? |
Common mistakes: 雨が降っています vs 雨です
Both sentences can describe rain, but they are used differently:
- ✓ 雨が降っています — "It is raining" — describes the ongoing action of rain falling; most precise
- ✓ 雨です — "It is rain / It is rainy" — a shorthand state description, common in forecasts and casual speech
- ✗ 雨が降ります — "It will rain" (future/habitual) — do not use this for ongoing rain right now
- ✗ 雨をしています — wrong; 降る does not take を (rain is not the object of the falling)
The particle に also causes confusion with weather:
- ✓ 明日の天気に注意してください。— Please pay attention to tomorrow's weather. (に marks the object of attention)
- ✓ 雨のせいで電車が遅れた。— The train was delayed because of the rain. (のせいで = because of)
Writing about the weather or seasons in Japanese? Paste your sentences into ZISTICA MOJIIQ's free grammar checker to catch particle mistakes, wrong verb forms, and unnatural expressions before you send them.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "it is raining" in Japanese?
The precise form is 雨が降っています (ame ga futte imasu). Casual speech uses 雨が降ってる. In forecasts and quick statements, 雨です is also acceptable. Avoid 雨が降ります for current rain — that implies future or habitual.
How do you talk about the weather in Japanese small talk?
Start with いい天気ですね (Nice weather), 蒸し暑いですね (It's muggy), or 寒くなりましたね (It's gotten cold). Add ね at the end to invite agreement and keep the conversation flowing naturally.
What does でしょう mean in a weather forecast?
でしょう expresses probability — "it will probably be." 明日は晴れでしょう means "It will probably be sunny tomorrow." Forecasters use it to avoid sounding absolute about predictions.
How do you say the four seasons in Japanese?
Spring: 春 (haru), Summer: 夏 (natsu), Autumn: 秋 (aki), Winter: 冬 (fuyu). Japan has a strong cultural emphasis on 四季 (shiki, the four seasons) and seasonal vocabulary is rich and widely used.
What is 梅雨 (tsuyu) in Japanese?
梅雨 (tsuyu / baiu) is Japan's rainy season, typically June to mid-July. 梅雨入り marks its start and 梅雨明け marks its end. The name means "plum rain" — it coincides with plum ripening season.