Weather is one of the most common conversation topics in the Netherlands — and for good reason. The Dutch climate is famously changeable, with rain, wind and occasional sunshine all in the same afternoon. Learning Dutch weather vocabulary is essential for everyday conversations. In this guide you will learn all the key Dutch weather words, how to describe the weather, talk about seasons and use weather phrases naturally.
🌦️ The Word for Weather in Dutch
The Dutch word for weather is het weer. This is a neuter noun, so it uses het as its article. You will hear this word constantly in everyday Dutch conversations.
- het weer — the weather
- het weerbericht — the weather forecast
- de weersverwachting — the weather expectation / forecast
Het weer is vandaag slecht. — The weather is bad today.
Heb je het weerbericht gezien? — Have you seen the weather forecast?
☀️ Basic Dutch Weather Words
Here are the most important Dutch weather vocabulary words every beginner needs to know:
| Dutch | English | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| de zon | the sun | De zon schijnt. — The sun is shining. |
| de regen | the rain | De regen valt hard. — The rain is falling hard. |
| de wind | the wind | De wind is sterk vandaag. — The wind is strong today. |
| de sneeuw | the snow | Er ligt sneeuw op straat. — There is snow on the street. |
| de wolk | the cloud | Er zijn veel wolken vandaag. — There are many clouds today. |
| de mist | the fog | Er is veel mist vanmorgen. — There is a lot of fog this morning. |
| de storm | the storm | Er komt een storm aan. — A storm is coming. |
| de hagel | the hail | Het hagelt buiten. — It is hailing outside. |
| de onweer | the thunderstorm | Vanavond is er onweer. — Tonight there is a thunderstorm. |
| de bliksem | the lightning | Ik zag de bliksem. — I saw the lightning. |
| de donder | the thunder | De donder was luid. — The thunder was loud. |
| de regenboog | the rainbow | Kijk, een regenboog! — Look, a rainbow! |
🌡️ Dutch Weather Adjectives
Use these adjectives to describe what the weather is like:
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| zonnig | sunny |
| regenachtig | rainy |
| bewolkt | cloudy |
| winderig | windy |
| mistig | foggy |
| koud | cold |
| warm | warm |
| heet | hot |
| fris | fresh / cool |
| nat | wet |
| droog | dry |
| stormachtig | stormy |
💬 Essential Dutch Weather Phrases
These are the most common phrases used to talk about weather in Dutch conversations:
- Hoe is het weer? — What is the weather like?
- Het is mooi weer. — The weather is nice.
- Het is slecht weer. — The weather is bad.
- Het regent. — It is raining.
- Het sneeuwt. — It is snowing.
- Het vriest. — It is freezing.
- Het hagelt. — It is hailing.
- De zon schijnt. — The sun is shining.
- Het is bewolkt. — It is cloudy.
- Het is koud buiten. — It is cold outside.
- Neem een paraplu mee. — Take an umbrella with you.
- Wat een heerlijk weer! — What lovely weather!
- Wat een vreselijk weer! — What awful weather!
🌡️ Talking About Temperature in Dutch
The Netherlands uses Celsius for temperature. Here is the vocabulary you need:
- de temperatuur — the temperature
- de graad — the degree
- Het is tien graden. — It is ten degrees.
- Het is min vijf graden. — It is minus five degrees.
- Het is vijfentwintig graden in de schaduw. — It is twenty-five degrees in the shade.
- De temperatuur stijgt. — The temperature is rising.
- De temperatuur daalt. — The temperature is dropping.
🍂 Dutch Seasons — De Seizoenen
There are four seasons in Dutch, called de seizoenen:
| Dutch | English | Typical weather |
|---|---|---|
| de lente | spring | mild, sometimes rainy, flowers bloom |
| de zomer | summer | warm, occasional thunderstorms |
| de herfst | autumn / fall | windy, rainy, colourful leaves |
| de winter | winter | cold, grey, sometimes snow |
Example sentences with seasons:
- In de lente bloeien de tulpen. — In spring the tulips bloom.
- De zomer is dit jaar erg warm. — Summer is very warm this year.
- In de herfst vallen de bladeren. — In autumn the leaves fall.
- De winter in Nederland kan koud zijn. — Winter in the Netherlands can be cold.
🗣️ Natural Weather Conversations in Dutch
Here are two short dialogues to show how Dutch people talk about weather:
Dialogue 1 — At the office
Anna: Hoe is het weer vandaag? — What is the weather like today?
Mark: Het is bewolkt en het gaat waarschijnlijk regenen. — It is cloudy and it will probably rain.
Anna: Dan neem ik mijn paraplu mee. — Then I will take my umbrella.
Dialogue 2 — On the phone
Lisa: Schijnt de zon bij jou? — Is the sun shining where you are?
Jan: Nee, het regent hier de hele dag. — No, it has been raining here all day.
Lisa: Wat jammer. Hier is het prachtig weer! — What a pity. The weather is beautiful here!
🧠 Quick Quiz: Weather in Dutch
Test your Dutch weather vocabulary
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say weather in Dutch?
Weather in Dutch is het weer. Example: Het weer is mooi vandaag — The weather is nice today.
How do you talk about rain in Dutch?
Rain is de regen. To say it is raining use Het regent. A rainy day is een regenachtige dag.
What are the four seasons in Dutch?
Spring = de lente, Summer = de zomer, Autumn = de herfst, Winter = de winter.
How do you ask about the weather in Dutch?
The most common way is Hoe is het weer? — What is the weather like?
Want to expand your Dutch vocabulary?
Check out our complete guide to the 1000 most common Dutch words with translations and examples.
📖 See 1000 Most Common Dutch Words →