Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Hace frío en Madrid hoy.

In the weather expression Hace frío, hace is the third-person singular form of the verb hacer. Although it literally means “makes,” it is used impersonally to indicate the state of the weather. So, rather than implying that something “makes cold,” it essentially translates to “it is” when talking about the weather conditions.

Why do Spanish speakers use the verb hacer to describe weather instead of using ser or estar?

Spanish traditionally uses hacer in weather expressions because it conveys an impersonal construction that is well established. Instead of saying “It is cold” with ser or estar, Spanish uses hacer (as in Hace frío) as a fixed way to describe how the weather “affects” you. This usage is idiomatic and is one of the standard ways to talk about weather in Spanish.

What does the adjective frío mean, and how is it used in this sentence?

The adjective frío means “cold.” In the sentence Hace frío en Madrid hoy, it describes the coldness of the weather. It functions as a simple descriptor of the temperature, and since weather expressions in Spanish use an impersonal construction, frío directly conveys the condition without needing to agree with any specific noun.

What role does the preposition en play in the phrase en Madrid?

The preposition en translates to “in” in English and is used here to designate the location where the weather condition applies. In en Madrid, it specifies that Madrid is the place experiencing the cold weather.

What does hoy mean in this sentence, and why is it placed at the end?

Hoy means “today.” In Spanish, time expressions like hoy are often positioned at the end of the sentence to clearly indicate the time frame of the statement. Thus, Hace frío en Madrid hoy informs the listener that the cold weather is occurring today.