Está oscuro fuera.

It is dark outside.

Breakdown of Está oscuro fuera.

• estar: to be
• fuera: outside
• oscuro: dark

Questions & Answers about Está oscuro fuera.

Why is it está and not es?

Because darkness here is a temporary state. Estar is used for states and conditions that can change (today it’s dark; tomorrow it may not be), while ser would describe inherent characteristics (e.g., El sótano es oscuro = “The basement is dark” by nature).

Do I need to include fuera? What does it add?

No, you can just say Está oscuro to mean “It’s dark” in the place you are. Adding fuera clarifies that you are talking about “outside,” not necessarily the space you’re in. It’s especially useful if you are indoors.

Can I say afuera instead of fuera?

In Spain, fuera is the standard and most natural choice for “outside.” Afuera is widely used in Latin America and understood in Spain, but it sounds less peninsular. If you’re aiming for Spain Spanish, prefer fuera.

Is the word order fixed? Could I say Fuera está oscuro?

Both Está oscuro fuera and Fuera está oscuro are grammatical. The neutral, most common order is to place the place adverb at the end: Está oscuro fuera. Fronting Fuera adds emphasis to the location.

Where is the subject? Why is there no “it”?