A fun vocab guide to summer, fall, winter, & spring in Spanish

Learning the seasons all over again may seem like a weird thing to do when you already learned them in elementary school. However, learning the seasons in Spanish can help you keep your cool in heated circumstances.

Learning the seasons in Spanish can be great for planning a fun summer vacation in Ibiza or a winter ski trip to Bariloche. So, if you’re learning Spanish for general purposes or to acclimate to life in a Spanish-speaking country, this should help you keep your social calendar busy.

However, you should also pay close attention to the Spanish seasons if you’re learning Spanish for business. Many companies have highly seasonal trends, meaning that you’ll be lost if your boss or colleagues talk about business strategies for the summer and you haven’t yet mastered your seasons.

Plus, most companies operate on a quarterly basis that roughly follows the seasons, so it’s not uncommon for people to refer to the second quarter as the spring quarter and so on. So, even if you don’t work at a company with highly seasonal cycles, you’ll still want to learn the seasons to keep up with the financial results of your company.

Another reason to learn the seasons is to complement your ability to tell the time in Spanish and talk about dates. You may have already learned how to talk about the months in Spanish and perhaps even the days of the week in Spanish, so knowing the seasons will help you talk about time and dates more naturally. Sometimes, you’ll just want to refer to a season as opposed to a specific month or date, such as when talking about your summer plans.

So, let’s get started with the seasons of the year in Spanish!

The seasons in Spanish

The first thing you should know is how to actually say season in Spanish. In Spanish, a season is a temporada. However, keep in mind that there’s another word for this: estación. Specifically, when talking about the seasons of the year, we say “las estaciones del año.”

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Summer	El verano	βɛˈɾano	veh-rah-no
Autumn / Fall	El otoño	oˈtoɲo	oh-toe-nyoh
Winter	El invierno	ĩmˈbjɛɾno	in-vee-air-no
Spring	La primavera	pɾimaˈβɛɾa	pre-mah-veh-rah
Season (time)	La estación del año	ɛstaˈsjõn dɛl ˈaɲo	ehs-tah-see-ohn del ah-nyoh
Season (period)	La temporada	tɛ̃mpoˈɾaða	tem-po-rah-dah
The rainy season	La temporada de lluvia	tɛ̃mpoˈɾaða ðe ˈʝuβja	tem-po-rah-dah deh yoo-vee-ah
The dry season	La temporada de sequía	tɛ̃mpoˈɾaða ðe seˈkia	tem-po-rah-dah deh seh-key-ah

Summer in Spanish

What’s not to love about summer in a Spanish-speaking country? From an ice-cold glass to sangría in Barcelona to a refreshing bowl of Peruvian cebiche, there is no shortage of fun ways to enjoy the summer in Spanish-speaking countries.

Country	Summer months range	Additional notes
Spain	June–August	The heat in most of Spain can be pretty extreme during the summer.
Mexico	June–August	Summer can be the coolest time of the year in many parts of Mexico because it’s also the rainy season.
Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico	June–August	Summers in the caribbean can be extremely humid.
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador	June–August	Summers in Central America can be pretty tame thanks to its proximity to the equator. The South American countries of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador are also in this list because of their proximity to the equator.
Argentina, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay	December–February	If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, then stay out of South America. The “winter” holidays are actually the “summer” holidays down here!

Notable summer holidays in Spanish

• Día del padre (3rd Sunday of June):

Don’t forget to celebrate your father on his special day! While Mother’s Day tends to be a bit busier, Father’s Day is still widely celebrated across Spanish-speaking countries.

• Día del abuelo (August 28):

And, of course, we wouldn’t be here without our grandparents. So, if your grandparents are still with us, make sure to take them out to lunch, send them a handwritten note, or simply give them a call to wish them a good day! They’re certainly appreciate the gesture. Family values hold a very special place in Spanish culture.

• Fiestas de la Vendimia (August):

If you read our article on beverages in Spanish, you already know that Spain and Latin America have some wonderful wine regions. So, the summer harvest months are important for wine producers. The exact date of this holiday varies depending on the wine region, but make sure you attend at least one event if you happen to be near one during la Vendimia!

Spanish summer words

If you just can’t wait to start making plans for the summer in Spanish, then here’s a list of a few words to get you started. Just remember that not every region is hot and sunny over the summer, so don’t plan to bring your lentes de sol if you’re visiting Mexico City in July!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Hot	Caluroso	kaluˈɾoso	kah-loo-roh-so
Sunny	Soleado	soleˈaðo	soh-leh-ah-doe
Dry	Seco	ˈseko	seh-coe
Thirsty	Sediento	seˈðjɛ̃nto	seh-dee-ehn-toe
Gelato	El gelato	xeˈlato	yeh-la-toe
Swimming	Nadar	naˈðaɾ	nah-dar
Beach	La playa	ˈplaʝa	plah-ya
Pool	La alberca	alˈβɛɾka	al-bear-cah
Towel	La toalla	toˈaʝa	toe-ah-yah
Sunscreen	El protector solar	pɾotek̚ˈtoɾ soˈlaɾ	pro-tec-toor soh-lar
Sunglasses	Los lentes de sol	ˈlɛ̃ntes̬ ðe ˈsol	lehn-tess deh sol

Fall in Spanish

Luckily, there’s only one way to say fall in Spanish: el otoño. This is one of the best times of the year to visit Mexico, as you’ll likely get to enjoy some of the día de los muertos celebrations. This holiday is a fun way of honoring the dead and was the inspiration behind the Disney movie Coco.

Check out the short clip below for more details on how Coco honors día de los muertos. If you’re up for a challenge, why not watch the entire movie in Spanish?

How Coco Honors Día de los Muertos | Disney+

Country	Fall months range
Spain	September–November
Mexico	September–November
Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico	September–November
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador	September–November
Argentina, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay	March–May

Notable Fall holidays in Spanish

• Día de los muertos (November 2nd):

As mentioned above, día de los muertos is a very popular celebration all over Mexico. You’ll see a number of decorations all over the city, including altars, colorful papers, and candy skulls.

• Día de acción de gracias (3rd Thursday of November):

While Thanksgiving isn’t normally celebrated in Hispanic culture, many Spanish-speakers who live in the US and Canada celebrate it today. You may also find that kids who attend bilingual schools in Spanish-speaking countries have some sort of Thanksgiving celebration.

• Halloween (October 31st):

Halloween is celebrated all over the world, and Hispanic countries are no exception. While most call it Halloween, you may also hear the name víspera de todos los santos.

Spanish Fall words

If pumpkin spice season is your favorite time of the year, you’ll definitely want to take a look at the table below with some of our favorite Spanish fall words. And if you’re wondering how to order coffee in Spanish with some pumpkin spice, you’ll be happy to know that the English name is used–pumpkin spice!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Leaves	Las hojas	ˈoxas	oh-hahs
Orange	Naranja	naˈɾãnxa	nah-ran-hah
Cooling down	Enfriar	ɛ̃mˈfɾjaɾ	ehn-free-are
Harvest	La cosecha	koˈseʧa	koh-seh-cha
Pumpkin	La calabaza	kalaˈβasa	cah-la-bah-za
Scarecrow	El espantapájaros	ɛspãntaˈpaxaɾos	ehs-pan-tah-pah-hah-ross
Equinox	El equinoccio	ekiˈnoksjo	eh-key-noc-see-oh
Solstice	El solsticio	solsˈtisjo	sols-tee-see-oh
Sunflower	El girasol	xiɾaˈsol	he-rah-sol
Forest	El bosque	ˈβoske	bos-keh

Winter in Spanish

When you think of Spanish, you probably don’t think of winter wonderland. And rightfully so, since most of Latin America is blessed with incredible year-round weather due to its proximity to the equator. However, Latin America is also an extraordinarily diverse region from a geographic and landform standpoint.

First, you have the Andes–a series of mountains that parallel the Northwestern Pacific Coast of South America. These impressive mountains reach heights of up to 22,838 feet, making the cities nearby very chilly. Some of the Andean cities include:

• Quito, Ecuador
• Cusco, Peru
• La Paz, Bolivia
• Bariloche, Argentina

Then, we have South America’s southern tip. This region–colloquially referred to as the Southern Cone–is home to Patagonia. This area is extremely cold due to its proximity to Antarctica, which makes it an ideal winter sports destination. Ski towns like Bariloche and Puerto Montt routinely attract snowbirds from all over the world.

So, you’ll surely want to learn some winter Spanish vocab, especially if you want to live in South America at some point. Some Spanish weather vocab will also be extremely helpful as you work your way through the different regions of Latin America.

Country	Winter months range	Additional notes
Spain	December–February	Winters can get cold, with occasional snowfall in most of continental Spain.
Mexico	December–February	Mild winters
Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico	December–February	Warm winters
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador	December–February	Mild winters
Argentina, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay	June–August	Harsh winters.

Notable Winter holidays in Spanish

• Christmas (December 25th):

As a highly Christian region, Christmas is by far the biggest holiday in most Spanish-speaking countries. However, most people celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve.

• New Years Eve (December 31st):

New year’s eve is a huge party in most Spanish-speaking countries. Check out our blog on how to say happy new year in Spanish to learn a few fun and creative ways to ring in the new year!

• Día de los reyes magos (January 6th):

This is a holiday that most English speakers aren’t familiar with. The purpose of this holiday is to commemorate the Three Wise Men, who brought gifts to baby Jesus after he was born. Continuing on with the traditions, parents give presents to their children under the guise of the reyes magos–just like how Santa Claus brings gifts to children.

Spanish winter words

If you enjoy some fun in the snow, check out the following table with some Spanish winter words. So, even if you’re a snowbird flocking to the Caribbean to flee the cold, you’ll find the following vocab very useful.

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Cold	Frío	ˈfɾio	free-oh
Snowing	Nevando	neˈβãndo	neh-va-doe
Freezing	Helando	eˈlãndo	eh-lan-doe
Ice	El hielo	ˈɟʝelo	eeh-eh-lo
Frost	La escarcha	ɛsˈkaɾʧa	es-car-cha
Scarf	La bufanda	βuˈfãnda	boo-fan-dah
Gloves	Los guantes	ˈɣwãntes	goo-ahn-tess
Snowman	Un mono de nieve	ˈmono ðe ˈnjeβe	mo-no deh nee-eh-veh
Hot chocolate	El chocolate caliente	ʧokoˈlate kaˈljɛ̃nte	cho-co-la-teh
Snowflake	Un copo de nieve	ˈkopo ðe ˈnjeβe	co-poe deh nee-eh-veh
Snowball	Una bola de nieve	ˈβola ðe ˈnjeβe	bo-la deh nee-eh-veh
Avalanche	Una avalancha	aβaˈlãnʧa	ah-va-lan-cha
To go skiing	Ir a esquiar	ˈiɾ a ɛsˈkjaɾ	es-key-are

Spring in Spanish

Spring is the season of the Easter Bunny in English-speaking countries, but not so much in Spanish-speaking ones. As you may already know, Spain and most of Latin America are highly religious. More specifically, most follow some type of Christian religion.

This means that Christian holidays are very important for a majority of the population, and are thus deeply-ingrained in the culture. So, while spring does have the same connotations of rebirth and new beginnings, it is also a time of religious significance for most Spanish speakers.

Regardless, you can expect nature to do its thing every spring. The weather gets warmer, the flowers begin to bloom, and rain starts coming in in most places.

Country	Spring months range
Spain	March–April
Mexico	March–April
Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico	March–April
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador	March–April
Argentina, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay	September–November

Notable Spring holidays in Spanish

• Semana Santa (March or April):

Semana Santa (Holy Week) is the week before Easter and is one of the most important religious holidays in Hispanic countries. Children usually get the entire week off and adults generally get Thursday and Friday off work in observance of Holy Friday. Expect all holiday destinations to be extremely crowded during this week!

• Semana de Pascua (March or April):

Semana de Pascua is Easter Week, and, although significantly less important than Holy Week, it’s still observed throughout Spanish-speaking countries. Children usually get the entire week off school too, while adults don’t get any time off for Easter. This means it’s still a popular week for travel, but it doesn’t even come close to the travel mayhem that is Holy Week.

• Miércoles de Ceniza (March or April):

Ash Wednesday is a traditional Catholic holiday when people go to church and get ashes on their forehead. This is worth mentioning as schools and employers usually allow everyone to go to church “a recibir las cenizas” (to receive the ashes). You’ll notice that many of your friends and coworkers will wear ashes on their forehead for the entire day. Observers are also required to fast before noon.

• Cinco de Mayo (May 5th):

The Mexican holiday celebrated all over the world has become a popular drinking holiday, with many bars and restaurants offering tequila specials. However, Cinco de Mayo isn’t celebrated in Mexico. While many confuse this for Mexican Independence Day (which is September 16), Cinco de Mayo observes the heroic victory of the Mexican army over the French army in the battle of Puebla.

Spanish spring words

The following table with Spanish spring vocabulary will help you out if you’re really passionate about spring–or want to improve as an amateur gardener! If you’re into plants, make sure to check out our article on flowers in Spanish to learn close to 250 unique flower names!

English	Spanish	IPA	Pronunciation
Flowers	Las flores	ˈfloɾes	floh-res
New life	Vida nueva	ˈbiða ˈnweβa	vee-da noo-eh-va
Birds	Pájaros	ˈpaxaɾos	pah-hah-ross
Gardening	Jardinería	xaɾðinɛˈɾia	har-dee-neh-ree-ah
Sunny, but cool	Soleado pero fresco	soleˈaðo ˈpɛɾo ˈfɾɛsko	so-leh-ah-doe
Sprout	Un brote	ˈbɾote	bro-teh
Picnic	Un pícnic	ˈpik̚nik	pic-nic
Reborn	Renacer	renaˈsɛɾ	reh-nah-ser
Life	La vida	ˈβiða	vee-da
Scenery	Un paisaje	pai̯ˈsaxe	pah-e-sah-heh

The changing of the seasons

If you’re studying the four seasons in Spanish, that likely means that you’re fast approaching the intermediate Spanish level. Congratulations! Getting here is no small feat, and you’ve likely spent many seasons working your way up to this level. Enjoy your progress and keep pushing through–you’ll reach mastery of the language in no time!

And if you feel like you’ve still got some ways to go before calling yourself an intermediate, do not worry! Our Spanish articles are great study resources that will help you get to where you want to be.