Understanding and being able to discuss the seasons and weather is essential for effective communication in any language, including Korean. Whether I run out of conversation ideas with someone I have met for the first time, or one of my good friends, bringing up whether to keep the conversation going has saved me so many times! In this post, I will discuss the most commonly used words when talking about seasons and weather with some sample sentences and practice questions so you can get used to using this type of vocabulary. I am sure you will need it at some point or another.
Seasons
| Korean | Romanization | English |
| 계절 | Gye-jeol | Season |
| 봄 | Bom | Spring |
| 여름 | Yeo-reum | Summer |
| 가을 | Ga-eul | Autumn |
| 겨울 | Gyeo-eul | Winter |
Sample sentences
- 한국은 사계절이 있어요 – Korea has 4 different seasons.
- 어떤 계절을 제일 좋아해요? – Which season do you like the most?
- 계절이 바뀌고 있어요. – The season is changing.
- 한국에서는 봄이 되면 벚꽃을 많이 볼 수 있어요. – You can see a lot of cherry blossoms when it becomes spring in Korea.
Seasons in Korea
Korea experiences four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Each season brings its own unique charm and characteristics. Here’s a brief overview of the seasons in Korea:
- Spring (봄): Spring in Korea is a time of new beginnings and vibrant beauty. It typically spans from March to May. The weather becomes milder, cherry blossoms bloom, and you can see colourful flowers all around. It’s a popular season for outdoor activities and enjoying the breath-taking cherry blossom festivals. It is often considered to be a good time to visit Korea.
- Summer (여름): Summer in Korea is warm, humid, and filled with energy. It generally lasts from June to August. The temperatures rise, and the country experiences occasional rain showers known as “monsoon season.” It’s a great time to visit the beaches, or indulge in refreshing summer treats like bingsu (shaved ice) and watermelon.
- Autumn (가을): Autumn in Korea is a favourite season for many due to its mild temperatures and stunning foliage. It typically spans from September to November. Autumn is celebrated with various festivals, and it’s an ideal time for hiking, exploring nature, and enjoying the harvest season.
- Winter (겨울): Winter in Korea brings cold temperatures and occasional snowfall. It usually lasts from December to February. Winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding are popular activities, and hot dishes like hotteok (sweet Korean pancakes) and warm drinks provide comfort during the chilly weather.
Weather
| Korean | Romanization | English |
| 날씨 | Nal-si | Weather |
| 기온 | Gi-on | Temperature |
| 공기 | Gon-ki | Air |
| 기후 | Gi-hu | Climate |
| 예보 | Ye-bo | Forecast |
| 하늘 | Ha-neul | Sky |
| 비 | Bi | Rain |
| 빗방울 | Bit-bang-ul | Raindrop |
| 비가 오다 | Bi-ga o-da | To rain |
| 비오는 날 | Bi-o-neun nal | Rainy day |
| 폭우 | Po-gu | Downpour |
| 소나기 | So-na-gi | Rain shower |
| 눈 | Nun | Snow |
| 눈이 오다 | Nun-I o-da | To snow |
| 첫눈 | Cheot-nun | The first snow |
| 눈송이 | Nun-song-i | Snowflake |
| 눈보라 | Nun-bora | Snowstorm |
| 강설 | Gang-seol | Snowfall |
| 얼음 | Eo-reum | Ice |
| 바람 | Ba-ram | Wind |
| 바람 부는 날 | Ba-ram bu-neun nal | Windy day |
| 구름 | Gu-reum | Cloud |
| 흐리다 | Heu-ri-da | Cloudy |
| 건조 | Geon-jo | Dry |
| 가뭄 | Ga-mum | Drought |
| 습하다 | Seup-ha-da | Humid |
| 안개 | an-gae | Fog |
| 안개가 끼다 | an-gae-ga kki-da | Foggy |
| 경풍 | Gyeong-pun | Light breeze |
| 천둥 | Cheon-dung | Thunder |
| 번개 | Beon-gae | Lightning |
| 뇌우 | No-eu | Thunderstorm |
| 폭풍 | Pok-pung | Storm |
| 우박 | U-bak | Hail |
| 돌풍 | Dol-pung | Gust |
| 서리 | Seo-ri | Frost |
| 연무 | Yeon-mu | Smog |
| 장마 | Jang-ma | Monsoon |
| 맑다 | Malg-da | Clear |
| 밝다 | Balk-da | Bright/Sunny |
| 따뜻하다 | Dda-deut-ha-da | Warm |
| 덥다 | Deop-da | Hot |
| 춥다 | Chup-da | Cold |
| 무지개 | Mu-ji-gae | Rainbow |
| 시원하다 | Shi-won-ha-da | Cool |
| 건조하다 | Geon-jo-ha-da | Dry |
| 쌀쌀하다 | Ssal-ssal-ha-da | Chilly |
| 오다 | O-da | To come (Rain/snow) |
| 쌓이다 | Ssa-i-da | To pile up |
| 내리다 | Nae-ri-da | To fall down (Rain/snow) |
| 불다 | Bul-da | To blow (wind) |
| 치다 | Chi-da | To strike (thunder/lightning) |
Sample sentences
- 비 오는 날이 안 좋아해요. – I don’t like rainy days.
- 날씨가 따뜻해지고 있어요. – The weather is getting warmer.
- 오늘은 날씨가 너무 좋아요. – The weather is really nice today.
- 어제 눈이 너무 많이 왔어요. – Yesterday it snowed a lot.
- 비가 올 거 같아요. – It looks like it will rain.
- 오늘 날씨가 어때요? – How is the weather today?
- 눈이 많이 싸였어요 = A lot of snow piled up.
- 눈이 다 녹았어요 = The snow is all melted.
Korean weather idioms
바람을 맞다 — To be hit by the wind.
This expression means to be stood up. If you arrange a date with someone and that person never shows up, you can say “바람을 맞었어요”.
바람을 넣다 – To put in wind
Similar to the English expression “putting wind in one’s sails” it refers to encouraging or motivating someone to do something. Depending on what that thing is, it could be a good thing or a bad thing i.e. influencing your friend to study by creating a study sessions together or it could be influencing your friend to go see a movie instead of studying. See? It can go either way.
가방비에 옷 젖는 줄 모른다 – To not realize one’s clothes are getting wet in a drizzle.
Drizzle, or a light rain doesn’t seem like a big deal. It’s only a little so it surely couldn’t hurt, right? But little things add up without you even noticing it until it becomes very noticeable problem. Everything in moderation is really true then I guess?
꽃샘추워 – The cold envies the flowers.
Once winter leaves and spring comes, the flowers start to bloom. However, sometimes it can happen that another cold wave comes and this saying describes this. The cold is envious of the flowers so it comes back once more for the last time.
Activity 1
Complete the following sentences by filling in the blanks.
- 날씨가 너무 ______서 못 나가요. – The weather is too hot so I cannot go out.
- 겨울에는 눈이 ___________. – It snows in the winter.
- 날씨가 ___________. – The weather is refreshing.
- 비가 ______ 서 우산을 가져가요. It’s raining so take an umbrella.
- _____이 높아요. – The temperature is high.
Activity 2
Translate these to English or your preferred language.
- 오늘은 날씨가 추워요.
- 지난 주에는 계속 비가 왔어요.
- 어제는 바람이 많이 불었어요.
- 날씨가 추워지니까 따뜻한 옷 입어요.
- 겨울에는 눈이 내려요.
Activity 3
Find as many words relating to seasons and weather as you can.
Activity 1 Answers
- 날씨가 너무 더워서 못 나가요. – The weather is too hot so I cannot go out.
- 겨울에는 눈이 와요. – It snows in the winter.
- 날씨가 시원해요. – The weather is refreshing.
- 비가 와서 우산을 가져가요. It’s raining so take an umbrella.
- 기온이 높아요. – The temperature is high.
Activity 2 Answers
- 오늘은 날씨가 추워요. – It’s cold today.
- 지난 주에는 계속 비가 왔어요. – It was constantly raining last week.
- 어제는 바람이 많이 불었어요. – It was very windy yesterday.
- 날씨가 추워지니까 따뜻한 옷 입어요. – It’s getting colder so dress warmly.
- 겨울에는 눈이 내려요. – It snows in winter.
Activity 3 Answers
