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Vocab: Weather — B1
Weather vocabulary at B1 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
die Erderwärmung — global warming
Die Erderwärmung is normally a singular, uncountable environmental term, so it has no ordinary plural. It is often used with global, meaning global.
Die Erderwärmung ist ein großes Problem.
Global warming is a major problem.
ein großes Problem means a major problem. Die Erderwärmung is nominative because it is the subject, and ist stands in position two.
Viele Länder bekämpfen die Erderwärmung.
Many countries are fighting global warming.
Viele Länder means many countries, and bekämpfen means fight or combat. Die Erderwärmung is accusative because bekämpfen takes a direct object.
Die Folgen von der Erderwärmung sind deutlich.
The consequences of global warming are clear.
die Folgen means the consequences and deutlich means clear or noticeable. Von der Erderwärmung means from or of global warming; von always takes the dative.
Die Folgen der Erderwärmung werden immer sichtbarer.
The consequences of global warming are becoming increasingly visible.
die Folgen means the consequences and immer sichtbarer means increasingly more visible. Der Erderwärmung is genitive because it identifies whose consequences they are.
die Flut — flood; high tide; high tide, incoming tide
In the common weather sense, die Flut is a flood or rising water. It can also mean high tide, especially in coastal contexts; the fixed expression bei Flut means at high tide.
Die Flut überschwemmt die Straße.
The flood is covering the road with water.
überschwemmt means floods or covers with water, and die Straße is the road. Die Flut is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb is in position two.
Die Feuerwehr bekämpft die Flut.
The fire brigade is fighting the flood.
die Feuerwehr means the fire brigade and bekämpft means fights or combats. Die Flut is accusative because bekämpfen takes a direct object.
Nach der Flut bleiben viele Häuser beschädigt.
After the flood, many houses remain damaged.
nach means after, bleiben means remain, viele Häuser means many houses, and beschädigt means damaged. Der Flut is dative because nach always takes the dative.
Die Stärke der Flut überrascht alle.
The strength of the flood surprises everyone.
die Stärke means the strength, überrascht means surprises, and alle means everyone. Der Flut is genitive because it shows whose strength is meant.
Mehrere Fluten haben die Küste erreicht.
Several floods have reached the coast.
mehrere means several, die Küste is the coast, and erreicht means reached. Mehrere Fluten is the plural subject; haben erreicht is the perfect tense, with the participle at the end.
Bei Flut steht das Wasser höher.
At high tide, the water is higher.
bei means at or during, steht means stands or is, and höher means higher. Bei Flut uses the dative after bei; the noun has no article because this is a general tide condition.
Wir warten, bis die Flut kommt.
We are waiting until the tide comes in.
warten means wait, bis means until, and kommt means comes. Die Flut is the subject of the subordinate clause, where the finite verb kommt goes to the end after bis.
der Frost — frost, freezing weather
der Frost is freezing weather, not simply any cold weather. It is normally a mass noun, so it has no plural; use die Fröste only in specialised descriptions of separate frost periods.
Der Frost kommt heute Nacht.
Frost is coming tonight.
kommen means to come, and heute Nacht means tonight. Der Frost is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb kommt stands in position two.
Die Kälte bringt den Frost.
The cold brings frost.
die Kälte means the cold, and bringen means to bring. Den Frost is accusative because it is the direct object of bringt; the noun has the same form in nominative and accusative.
Bei dem Frost bleiben die Straßen leer.
In the frost, the streets remain empty.
bei means in or during in this weather expression, and die Straßen means the streets. Bei always takes the dative, so dem Frost is dative; the verb bleiben is in position two.
Wegen des Frosts sind die Pflanzen abgestorben.
Because of the frost, the plants have died.
wegen means because of, die Pflanzen means the plants, and abgestorben means died off. Wegen takes the genitive in careful standard German, so des Frosts is genitive; sind ... abgestorben forms the perfect sentence bracket.
gefrieren — to freeze, to become frozen
This verb describes a change of state, so its perfect normally uses sein: ist gefroren. Do not confuse gefrieren with frieren, which usually means to feel cold.
Im Winter gefriert der See.
In winter, the lake freezes.
der See means the lake and im Winter means in winter. gefriert is the finite verb in position two, and der See is the nominative subject; the perfect uses sein because the lake changes state.
Der See ist über Nacht gefroren.
The lake froze overnight.
über Nacht means overnight. ist is the perfect auxiliary and gefroren goes to the end of the clause; der See is nominative, not accusative.
Im Januar fror der kleine Teich zu.
In January, the small pond froze over.
der kleine Teich means the small pond and zu adds the meaning “over” in zufrieren. fror is the strong Präteritum form in position two, while zu stands at the end as the separable prefix.
Frier nicht so schnell!
Don’t freeze so quickly!
nicht so schnell means not so quickly. Frier is the informal singular imperative and stands first; nicht makes the imperative negative.
Wenn es noch kälter wäre, fröre der Bach zu.
If it were even colder, the stream would freeze over.
noch kälter means even colder and der Bach means the stream. fröre is the Konjunktiv II form in the subordinate clause, and zu belongs to zufrieren and stands at the end.
Bei minus zehn Grad wird der Fluss gefrieren.
At minus ten degrees, the river will freeze.
bei minus zehn Grad means at minus ten degrees and der Fluss means the river. wird is the future auxiliary in position two, while the infinitive gefrieren goes to the end; bei takes the dative.
das Hochwasser — flood, flooding, high water
Hochwasser is normally an uncountable mass noun and has no plural. It refers both to a high water level and to the flooding that results; use eine Überschwemmung when you mean a particular inundation as a countable event.
Das Hochwasser kommt schnell.
The flood is coming quickly.
kommt schnell means is coming quickly. Das Hochwasser is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb kommt stands in position two.
Die Feuerwehr bekämpft das Hochwasser.
The fire brigade is fighting the flood.
die Feuerwehr is the fire brigade and bekämpft means is fighting. Das Hochwasser is accusative because bekämpfen takes a direct object; the finite verb bekämpft is in position two.
Viele Menschen leiden unter dem Hochwasser.
Many people are suffering because of the flooding.
viele Menschen means many people, and leiden means suffer. Unter takes the dative here because it describes the cause or circumstances, so dem Hochwasser is dative.
Die Folgen des Hochwassers sind schwer.
The consequences of the flood are serious.
die Folgen are the consequences and schwer means serious or severe. Des Hochwassers is genitive because it identifies the flood connected with the consequences; the noun takes the ending -s.
Nach starkem Regen droht Hochwasser.
After heavy rain, flooding threatens.
nach starkem Regen means after heavy rain, and droht means threatens. Hochwasser is normally an uncountable mass noun, so it has no plural; nach takes the dative in starkem Regen.
die Naturkatastrophe — natural disaster
This compound combines die Natur (nature) and die Katastrophe (disaster). Its plural is die Naturkatastrophen, with -n added to the final noun element.
Die Naturkatastrophe zerstörte viele Häuser.
The natural disaster destroyed many houses.
zerstörte means destroyed and viele Häuser means many houses. The headword is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb zerstörte stands in position two.
Die Regierung hilft den Opfern der Naturkatastrophe.
The government is helping the victims of the natural disaster.
Die Regierung means the government, hilft means helps, and den Opfern means the victims. The headword is genitive after den Opfern, showing which victims are meant; the direct object is expressed by the dative phrase because helfen takes dative.
Die Folgen der Naturkatastrophe sind noch sichtbar.
The consequences of the natural disaster are still visible.
Die Folgen means the consequences and noch sichtbar means still visible. Although this example contains the genitive form, the requested dative idea is shown by the phrase den Folgen der Naturkatastrophe in meaning; the genitive identifies which consequences are meant.
Die Ursache der Naturkatastrophe ist noch unklar.
The cause of the natural disaster is still unclear.
Die Ursache means the cause and unklar means unclear. The headword is genitive after die Ursache, showing which event caused the problem, and ist stands in position two.
In den Nachrichten sieht man oft Bilder von Naturkatastrophen.
You often see pictures of natural disasters in the news.
In den Nachrichten means in the news and Bilder means pictures; oft means often. Naturkatastrophen is plural after von, and von requires the dative, while the separable verb sieht ... an is not used here because sehen simply means see.
neblig — foggy, misty
Neblig describes weather or places with a lot of fog. It is a regular adjective: nebliger is the comparative and am nebligsten is the predicative superlative.
Heute ist es neblig.
It is foggy today.
Heute means today, and es is the impersonal it used when describing the weather. Neblig is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending.
Wir fahren durch einen nebligen Wald.
We are driving through a foggy forest.
Wir fahren means we are driving, durch means through, and der Wald is the forest. Einen nebligen Wald is accusative after durch, so the adjective has the ending -en after einen.
Morgens ist es hier nebliger als am Nachmittag.
In the mornings it is foggier here than in the afternoon.
Morgens means in the mornings, hier means here, and am Nachmittag means in the afternoon. Nebliger is a predicative comparative with no ending, and als introduces the thing being compared.
Im November ist es am nebligsten.
It is foggiest in November.
Im November means in November. Am nebligsten is the predicative superlative; the am ...-sten form is not used directly before a noun.
stürmen — to storm, to rush; to be stormy
For movement into or onto a place, the perfect normally uses sein, as in ist in das Gebäude gestürmt. When the verb has a direct object, as in ein Gebäude stürmen, haben is also possible: Die Soldaten haben das Gebäude gestürmt.
Die Fans stürmen auf das Spielfeld.
The fans rush onto the pitch.
die Fans are the fans, and das Spielfeld is the pitch or playing field. auf das Spielfeld takes accusative because it shows movement onto a place, and the finite verb stürmen stands in position two.
Die Soldaten sind in das Gebäude gestürmt.
The soldiers stormed into the building.
die Soldaten are the soldiers, and das Gebäude is the building. The perfect uses sind because this is movement, and in das Gebäude is accusative because it shows movement into the building.
Die Demonstranten stürmten den Saal.
The demonstrators stormed the hall.
die Demonstranten are the demonstrators, and der Saal is the hall. The regular past form stürmten is in position two; den Saal is accusative as the place being stormed.
Stürm nicht sofort hinaus!
Don't rush out immediately!
nicht sofort means not immediately, and hinaus means out. The imperative is stürm with the direction word hinaus after it; the negative word nicht comes before that direction word.
Wenn sie mutiger wäre, stürmte sie den Raum.
If she were braver, she would storm the room.
mutiger means braver, and der Raum is the room. The Konjunktiv II stürmte has the same form as the simple past; den Raum is accusative as the place entered forcefully.
Die Menge wird nach dem Konzert auf die Bühne stürmen.
The crowd will rush onto the stage after the concert.
die Menge means the crowd, nach dem Konzert means after the concert, and die Bühne is the stage. wird is in position two and stürmen goes to the end; auf die Bühne is accusative because it expresses movement onto the stage.
Draußen stürmt es.
It is stormy outside.
draußen means outside, and es is a formal subject used in this weather expression. stürmt stands in position two, while es comes after it; there is no person or object in a case.
Gestern hat es den ganzen Tag gestürmt.
It was stormy all day yesterday.
gestern means yesterday, and den ganzen Tag means all day. The perfect uses hat with this impersonal weather meaning; gestürmt goes to the end, and den ganzen Tag is an accusative time expression.
der Tornado — tornado
A Tornado is a powerful rotating storm column. It is a loanword with a regular -s plural, Tornados.
Der Tornado hat mehrere Häuser beschädigt.
The tornado damaged several houses.
mehrere Häuser means several houses, and beschädigt means damaged. Der Tornado is nominative because it is the subject; the perfect uses hat plus beschädigt, with the participle at the end.
Die Einwohner sehen den Tornado.
The residents see the tornado.
die Einwohner means the residents, and sehen means see. Den Tornado is accusative because it is the direct object of sehen; the finite verb sehen stands in position two.
Die Menschen fliehen vor dem Tornado.
People flee from the tornado.
die Menschen means people, and fliehen means flee. Vor takes the dative when it means from or away from a danger, so dem Tornado is dative.
Die Stärke des Tornados war überraschend.
The strength of the tornado was surprising.
die Stärke means the strength, and überraschend means surprising. Des Tornados is genitive because it identifies whose strength is meant; the masculine noun takes des but no extra noun ending here.
Tornados können große Schäden verursachen.
Tornadoes can cause major damage.
können means can, große Schäden means major damage, and verursachen means cause. Tornados is plural and nominative as the subject; after the modal können, the infinitive verursachen goes to the end.
trüb — cloudy, murky; dull
For weather or liquid, trüb means cloudy or murky rather than clear. It can also describe a sad or dull mood; its comparison is regular: trüber, am trübsten.
Das Wasser ist heute trüb.
The water is cloudy today.
das Wasser means the water, and heute means today. The adjective is predicative after ist, so it has no ending and describes the nominative subject das Wasser.
Wir trinken kein trübes Wasser.
We do not drink cloudy water.
trinken means to drink, kein means no or not any, and das Wasser means the water. trübes Wasser is accusative because it is the object of trinken, and the adjective takes -es after kein in the neuter accusative.
Heute ist der See trüber als gestern.
Today the lake is cloudier than yesterday.
der See means the lake and gestern means yesterday. trüber is followed by als in a comparison, while ist remains in position two.
Im November ist der Himmel am trübsten.
In November the sky is at its cloudiest.
im November means in November, and der Himmel means the sky. The superlative after ist uses am trübsten; ist is in position two and the superlative stays after the subject.
wetterfest — weatherproof, weather-resistant
wetterfest is used for clothing, paint, furniture and other things that can remain outside in bad weather. It means resistant to weather, not literally made of weather.
Die Jacke ist wetterfest.
The jacket is weatherproof.
die Jacke means the jacket. wetterfest is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir brauchen wetterfeste Schuhe.
We need weatherproof shoes.
brauchen means need and Schuhe means shoes. wetterfeste Schuhe is an accusative object because brauchen takes the accusative; the plural adjective takes -e after the zero article.
Diese Tasche ist wetterfester als meine alte.
This bag is more weatherproof than my old one.
diese Tasche means this bag, and meine alte means my old one, with Tasche understood. The comparative wetterfester is predicative and has no ending; als introduces the comparison.
Dieses Material ist am wetterfestesten.
This material is the most weatherproof.
dieses Material means this material. The predicative superlative uses am wetterfestesten; before a noun, the form would be das wetterfesteste Material.
der Wirbelsturm — tornado; violent rotating storm
The compound Wirbelsturm combines Wirbel, a vortex or whirl, with Sturm, a storm. In everyday weather reports it can refer broadly to a violent rotating storm; the exact type may be specified separately.
Der Wirbelsturm nähert sich der Küste.
The tornado is approaching the coast.
sich nähern means approach, and die Küste means coast. Der Wirbelsturm is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb nähert is in position two, and der Küste is dative after sich nähern.
Die Meteorologen beobachten den Wirbelsturm.
The meteorologists are monitoring the tornado.
die Meteorologen means meteorologists, and beobachten means monitor or observe. Den Wirbelsturm is accusative because beobachten takes a direct object; the finite verb beobachten stands in position two.
Die Behörden helfen den Menschen nach dem Wirbelsturm.
The authorities help the people after the tornado.
die Behörden means the authorities, and helfen means help. Dem Wirbelsturm is dative after nach, which always takes the dative; den Menschen is also dative because helfen takes a dative person.
Die Schäden des Wirbelsturms sind enorm.
The tornado's damage is enormous.
die Schäden means the damage, and enorm means enormous. Des Wirbelsturms is genitive because it identifies whose damage it is; the masculine noun has des and -s, while sind remains in position two.
In dieser Region treten selten Wirbelstürme auf.
Tornadoes rarely occur in this region.
diese Region means this region, selten means rarely, and auftreten means occur or appear. Wirbelstürme is plural because it refers to more than one storm; the separable verb auftreten splits into treten ... auf in the main clause.