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Author:
Barney Meekin
May 5, 2024
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Talking about the seasons in English is a staple of everyday conversation. And it’s a great topic for small talk when you meet new people.
English has a number of seasonal words for fall, winter, spring and summer that we often use when discussing these distinct times of year. In this article, you’ll learn 80 words and phrases to help you describe the four seasons.
Any season is a good time to learn English!
Whether you are in London where its colder during winter, or in Mexico where its hotter in summer, you can start learning English any time, anywhere, during whichever season you prefer, at your own pace! Start learning English with Busuu’s free online courses and learning resources!
Spring season words and phrases
Everyone loves spring, right? After the dark and cold of winter, nature wakes up, the weather warms and we can spend more time outdoors. It’s a season of flowers, picnics and festivals. The table below shows some of the words and phrases you can use to talk about spring.
Spring vocabulary
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allergies | Noun | Your immune system reacting to something that is usually harmless | "Spring brings beautiful flowers and, unfortunately, allergies like hay fever." |
| April showers | Noun | Rain in April (which is common in the US and UK) | "April showers bring May flowers." |
| (to) Blossom | Verb | (Trees) produce flowers | "The cherry trees blossom in early spring." |
| Blossoming | Adjective | Flourishing, growing | "The blossoming trees are a sign of spring." |
| Bud | Noun | The small part of a plant that becomes a leaf or a flower | "The buds are starting to open on the trees." |
| Daffodil | Noun | A yellow, bell-shaped flower | "Daffodils are one of the first flowers of spring." |
| Easter | Noun | A Christian holiday | "Easter is celebrated with egg hunts and church services." |
| Flowers | Noun | The colorful parts of a plant | "The park’s full of beautiful flowers in spring." |
| Foal | Noun | A baby horse | "Foals born in spring get to exercise and grow during the summer." |
| Mild | Adjective | Gentle and not harsh | "The weather’s mild today. You can wear a light jacket." |
| Mother's Day | Noun | A holiday showing appreciation for mothers | "Mother's Day is a special time to thank our moms and get them gifts." |
| Nesting | Adjective | Birds building a nest | "Look up there at the nesting birds." |
| Pollen | Noun | Powder from flowers that helps plants grow seeds | "There’s lots of pollen in the air during the spring." |
| Rainy | Adjective | A lot of rain | "April is usually a very rainy month in the UK." |
| Rebirth | Noun | Being revitalized after a decline | "The rebirth of nature after the tough winter is my favorite thing about spring." |
| Renewal | Noun | Being made new again | "Spring is a time of renewal in nature." |
| (to) Sprout | Verb | Begin to grow | "Plants are sprouting in the garden." |
| (to) Thaw | Verb | Melt ice | "The sun will thaw the frozen lakes." |
| Warm | Adjective | Slightly hot | "The days are getting warmer." |
| Wedding | Noun | When two people join in marriage | "Spring is a popular time of year to have a wedding." |
Summer season words
Summer brings days at the beach and family vacations. It’s a season of barbecues and traveling. And it’s the hottest part of the year. Here are some words and phrases you can use to talk about the summer.
Summer vocabulary
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbecue (BBQ) | Noun | Cooking outdoors on a grill | "We're having a barbecue this weekend." |
| Beach | Noun | Sandy area by the sea | "The beach is crowded in the summer." |
| Camping | Noun | Staying in a tent outdoors | "Let’s go camping in the summer." |
| Festival | Noun | A celebration or event | "Loads of big bands are playing at the summer music festival." |
| Fireworks | Noun | Small objects or rockets that explode and give a colorful display | "Fireworks light up the sky on the Fourth of July." |
| Flip-flops | Noun | A type of sandal | "Flip-flops are perfect for walking on the beach." |
| Heat wave | Noun | A period of unusually hot weather | "The heat wave caused temperatures of over 105 degrees." |
| Humid | Adjective | Having a high amount of moisture in the air | "The weather is very humid in July." |
| Ice cream | Noun | A frozen dessert made from cream | "I can’t wait to eat ice cream by the beach in the summer." |
| Outdoors | Noun | A place outside in the open air | "Summer is a great time for getting outdoors." |
| Picnic | Noun | A meal you eat outdoors (in a park, for example) | "Let's have a picnic at the park today." |
| Pool | Noun | A place for swimming | "The kids love playing in the pool during summer." |
| Sandcastle | Noun | A castle made of sand | "My kids love building sandcastles on the beach." |
| Scorching | Adjective | Extremely hot | "It's scorching outside – don’t forget your hat." |
| (to) Sunbathe | Verb | Sit or lie in the sun to get a tan | "Many people sunbathe on the beach during summer." |
| Sunburn | Noun | Red and sore skin from too much sun | "She forgot her sunscreen and got a bad sunburn." |
| Sunglasses | Noun | Glasses that protect eyes from the sun | "Don't forget your sunglasses. It's very bright outside." |
| Sunscreen (US) Suncream (UK) | Noun | Cream to protect skin from the sun | "Put your sunscreen on when you go to the beach." |
| Sweltering | Adjective | Uncomfortably hot | "It was difficult to stay outside because of the sweltering heat." |
| Tan | Noun | Brown skin from the sun | "She got a deep tan when she went to Spain in the summer." |
Fall season words
Autumn (also called ‘fall’) is a busy season, with harvest and festivals a big part of the schedule. It’s a season of change. Leaves go from green to red, orange and yellow, the weather cools, and the days get shorter. Here are the words and phrases you can use to describe fall.
Fall vocabulary
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acorn | Noun | The nut of an oak tree | "There are acorns all over the ground in the autumn." |
| Amber | Adjective | A deep yellow-brown color | "Leaves turn to a beautiful amber in fall." |
| Autumnal | Adjective | Having characteristics of autumn | "We enjoy the autumnal chill after the summer heat." |
| Chilly | Adjective | Uncomfortably cool | "It gets chilly in the evenings of autumn." |
| Crisp | Adjective | Cool and fresh | "The autumn air is crisp." |
| Equinox | Noun | When daylight and darkness are the same length | "The autumn equinox marks the start of fall." |
| Foliage | Noun | The leaves of a plant | "The foliage is spectacular this year – look at all the different colors." |
| Halloween | Noun | A holiday celebrated on October 31 | "People dress up in costumes and eat candy for Halloween." |
| Harvest | Noun | Gathering food crops | "Farmers are busy during the harvest season." |
| Hayride | Noun | A ride on a wagon pulled by horses through a farm (a traditional activity in North America) | "We went on a hayride at the pumpkin patch." |
| (to) Layer | Verb | Wear multiple layers of clothing | "Layering is a great way to stay warm in autumn." |
| Leaf-peeping | Noun | Traveling to view and photograph the fall foliage | "Leaf-peeping is popular in New England." |
| (to) Migrate | Verb | Move from one place to another | "Many animals migrate south in autumn to avoid the cold winter." |
| Nutmeg | Noun | A spice used in fall recipes | "Nutmeg is common in fall dishes like pumpkin pie." |
| Overcast | Adjective | Covered with clouds | "The sky is often overcast in autumn." |
| Pumpkin | Noun | A large round orange fruit | "People carve faces in pumpkins for Halloween." |
| Scarf | Noun | An item of clothing that keeps the neck warm | "She wrapped a thick scarf around her neck." |
| Sweater | Noun | An (often knitted) item of clothing worn on the upper body | "I pulled out my favorite sweater because it’s getting colder." |
| Thanksgiving | Noun | A holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the U.S. | "Families gather to celebrate Thanksgiving with a feast." |
| Windy | Adjective | Strong winds | "The windy days of autumn strip the leaves from the trees." |
Winter words
Winter is a tough season because of the cold. But snow-covered landscapes are beautiful. It’s a season of festive celebrations, long nights and harsh conditions. Here are some of the words and phrases you can use to describe winter.
Winter words
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blizzard | Noun | A severe snowstorm | "The blizzard kept everyone indoors for days." |
| (to) Celebrate | Verb | Acknowledge a cultural event or special day with a social gathering or fun event | "We celebrate Christmas with lots of cheer." |
| Chill | Noun | An unpleasant feeling of cold | "A chill in the air tells you winter is here." |
| Cozy | Adjective | A feeling of comfort | "We snuggled in a cozy blanket by the fire." |
| Fireplace | Noun | A place in a house for a fire | "The fireplace is the heart of our living room in winter." |
| Freezing | Adjective | Very cold, below freezing point | "The weather is freezing. Are you sure you want to go out?" |
| Frosty | Adjective | Having a thin layer of ice on a surface | "I hate frosty mornings. It takes me ages to get the car ready before work." |
| Glove | Noun | An item of clothing for your hand | "You can avoid frostbite by wearing gloves." |
| (to) Hibernate | Verb | Spend the winter in a dormant state (like sleeping) | "Bears hibernate during the cold winter months." |
| Icicle | Noun | A hanging, pointy piece of ice | "Icicles are hanging from your roof. Be careful when you walk under them." |
| Kindling | Noun | Small pieces of wood you use to start a fire | "We need to get some kindling to start a fire tonight." |
| (to) Shiver | Verb | Shake slightly due to cold | "She began to shiver as soon as she stepped outside." |
| Sleet | Noun | A mix of rain and snow | "Sleet makes driving dangerous. Be careful out there." |
| Snowflake | Noun | A single crystal of snow | "Each snowflake has a unique pattern." |
| Snowman | Noun | A person made of snow | "Building a snowman is my favorite winter activity." |
| Snowstorm | Noun | A storm with heavy snowfall | "All trains and flights were canceled due to the snowstorm." |
| Thermal | Adjective | Keeping body heat | "Thermal clothing will keep you warm in winter." |
| Winter solstice | Noun | The shortest day of the year | "The winter solstice is celebrated in many cultures." |
| Woolen | Adjective | Made from wool | "Woolen socks are perfect for keeping your feet warm." |
| Xmas | Noun | A written abbreviation of ‘Christmas’ | "What are you doing for Xmas this year?" |
Practice talking about the seasons with these phrases
There you have it, 80 words and phrases you can use to discuss all the year’s seasons in English. Of course, not all countries have seasons like these – especially those close to the equator. But if you’re in a country from the north or south of the world (or talking to someone from there), you can use these in everyday conversations. It’s a great way to practice your English!
AUTHOR
Barney Meekin
Barney Meekin is a former language teacher with 15+ years of experience and a master's degree in applied linguistics. His first language is English and he's fluent in Japanese. Barney loves chess, martial arts, and going to the beach with his kids.
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