grammer

Why in lesson 4.6 do they translate the word ( it's)  windy, sunny, cold etc.  Hace.    Yet when they get down to , it's clear,cloudy,bad etc they change it to Esta' coludy fresh bad etc.

Good question. When I studied that chapter, I just memorized it. I just remember how hace calor and estoy calliente has different connotations but I am not sure. Maybe someone else can elaborate further

The simple answer is that the Spanish language evolved to express some weather one way and some another.

The lesson is not translating hace as "it is." The literal translation of Hace sol is "it makes sun." Other weather is expressed the same way as in English, Está nublado, "it is cloudy."

As Aurora said, you just have to try to memorize which is which. At first it is confusing, but the more often you use the expression the more "right" it sounds when you use the correct expression. Also, the more often you mis-state the weather and are corrected by native Spanish speakers, you learn to use the correct expression.

It is a little bit like "Tengo sesenta y uno años de edad." I "have" 61 years of age, as opposed to the English expression,  "I am 61 years old." Except it is consistent.

 

Yes, this is one of those things you have to just learn (memorize).  Likewise, if you want to say "I'm hungry", you don't say "estoy hambre" but say "tengo hambre".

This is one way that I am able to keep things straight regarding the weather.  Rain, snow and clouds are all things you can see.  I tell others that they are "tangible".  Not sure if that would be the correct term or not.  With these "tangible" weather conditions, you use "estar".

You can see the sun but you can't see the heat from the sun.  You feel it.  You can see the effects of the wind, but you can't see the wind directly.  You feel it.  And you can't see the cold.  You feel it.  These weather conditions that you can't see, uses "hacer".  

Hope this helps.

This is also where I am at with the lessons Larry. It is confusing and was struggling a bit to just memorise it all but Diranu that is a fantastic way to look at it, makes so much sense. Thanks for sharing!

PS: I was so excited today when some Spanish colleagues were talking amongst themselves and I heard 'hace mucho viento hoy' and I said 'that means its very windy today'! A week ago I would not have known that! Small steps :) 

Jo: ¡Felicitaciones!

Paso a paso podemos aprender estas lengua.

Since I've just completed the weather lesson myself, and have seen a couple of threads related to it, I decided to do a little more digging.  Here's what I came up with.  I have no source to quote other than looking up various words in a dictionary to see their corresponding parts of speech.  So most of this came from my own fevered brain.  Proceed at your own risk.

Hace ~ used with nouns
Estar ~ used with adjectives and verbs

Hace viento translates to "It's windy."  However, it literally means, "It makes (does) wind."  Some of the words like "frío" can be a noun or adjective.  However it is used as a noun in the phrase, "hace frío."  That is, "it makes (does) cold."  The word "calor" is heat which is a noun, and so it goes with hacer.  "Nublado" (cloudy) is an adjective and goes with estar.

I hope this makes sense.  Also, as I've stated in other places, I am by no means an expert, so feel free to correct any and all of my errors.  :)

Dan,

Your "Paso a paso podemos aprender estas lengua." Brought back fond memories.  My instructor at a Spanish immersion camp last year always said "poco a poco".  Tienes razón, paso a paso podemos aprender esta lengua y conquistarla!

Diranu
Thank you for those words of wisdom.
George