How to say “heat wave” in Spanish
3 phrases · Tourist, Learner, and Local levels · with pronunciation
¡Hay una ola de calor!
🔊 Ay OO-na OH-la deh ka-LOR
Literally: “There is a heat wave!”
💡 ola de calor = heat wave. Direct and clear.
Estamos en plena ola de calor, bebe mucha agua y evita el sol del mediodía.
🔊 Es-TAH-mos en PLEH-na OH-la deh ka-LOR, BEH-beh MOO-cha AH-gwa ee eh-VEE-ta el sol del meh-dee-oh-DEE-a
Literally: “We're in the middle of a heat wave, drink lots of water and avoid the midday sun.”
💡 en plena = in the middle of; mediodía = midday. Standard heat wave advice.
Menudo bochorno — hace un sol de justicia y la calle está que arde, mejor quedarse a la sombra.
🔊 Meh-NOO-doh bo-CHOR-no — AH-seh oon sol deh hoos-TEE-syah ee la KAH-yeh es-TAH keh AR-deh, meh-HOR keh-DAR-seh ah la SOM-bra
Literally: “What muggy heat — the sun is like justice and the street is burning, better stay in the shade.”
💡 bochorno = muggy/oppressive heat; sol de justicia = sun like justice (reaches everyone, inescapable); que arde = literally burning. Peak Madrid summer vocabulary.
About these Spanish phrases
These Spanish weather phrases cover three levels of fluency for expressing heat wave conditions. The Tourist phrase is what any beginner can use immediately. The Learner phrase sounds natural in everyday conversation. The Local phrase uses authentic idioms and expressions that native speakers actually use — the kind of phrase that makes locals smile when they hear a foreigner use it.
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