If there’s one thing everyone in Barcelona is talking about these days, it’s the heat. Here’s a short read to help you talk about hot weather in Spanish — like a local.
Barcelona is located on the Mediterranean coast, and those of us lucky enough to live near this sea enjoy —or at least, used to enjoy— a mild climate: mild winters and hot summers.
We’re used to summer heat, sure. But something has changed. The heat now arrives earlier, stays longer, and is harder to bear.
In Barcelona, we know what "bochorno" feels like. That heavy, sticky air that doesn’t move, the kind that makes it impossible to sleep. A humid heat that not only exhausts you, it irritates you and drains your energy.
And when the heat becomes unbearable, the city can turn into a trap. Not every home is equipped to withstand extreme temperatures. That’s where a concept we’re hearing more and more comes in: climate shelters.
What’s a climate shelter?
They are cool, accessible, and free public spaces where people can take refuge from extreme heat: libraries, civic centers, shaded parks, gardens with fountains, museums, even some churches.
These places not only offer relief, they are also a tool for climate justice, because not everyone has air conditioning or a shady balcony.
This summer, the heat is back in full force. But so is our opportunity to look after one another, to seek shade, to build community, and to demand more livable spaces for everyone.
And to express all of this, here’s a short list of common (and very vivid) Spanish expressions to talk about the heat:
Hace un calor que derrite.
🔸 It's so hot it's melting everything.
(o también: It's melting hot.)
Estoy sudando la gota gorda.
🔸 I'm sweating buckets.
(o I'm dripping with sweat.)
Hace un bochorno que no se puede ni respirar.
🔸 The muggy heat makes it hard to breathe.
(o It's so humid you can barely breathe.)
Parece que estemos en un horno.
🔸 It feels like we're in an oven.
No corre ni una brizna de aire.
🔸 There's not a breath of air.
(o The air is completely still.)
Esto es un infierno.
🔸 This is hell.
(o It's like hell out here.)
No hay quien pegue ojo con este calor.
🔸 You can't get a wink of sleep in this heat.
Estoy achicharrado/a.
🔸 I'm roasting.
(o I'm scorched.)
Hace un calor pegajoso.
🔸 It's sticky hot.
(o The heat is really clammy.)
Se me pega todo el cuerpo.
🔸 Everything's sticking to my body.
(o My clothes are clinging to me.)
Esto no es normal en junio.
🔸 This isn’t normal for June.
¡Qué calorazo!
🔸 What a scorcher!
(o It's blazing hot!)
