When you need this

Winter gives people the most to talk about: snow days, icy sidewalks, late trains, heating bills. In cold cities like Chicago or Toronto, winter small talk is almost a sport, and a good complaint about the cold makes you one of the group.

Temperatures in the US are in Fahrenheit. Water freezes at 32 degrees, so "below freezing" means under 32. A winter day of 20 degrees is cold; 0 degrees is very cold. Below zero, people say "minus ten" or "ten below". Hearing "It's 10 degrees" in Chicago means a bitter day, not a mild one.

Notice "freezing". Technically it means 32 degrees or less, but people use it for any day that feels very cold. The same goes for "I'm frozen." Nobody is really frozen; they're very cold.

Phrases

very cold; people use it for any bitter day

under 32 degrees Fahrenheit, when water turns to ice

ten degrees under zero; you'll also hear "minus ten"

snow is falling right now

heavy snow with strong wind

schools close because of snow

the roads or sidewalks are covered in ice

how cold it feels with the wind

put on a lot of warm clothes

"I feel very cold", usually after being outside

Say it out loud

Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.

  5. 15 degrees Fahrenheit is well below freezing.

Practice · 3 min

Say the winter line. Situation on the left, one natural line on the right.

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Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.