brutto tempo
Lemma: brutto tempo
Translation: bad weather; foul weather; nasty weather (phrase)
Etymology: Combines 'brutto' (ugly, bad) from Latin 'brutus' (heavy, dull, stupid) and 'tempo' (weather, time) from Latin 'tempus' (time, season). The phrase reflects how Italians conceptualize weather conditions as temporal states, similar to English 'bad times' but specifically applied to meteorological conditions.
Example Usage
Oggi c'è brutto tempo, meglio rimanere a casa.
Today there's bad weather, better to stay at home.
Le previsioni dicono che ci sarà brutto tempo tutto il fine settimana.
The forecast says there will be bad weather all weekend.
Con questo brutto tempo, la partita sarà sicuramente annullata.
With this bad weather, the match will surely be canceled.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'brutto' as 'brutal' weather conditions
- Remember 'tempo' sounds like 'temperature' in English, which relates to weather
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
Weather is a common topic of conversation in Italy, and Italians often use weather expressions to make small talk. 'Brutto tempo' is frequently used to comment on unpleasant weather conditions, which can significantly impact outdoor social activities that are central to Italian lifestyle.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'brutto tempo' is the standard word order, 'tempo brutto' is occasionally used but sounds less natural to native speakers. In Italian, adjectives typically follow nouns, but certain common adjectives like 'brutto' often precede the noun.
Notes: The standard phrase is 'brutto tempo' with the adjective preceding the noun, which is common for certain evaluative adjectives in Italian.
Mnemonic: Remember 'brutto tempo' is like saying 'nasty weather' (adjective first) in English
Explanation: 'Brutto tempo' refers specifically to weather conditions, while 'brutto periodo' means 'bad time' or 'difficult period' in someone's life or in history.
Confused word:
Sta attraversando un brutto periodo dopo la perdita del lavoro.
He's going through a difficult time after losing his job.
Notes: Both phrases use 'brutto' but refer to different concepts of 'bad' conditions.
Mnemonic: 'Tempo' for weather, 'periodo' for life periods