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PhrasesTalking About WeatherCon questo tempo non si può stare in montagna.
B1

Con questo tempo non si può stare in montagna.

In this weather you can't be in the mountains.

Pronunciation

'Montagna' — mon-TAN-ya. The 'gn' creates a 'ny' sound. Stress on the second syllable.

When to use it

Use when bad weather makes mountain activities dangerous or unpleasant — relevant for the many Italians who hike, ski, or holiday in the Alps or Apennines.

What it means

'Non si può stare in montagna' uses impersonal 'si' — 'one cannot be in the mountains'. This construction distances the statement from personal preference — it's objective, almost authoritative. Mountain safety is taken seriously in Italy.

Variations

Le cime sono nella nebbia.

The peaks are in the fog.

'Cime' = peaks/summits. Fog on peaks is dangerous for hikers and skiers

È scattata l'allerta meteo in quota.

The altitude weather alert has been activated.

'In quota' (at altitude) — weather authorities issue separate mountain alerts

Il sentiero è impraticabile con la pioggia.

The path is impassable in the rain.

'Impraticabile' (impassable/impractical) — strong word for genuinely dangerous conditions

Mini Dialogue

— Facciamo l'escursione domani? — Con questo tempo non si può stare in montagna. C'è allerta meteo. — Aspettiamo sabato? — Sabato dovrebbe andare meglio.

— Shall we do the hike tomorrow? — In this weather you can't be in the mountains. There's a weather alert. — Shall we wait for Saturday? — Saturday should be better.

Cultural Note

Mountain rescue ('Soccorso Alpino') in Italy handles thousands of interventions per year, many weather-related. Italian mountaineers are educated to check forecasts rigorously before any high-altitude activity. Ignoring weather warnings is culturally criticised.