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PhrasesTalking About WeatherChe tempaccio!
A2informal

Che tempaccio!

What terrible weather!

Pronunciation

'Tempaccio' — tem-PAC-cio. The '-accio' suffix adds negativity. Stress on the second syllable.

When to use it

Use on grey, rainy, or unpleasant days. The '-accio' suffix transforms 'tempo' (weather) into something strongly negative — a very Italian linguistic trick.

What it means

The suffix '-accio' (feminine '-accia') is a 'peggiorativo' (pejorative suffix) in Italian, making a word express badness or ugliness. 'Tempo' (weather) → 'tempaccio' (terrible weather). 'Giornata' → 'giornataccia' (awful day). This is productive Italian morphology.

Variations

Che giornataccia!

What a terrible day!

Extends the pejorative to the whole day — even more dramatic

Un tempo da lupi.

Wolf-like weather.

Idiomatic — 'un tempo da lupi' means weather so bad only wolves go out in it

Il tempo fa schifo oggi.

The weather is dreadful today.

'Fa schifo' (makes disgust) = is disgusting/awful — very colloquial, avoid with elders

Mini Dialogue

— Che tempaccio! Guarda che pioggia! — Un tempo da lupi, davvero. — E pensare che ieri c'era il sole... — È la primavera, non si capisce mai niente.

— What terrible weather! Look at that rain! — Wolf weather, truly. — And to think yesterday there was sunshine... — It's spring, you never know what to expect.

Cultural Note

Italian spring ('la primavera') is famous for its unpredictability — sun and heavy rain can alternate within hours. 'La primavera è pazza' (spring is crazy) is a common Italian saying that perfectly captures the season's mood swings.