It's dog-cold! / It's freezing cold!
'Cane' — CA-ne. Stress on the first syllable. Short word — don't elongate it.
Use in informal contexts to express very cold weather with vivid, colourful language. 'Freddo cane' is a fixed expression — animal comparisons intensify expressions in Italian.
'Fare un freddo cane' is an idiomatic Italian expression meaning 'it's terribly cold'. The 'cane' (dog) serves as an intensifier — comparable to the English 'dog tired'. The expression carries comic energy and is popular in northern Italy during winter.
Si gela da morire.
It's freezing to death.
Also idiomatic — 'da morire' (to die) as intensifier is very common in Italian
Fa un freddo polare.
It's polar cold.
'Freddo polare' — Arctic-level cold. Used dramatically for very cold Italian winters
Ho le mani di ghiaccio.
My hands are made of ice.
'Di ghiaccio' (of ice) — vivid description of cold extremities, very relatable
'Aprile, dolce dormire' is part of an Italian proverb about April weather. Italians quote proverbs about weather frequently — they form part of the shared cultural vocabulary for discussing climate and seasons.