FastItalian LearningSign in
PhrasesTalking About WeatherQuanti gradi fa?
A1

Quanti gradi fa?

How many degrees is it?

Pronunciation

'Quanti' — QUAN-ti. Stress on the first syllable. 'Gradi' — GRA-di, clear double-syllable.

When to use it

Use to ask about the temperature — one of the most basic weather questions. Italy uses Celsius exclusively.

What it means

'Quanti gradi fa?' literally asks 'how many degrees does it make?' — using the weather 'fa' construction. This is the standard way to ask about temperature in Italian. The answer uses 'ci sono' or 'fa': 'ci sono trenta gradi' / 'fa trenta gradi'.

Variations

Che temperatura c'è fuori?

What temperature is it outside?

More formal — 'temperatura' is the technical term

Segna trentadue gradi.

It shows thirty-two degrees.

'Segnare' (to show/mark) — used for thermometers, car dashboards, phones

Con il percepito sembra di più.

With the feels-like temperature it seems more.

'Percepito' = perceived/feels-like temperature — modern weather app vocabulary

Mini Dialogue

— Quanti gradi fa? — Il telefono dice trentaquattro, ma con l'umidità sembra quaranta. — Quaranta?! Non si respira. — No davvero. Stai dentro.

— How many degrees is it? — My phone says thirty-four, but with humidity it feels like forty. — Forty?! You can't breathe. — Not really. Stay inside.

Cultural Note

Italy uses Celsius exclusively. 'Gradi' always refers to Celsius. The concept of 'temperatura percepita' (feels-like temperature, factoring in humidity and wind chill) has entered everyday Italian vocabulary through smartphone weather apps.