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PhrasesTalking About WeatherC'è troppo vento per andare al mare.
B1informal

C'è troppo vento per andare al mare.

There's too much wind to go to the sea.

Pronunciation

'Andare al mare' — and-DA-re al MA-re. Both stressed syllables are clear. 'Mare' = sea — short, open 'a'.

When to use it

Use in coastal areas when wind prevents beach activities. In Italy, going to the sea is one of the most important summer activities and weather conditions are analysed carefully.

What it means

Wind makes beach-going unpleasant — it blows sand, creates waves, and makes sunbathing uncomfortable. 'Troppo vento per' + infinitive is a useful construction: 'too much X to do Y'. The sea is central to Italian summer culture.

Variations

Il mare è mosso, non si può fare il bagno.

The sea is rough, you can't swim.

'Mare mosso' (rough sea) vs 'mare calmo' (calm sea) — essential beach vocabulary

Bandiera rossa in spiaggia.

Red flag on the beach.

Red flag = sea too dangerous for swimming. A serious beach safety signal in Italy.

Con questo vento la sabbia punge.

In this wind the sand stings.

'Pungere' (to sting/prick) — wind-blown sand is a real beach nuisance in Italy

Mini Dialogue

— Andiamo al mare oggi? — C'è troppo vento per andare al mare. Il mare è mosso. — Che peccato! E domani? — Domani è più calmo, secondo le previsioni.

— Shall we go to the sea today? — There's too much wind to go to the sea. The sea is rough. — What a shame! And tomorrow? — Tomorrow it's calmer, according to the forecast.

Cultural Note

Italian beaches ('stabilimenti balneari') have a strict colour-coded flag system: green (safe), yellow (caution), red (no swimming). Italians respect these flags, and lifeguards ('bagnini') enforce them with authority.