¿El clima o el tiempo?

Question

In English, as far as I know, the difference between climate and weather is universally accepted.

In Colombia, people refer to el clima when they are clearly talking about today's weather. My girlfiend tells me that people rarely use el tiempo here.

Is this true? Is this the same in other geographies?

Answer 1

I agree with Jeremías: clima is what you expect; tiempo is what you get.

Nice concise definition - lagartijaverde, Aug 23, 2011

Je je, muy divertido. - Jeremias, Aug 23, 2011

Answer 2

I would hazard to say that the distinction between clima and tiempo is very much the same as the distinction between climate and weather in English.

In definition yes, but in usage no, hence my post :-) - afowen, Aug 22, 2011

Isn't it true that in both Spanish and English you can say, "The weather (or the clmate) in summer is rainy", but you can't say "the climate today is rainy"? That's what I was trying to get at. - Jeremias, Aug 22, 2011

At times you can't interchange these words, but the difference in English and Spanish is the same. :) - Jeremias, Aug 22, 2011

I don't think I've heard 'el tiempo' in Bogotá, other than when referring to the eponymous newspaper. People say el clima when talking about the weather as it is in the moment. Was wondering if this happened elsewhere... - afowen, Aug 24, 2011

Answer 3

If I translate this" La clima es lo que esperas pero el tiempo es lo que obtienes ... Is obtienes the best word here for "get" or is there a better more colloquial word ?

This sounds pretty good to me, but as you know I'm not at all fluent.

...el tiempo es lo que pasa comes to mind.

how about

... el tiempo es lo que te toca. I think this actually doesn't work well here.

... el tiempo es lo que recibes. Sort of like obtienes.

... el tiempo es lo que te dan. That might be good.

Answer 4

I agree with Jeremías: clima is what you expect; tiempo is what you get.

If I translate this" La clima es lo que esperas pero el tiempo es lo que obtienes ... Is obtienes the best word here for "get" or is there a better more colloquial word ?

Answer 5

The use of clima to refer to weather here is pretty much restricted to saying "el cambio del clima" for the seasonal changes in weather.

Not in Colombia, or rather in Bogotá, from what I can tell. - afowen, Aug 24, 2011

Answer 6

I think this is just a regional difference... I hear 'tiempo' more

And... where is you at? - afowen, Aug 22, 2011

American/Mexican Spanish - Felixlynx, Aug 22, 2011