Weekend activities and weather

Vocabulary for weather and weekend activities

Vocabulary for weather and weekend activities is the vocabulary and sentence patterns used to describe weather conditions and activities on days off. In listening questions, the answer choices usually differ by only one key word, namely a time adverb, an activity verb, or an expression of change. Therefore, what must be mastered is the meaning of each word and how it differs from similar words.

Weather vocabulary

The basic weather conditions are 「晴れ(はれ, clear)」 and 「雨(あめ, rain)」. Both are usually paired with 「天気(てんき, weather)」, for example 天気がいい (the weather is good) and 天気が悪い (the weather is bad). The verb 「降る(ふる, fall)」 is used for rain and snow, so 雨が降る means rain falls. The form 「降ってくる」 shows rain that starts to fall suddenly.

Changes in weather are expressed with 「〜くなる(becomes ～)」, such as 「よくなる(improve)」 and 「寒くなる(becomes cold)」. To express change within one day, time adverbs are used. 「最初は(さいしょは, at first)」 marks the initial state, while 「午後から(ごごから, from midday)」 or 「昼からは(ひるからは, from midday)」 marks the turning point. For example, 最初は寒かったけれど、昼からは暖かくなった means it was cold at first, and then it became warm from midday.

The word 「一日中(いちにちじゅう, all day long)」 indicates a condition that lasts for the entire day. Compare it with 「朝(あさ, morning)」, 「昼(ひる, noon)」, and 「夕方(ゆうがた, late afternoon)」, which refer only to a particular part of the day. 「午前(ごぜん, before noon)」 and 「午後(ごご, after noon)」 are divisions of time that often appear together with descriptions of the weather.

Weekend activities

• 出かける(でかける, to go out) — to leave home for some purpose, for example 海へ出かける (to go out to the sea). This word does not always mean a specific activity, but emphasizes the act of going outside the house. 例) 週末は友達と映画に出かけた。
• 登る(のぼる, to climb) — to climb a mountain. Unlike 山に行く (to go to the mountain), 山に登る specifically means to climb.
• 〜てきました — the form 〜てくる after a verb shows an action of going somewhere and then coming back. 例) 駅まで本を買ってきた。 In 映画を見てきました, it means went to watch a movie and came back.
• 掃除をする(そうじをする, to clean) — cleaning the house. 例) 日曜日に部屋の掃除をする。
• 料理をする(りょうりをする, to cook) and 作る(つくる, to make) — 料理をする is cooking in general, while 作る means to make something, for example 夕ごはんを作る (to make dinner).
• 〜ながら(while) — expresses two actions done at the same time. 例) 音楽を聞きながら勉強する。
• 〜ている / 〜ていた — expresses a state that is ongoing. 例) 家で本を読んでいた。
• 寝る(ねる, to sleep) and 寝てしまう(ねてしまう, to fall asleep unintentionally) — 寝てしまう means to fall asleep without intending to, often used when one is tired. 例) 電車で寝てしまった。
• 遊ぶ(あそぶ, to play) and 泳ぐ(およぐ, to swim) — activities in relaxing places such as the beach. 例) 海で泳いで遊んだ。
• 買い物をする(かいものをする, to go shopping) and 食事をする(しょくじをする, to have a meal) — shopping and eating activities that often appear in weekend plans.
• 食べる(たべる, to eat) and お弁当(おべんとう, packed lunch) — お弁当 is a packed meal brought from home or bought to eat outside. 例) 公園でお弁当を食べた。