A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "It's freezing" in Spanish
Express extreme cold in Spanish with '¡Qué frío!' for casual conversations about the weather.
¡Qué frío!
keh FREE-ohcasual
Spanish TTS · 0:01
Use this when the temperature drops significantly and you want to express how uncomfortably cold it is. It's perfect for shivering, pulling on an extra layer, or commenting on the weather with friends.
Alternatives
- Hace mucho frío.More descriptive and slightly less exclamatory.
- Me estoy congelando.Emphasizes your personal feeling of being frozen.
Ways to get it wrong
Don't say 'Estoy congelado'
While 'congelado' means frozen, 'Estoy congelado' sounds like you are literally a frozen object, not just very cold.
Avoid 'Es frío'
This translates to 'It is cold' in a general, factual sense, not the feeling of extreme cold you want to express.
A small cultural note
In many parts of Latin America, '¡Qué frío!' is the most common and natural way to express that it's freezing, even if the temperature isn't literally below zero.
Frequently asked
how to say it's freezing in spanish
The most common way to say 'it's freezing' is '¡Qué frío!'. You can also say 'Hace mucho frío' for a slightly more formal or descriptive option.
is 'que frio' formal or informal
'¡Qué frío!' is generally considered casual. You'd use it with friends or family rather than in a very formal setting.
what does que frio mean literally
Literally, '¡Qué frío!' translates to 'What cold!' It's an exclamation used to express the intensity of the cold.
