Weather & Climate

1. Ullumi kiappoq.

   It's warm today.

   Usage

   Used on the rare warm days in Greenland

   Grammar Note

   kiappoq means "it is warm" (said of air temperature). "Ullumi" means "today". Kalaallisut has no direct equivalent of the English tag question, so the plain statement is used.

2. Siallissasoq ilimanarpoq.

   It looks like it will rain

   Usage

   Used when rain appears likely

   Grammar Note

   "It rains" is siallerpoq; the noun sialuk is "rain". The future -ssa- plus the participle -soq gives "that it will rain", followed by ilimanarpoq "is to be expected, seems likely".

3. Anorersuaq qanillivoq.

   A storm is approaching

   Usage

   Important warning when a storm approaches Greenland

   Grammar Note

   anorersuaq means "storm; windstorm" and anori "wind" (anorersuarujussuaq for a severe one; piteraq for the katabatic wind on Greenland’s east coast). "Approaches" is qanillivoq / palliguppoq (example: umiarsuup qanillivaa).

4. Ullumi pueqqorpoq.

   It's cool today.

   Usage

   Describe the cool/cold Greenlandic climate

   Grammar Note

   pueqqorpoq means "it is cool, it is a little cold" (of the weather). "Ullumi" means "today". Kalaallisut has no tag-question form, so the plain statement is used.

5. Palersaat pisariaqarpa?

   Do I need sunscreen?

   Usage

   Ask before going out under the strong Arctic summer sun

   Grammar Note

   palersaat means "suntan lotion; sunscreen".

6. Sialussiut siaartartoq nassarniassavara?

   Should I bring an umbrella?

   Usage

   Check whether to bring an umbrella

   Grammar Note

   An umbrella is sialussiut siaartartoq; "opens the umbrella" is sialussiunni siaarpaa (sialuk "rain", siaarpaa "spreads it").

7. Qaqugu sialoqanngitsoq?

   When is the dry season?

   Usage

   Ask when the rainless period is

   Grammar Note

   "Without rain" is sialoqanngitsoq (sialuk "rain" plus -qanngit- "has none"). There is no single word for a dry season — the rainy season is siallertarfia — and Greenland has no dry/rainy season distinction, so it is expressed as the time without rain.

8. Siallertarfia qaqugu?

   When is the rainy season?

   Usage

   Ask when the rainy period is

   Grammar Note

   siallertarfia is siallerpoq ("it rains") plus -tarfik "the time when".

9. Ullumi seqineq sakkortuvoq.

   The sun is really strong

   Usage

   Describe the strong summer sun in Greenland

   Grammar Note

   sakkortooq / sakkortuvoq means "is strong; is powerful" (said of a colour, a current, a feeling; "strong light" is qaamaneq sakkortooq). The strength of spirits is the separate word kimittooq.

10. sialuk

    Rain

    Usage

    For asking or telling about the weather

11. aput

    Snow (on the ground)

    Usage

    Snow lying on the ground; a falling snowflake is "qanik"

12. qanik

    Snowflake

    Usage

    For snow that is falling

13. anori

    Wind

    Usage

    For asking or telling about the weather

14. seqineq

    Sun

    Usage

    For asking whether it is sunny

Browse all TravelPhrases languages