Italian Phrase
Questo agosto fa un caldo pazzesco.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘This August is scorching hot.’ It stresses that the temperature is unusually high, using the intensifier ‘pazzesco’ to convey a sense of astonishment.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are talking about the weather during the current or most recent August, especially when describing a heat wave or an unusually hot summer. It fits informal conversation, social media posts, or travel blogs about Italy in summer.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Questoagostofauncaldopazzesco
Demonstrative adjective (Questo)
Used before a noun to point out something specific; must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies.
Month name (agosto)
Masculine noun for the month; in Italian months are usually used without an article when referring to a specific month in weather statements.
Impersonal verb ‘fare’
In weather expressions Italian uses the verb ‘fare’ in third‑person singular (fa) to describe temperature, e.g., fa caldo, fa freddo.
Indefinite article (un)
Used before masculine singular nouns that begin with a consonant; ‘caldo’ is masculine, so the correct article is ‘un’.
Noun ‘caldo’
Literally ‘heat’; in the expression ‘fa caldo’ it functions as a noun meaning ‘heat’ or ‘hot weather’.
Intensifier adjective (pazzesco)
Means ‘crazy, insane’; placed after the noun to amplify the degree, similar to ‘extremely’ in English.
🗨In Conversation
Questo agosto fa un caldo pazzesco, vero?
This August is scorching hot, right?
Sì, non riesco nemmeno a uscire senza il ventilatore.
Yes, I can’t even go outside without the fan.
✕Common Mistakes
fa una caldo pazzesco
‘Caldo’ is masculine, so the article must be ‘un’, not ‘una’.
fa un pazzesco caldo
In this construction the adjective follows the noun; placing it before sounds unnatural.
Il questo agosto fa un caldo pazzesco
Months are normally used without an article in weather statements; the demonstrative alone is enough.
↔Alternatives
Questo agosto è molto caldo.
This August is very hot.
In questo agosto fa un caldo incredibile.
This August brings an incredible heat.
Questo agosto fa un caldo da far impazzire.
This August is hot enough to drive you crazy.
Cultural Tip
August is traditionally the hottest month in Italy and coincides with Ferragosto, a national holiday when many Italians go on vacation to the beach or the mountains. Because of the intense heat, people often talk about ‘caldo pazzesco’, sip iced espresso, and seek shade under pergolas or gelaterias. In the south (Sicily, Calabria) the heat can feel even more extreme, so locals might add regional adjectives like ‘bollente’ or ‘rovente’. Remember that using a demonstrative ‘questo’ before a month is perfectly natural in weather talk, but you would not say ‘il agosto’ unless you’re referring to a specific August in a historical context.