Weather vs Whether
What's the difference?
They sound the same, but one is about the sky and the other is about a choice. A simple swap test tells them apart.
Quick answer
Weather is rain, sun, and temperature. Whether means "if" (whether or not). If you can replace it with "if," use whether.
Compared side by side
(noun) the state of the atmosphere — rain, sun, wind, temperature.
- “The weather is lovely today.”
- “Bad weather delayed the flight.”
- “What's the weather like?”
(conjunction) introduces a choice or a doubt; means "if."
- “I don't know whether to go.”
- “Ask whether the shop is open.”
- “It works whether you like it or not.”
How to remember it
weather has "eat" hidden inside — picnics need good weather. whether is about a choice: whether or not.
Frequently asked
What's the easy test?
Try replacing it with "if." "I'm not sure whether to come" → "if to come" (a choice) ✓. You can't say "the if is nice," so the sky one is weather.
Is "wether" a word too?
Yes, but a rare one — a wether is a castrated male sheep. In normal writing you'll only ever need weather (the sky) or whether (if).