秋天英文不只 autumn！sweater weather、apple picking 美國人九月都在講的 8 個字

九月一到，美國同事開口閉口 “PSL is back!”、“It’s finally sweater weather.”、“We went apple picking.”——你只聽得懂 fall，其他全是問號。

美國的秋天有一套自己的語言：sweater weather（涼到要穿毛衣）、pumpkin spice（南瓜香料，秋天的味道）、apple picking（採蘋果）、leaf peeping（看楓葉）、spooky season（萬聖節季）。記住這幾個，秋天的閒聊你就接得上。

💡 先搞懂：為什麼美國一到九月就「秋天模式」

美國人對秋天的熱情比台灣人想像的大很多。秋分還沒到，Starbucks 八月底就把 Pumpkin Spice Latte（大家簡稱 PSL）搬回菜單，社群上一片「fall is here」。接著是週末開車去 apple picking（採蘋果）、pumpkin patch（南瓜田挑南瓜）、往山上 leaf peeping（專程看楓葉），十月再進入 spooky season（萬聖節季）。這些字都不難，但課本不會教，聽不懂就接不上話。

台灣人最容易卡的雷：① 美國人講 fall 不講 autumn（autumn 是英式、偏書面，講了不算錯但像課本）；② 「天氣變涼了」美國人不說 the weather is cold，說 It’s sweater weather；③ 「去採蘋果」不是 go to pick apples，是 go apple picking（go + 活動-ing）。

Table of contents

💡 先搞懂：為什麼美國一到九月就「秋天模式」

情境對話 Dialogue
🎯 30 秒快速複習
下次這樣說 Next Time
重點單字 Vocabulary Boost
重點句型 Sentence Patterns
逐字稿 Transcript
延伸學習 Keep Going

情境對話 Dialogue

邊聽邊學

這一集完整音檔就在這裡，也可以到 Apple 或 Spotify 收聽

立即播放約 8 分

場景：Emma 剛到美國公司，這是她的第一個秋天；週一早上在茶水間，Daniel 剛過完採蘋果的週末，兩人邊泡咖啡邊聊。

Daniel

Morning, Emma! It’s finally sweater weather. I love this time of year.

早安，Emma！終於涼到可以穿毛衣了。我超愛這個季節。

Emma

Sweater weather? Oh, you mean it’s getting cold. Yeah, I wore a jacket today.

sweater weather？喔，你是說天氣變涼了。對啊，我今天穿了外套。

Daniel

Exactly. Fall is my favorite season. We went apple picking this weekend, and the kids had a blast.

沒錯。秋天是我最愛的季節。我們這週末去採蘋果，小孩玩瘋了。

Emma

Apple picking? Like, you go to a farm and pick them yourself?

採蘋果？就是去農場自己摘嗎？

Daniel

Yep, and there’s a pumpkin patch next to it. You pick your own pumpkin for Halloween.

對，旁邊還有南瓜田，可以自己挑一顆萬聖節要用的南瓜。

Emma

That sounds so cozy. Is that why everyone at work is drinking pumpkin spice lattes?

聽起來好溫馨。所以辦公室大家都在喝南瓜香料拿鐵，是這個原因？

Daniel

Ha, PSL season. It’s basically the official start of fall. You should try one.

哈，PSL 季啊。那基本上就是秋天正式開始的信號。你該喝一杯試試。

Emma

I will! What else do people do in the fall here?

我會的！這裡秋天大家還會做什麼？

Daniel

Leaf peeping. You drive up to the mountains just to look at the leaves. And then October is spooky season.

看楓葉。專程開車上山，就為了看葉子變色。然後十月就是萬聖節季了。

Emma

Okay, I’m officially excited for fall now. Count me in for apple picking next time.

好，我現在真的很期待秋天了。下次採蘋果算我一份。

🎯 30 秒快速複習

美國秋天的關鍵字：天氣涼了＝It’s sweater weather；秋天＝fall（不是 autumn）；週末活動＝go apple picking／go leaf peeping／pumpkin patch；秋天的味道＝pumpkin spice（PSL）；十月＝spooky season。

①秋天＝fall（美式），autumn 是英式

②天氣涼了＝It’s sweater weather

③採蘋果＝go apple picking

④看楓葉＝go leaf peeping

⑤南瓜田＝pumpkin patch

⑥南瓜香料拿鐵＝PSL

⑦十月萬聖節季＝spooky season

⑧溫馨舒服＝cozy

下次這樣說 Next Time

秋天閒聊最常卡的三句，換成美國人的講法就順。

① 說「秋天」

❌ 中文腦會說

I like autumn.

課本教的 autumn

✅ 該這樣說

I love fall.

美國日常一律 fall

為什麼：autumn 沒有錯，但美國人日常幾乎只講 fall；一開口 autumn 會有一點英式或課本感。

② 說「天氣變涼了」

❌ 中文腦會說

The weather is cold now.

直白報告溫度

✅ 該這樣說

It’s finally sweater weather.

用 sweater weather 講涼意

為什麼：cold 是「冷」，九月的涼意美國人用 sweater weather 這個帶著開心的說法，一句就有秋天的氣氛。

③ 說「去採蘋果」

❌ 中文腦會說

We went to pick apples.

照中文語序翻

✅ 該這樣說

We went apple picking.

go + 活動-ing

為什麼：美國人把採蘋果、看楓葉當成一種活動名稱：go apple picking、go leaf peeping，跟 go shopping、go hiking 同一個句型。

重點單字 Vocabulary Boost

fall/fɔːl/ n.

秋天（美式；英式是 autumn）。

Fall is my favorite season.（秋天是我最愛的季節。）

sweater weather/ˈswetər ˈweðər/ n.

涼到要穿毛衣的天氣（秋天來了的說法）。

It’s finally sweater weather.（終於涼到可以穿毛衣了。）

pumpkin spice/ˈpʌmpkɪn spaɪs/ n.

南瓜香料（肉桂、肉豆蔻等，秋天的味道）；PSL＝pumpkin spice latte。

Pumpkin spice season is here.（南瓜香料季來了。）

apple picking/ˈæpl ˈpɪkɪŋ/ n.

採蘋果（秋天週末活動，常用 go apple picking）。

We went apple picking on Saturday.（我們週六去採蘋果。）

leaf peeping/liːf ˈpiːpɪŋ/ n.

看楓葉、賞秋葉（專程去看葉子變色）。

October is the best time for leaf peeping.（十月是看楓葉最好的時候。）

pumpkin patch/ˈpʌmpkɪn pætʃ/ n.

南瓜田（可以自己挑南瓜帶回家的農場）。

Let’s hit the pumpkin patch this weekend.（這週末去南瓜田吧。）

cozy/ˈkoʊzi/ adj.

溫馨舒服的（毛毯、熱飲、暖燈那種感覺）。

This café is so cozy.（這間咖啡店好舒服。）

spooky season/ˈspuːki ˈsiːzn/ n.

萬聖節季（十月，spooky＝陰森、鬼鬼的）。

It’s officially spooky season!（正式進入萬聖節季了！）

重點句型 Sentence Patterns

1. 天氣變涼了 → It’s (finally) sweater weather.

秋天第一句閒聊，比 it’s getting cold 有感情。

例：It’s finally sweater weather!（終於涼到可以穿毛衣了！）
例：I’ve been waiting for sweater weather all summer.（我整個夏天都在等這種涼天氣。）
例：Sweater weather is the best weather.（涼涼的天氣最棒了。）

sweater weather 是一個固定說法，不用加 the。

2. 秋天是我的最愛 → Fall is my favorite season.

美式一律 fall；autumn 留給寫作或英式場合。

例：Fall is my favorite season.（秋天是我最愛的季節。）
例：I love everything about fall.（我愛秋天的一切。）
例：Fall is here!（秋天到了！）

「秋天到了」美國人常直接說 Fall is here，社群上九月一堆。

3. 去做秋天活動 → go apple picking / go leaf peeping

go ＋活動-ing，跟 go shopping 同一個句型。

例：We’re going apple picking on Saturday.（我們週六要去採蘋果。）
例：Let’s go leaf peeping in the mountains.（我們去山上看楓葉吧。）
例：Want to hit the pumpkin patch?（要不要去南瓜田？）

hit ＋地點＝「去一趟」，口語很常用：hit the gym、hit the pumpkin patch。

4. 秋天正式開始 → PSL is back / Fall is officially here

be back＝「回歸」，季節限定商品回來都這樣講。

例：PSL is back!（南瓜香料拿鐵回來了！）
例：Pumpkin spice everything is back.（南瓜香料口味的東西全回來了。）
例：It’s officially fall.（正式進入秋天了。）

pumpkin spice everything 是美國人自嘲「什麼都出南瓜香料口味」的講法。

5. 十月萬聖節季 → I’m so ready for spooky season.

be ready for ＋季節＝「好期待」。

例：I’m so ready for spooky season.（我超期待萬聖節季。）
例：Spooky season starts October first.（萬聖節季十月一號開始。）
例：We’re decorating for spooky season this weekend.（我們這週末要佈置萬聖節。）

spooky season 是 Halloween 迷的講法，年輕人和社群上最常見。

逐字稿 Transcript

There’s this smell that hits you the second you walk into a coffee shop in September. Cinnamon, something warm, a little spicy. I’m Jason, and that smell means one thing in America: fall is here.有一種味道，九月一走進咖啡店就會聞到：肉桂香、暖暖的、還帶點辛香料味。我是 Jason，在美國，聞到這個味道就代表一件事：秋天（fall）到了。

And I’m Mary. Honestly, the smell of coffee shops changing, the first cool morning, dry leaves crunching under your shoes, it all happens so fast here, and suddenly your American coworkers are speaking a language you never learned.我是 Mary。老實說，咖啡店的味道變了、早上第一次感覺到涼涼的、踩到乾葉子會發出喀滋喀滋的聲音，這一切在美國變化超快，突然間你的美國同事就開始講一堆你沒學過的英文。

So today’s episode is about the words Americans throw around every September. Daniel and Emma, two coworkers, just had a whole chat full of them, so let’s break those words down one by one.所以今天這集要講的，就是美國人每年九月都會講的這些字。 Daniel 跟 Emma 這兩個同事剛剛那段對話裡全是這些字，我們把它們一個一個拆開來講。

Good idea. First one is fall. I know Americans always say fall, but isn’t autumn basically the same word for the same season? Which one’s actually correct to use?好主意。第一個是 fall（秋天）。我知道美國人一直都講 fall，但 autumn 不是同一個季節的同一個字嗎？到底哪一個才是對的？

They’re both fine, actually. Autumn isn’t wrong, it’s just more British, or something you’d read in a book. If you say “I love autumn” to an American, it can sound a little formal, almost like a textbook.兩個其實都沒錯。 autumn 不是錯的，只是比較英式，或者比較常出現在書面文字裡。如果你跟美國人說「I love autumn」，聽起來會有點正式，甚至有點課本感。

So the natural way is just, “Fall is my favorite season.” Short and simple, and that’s actually the exact line Daniel says in the dialogue.所以自然的講法就是「Fall is my favorite season.」，短短一句就好，而且這其實就是 Daniel 在對話裡講的那句原話。

Right. Next word: sweater weather. Daniel actually opens the whole conversation with it. It’s not the same as saying the weather is cold. Sweater weather means it just got cool enough for a sweater, and people say it happily.沒錯。下一個字： sweater weather（涼到要穿毛衣的天氣）。 Daniel 其實一開口就是講這個字。這跟直接說「天氣變冷了」不一樣， sweater weather 是指天氣剛好涼到可以穿毛衣，而且大家講的時候是開心的。

So instead of saying “the weather is cold now,” you’d say, “It’s finally sweater weather.” That one small change makes it sound so much more natural, and honestly, more fun to say.所以與其說「The weather is cold now.」，不如說「It’s finally sweater weather.」，只換這一個講法，聽起來就自然很多，講起來也比較有秋天的味道。

Totally. And notice there’s no “the” in front of it. We don’t say “the sweater weather.” It’s just sweater weather on its own, like a fixed little phrase people use every fall.完全正確。而且注意前面沒有加 the，我們不會說「the sweater weather」，就是 sweater weather 單獨用，像一個固定的小詞組，秋天大家都這樣講。

Got it, no “the.” Okay, next up, pumpkin spice, and this thing called PSL that everyone posts about online. What’s actually going on with those two?了解，不加 the。好，下一個， pumpkin spice（南瓜香料），還有大家在網路上一直提到的 PSL，這兩個到底是怎麼回事？

Pumpkin spice is basically the flavor of fall, cinnamon, nutmeg, that warm spice smell everywhere. And PSL is just short for pumpkin spice latte, the drink everyone at Starbucks starts ordering.pumpkin spice 基本上就是秋天的味道，肉桂、肉豆蔻，那種暖暖的香料味，到處都聞得到。 PSL 就是 pumpkin spice latte 的縮寫，就是大家在 Starbucks 開始點的那杯拿鐵。

And this year Starbucks actually brought it back on August twenty-fifth, right? So when people say “PSL is back,” that’s exactly what they mean by it.而且今年 Starbucks 八月二十五號就把它帶回來了，對吧？所以大家講「PSL is back.」，意思就是這個。

Right, and “be back” is the pattern there. Anytime a seasonal drink or product returns, Americans just say it’s back. Daniel even calls PSL season the official start of fall in our dialogue.對，這裡用的句型就是 be back（回歸）。只要是季節限定的飲料或商品回來了，美國人就會說 it’s back。 Daniel 在對話裡還把 PSL 季直接叫做秋天正式開始的信號。

Okay, now the weekend activities. Apple picking, that’s when you go to a farm and pick the apples yourself, right? Sounds like a pretty fun little outing for a weekend.好，現在來講週末的活動。 apple picking（採蘋果），就是去農場自己動手摘蘋果，對吧？聽起來是個滿好玩的週末小活動。

Yep, and Daniel actually says “we went apple picking this weekend.” But here’s the tricky part, you don’t say “we went to pick apples,” that’s just a direct translation. Americans always say it the other way.對，而且 Daniel 真的說了「we went apple picking this weekend」。但這裡有個容易搞混的地方，不能說「we went to pick apples」，那樣聽起來就是照中文語序直翻，美國人一律用另一種講法。

So it’s go plus the activity with ing, like go shopping or go hiking. Go apple picking, go leaf peeping, it’s all the exact same pattern.所以句型是 go 加上活動加 ing，跟 go shopping、 go hiking 是同一套。 go apple picking、 go leaf peeping，完全同一個模式。

Exactly, and that pattern is everywhere. Leaf peeping is the same idea. You just drive up somewhere to look at the fall leaves changing color, no shopping, no hiking, just looking.沒錯，這個句型到處都用得到。 leaf peeping（看楓葉）也是同樣的概念，就是專程開車到某個地方，去看秋天葉子變色，不是購物，也不是健行，就只是單純地看。

That sounds so peaceful, honestly, just driving around for a while to look at some leaves. What about pumpkin patch? I keep hearing that one too.聽起來好療癒，老實說，就開車繞一繞看看葉子。那 pumpkin patch 呢？我也一直聽到這個字。

That’s the farm where you pick out your own pumpkin, usually to decorate for Halloween. Daniel even mentions one right next to the apple farm. And it comes with a fun little pattern: hit the pumpkin patch.那是可以自己挑南瓜的農場，通常是要拿來佈置萬聖節用的。 Daniel 還提到那個農場旁邊就有一個南瓜田。而且這個字還搭配一個很有趣的句型： hit the pumpkin patch。

Hit plus a place means you go there, right? Kind of like when someone says hit the gym, meaning they’re just quickly heading over there.hit 加地點就是「去一趟」的意思，對吧？有點像有人說 hit the gym，意思是他們正要過去健身房。

Exactly, same idea. Hit the pumpkin patch, hit the gym, it just means going somewhere pretty casually, nothing formal about it at all.沒錯，一樣的概念。 hit the pumpkin patch、 hit the gym，意思就是輕鬆地去某個地方，一點都不正式。

Okay, and cozy, that one I actually already know. It’s like warm and comfortable, blankets, hot drinks, soft lighting, that whole kind of feeling. That’s exactly what Emma says about the pumpkin patch idea too.好，那 cozy 這個字我其實已經知道了。就是溫暖又舒服，毛毯、熱飲、柔和的燈光，那整個感覺。這也正是 Emma 聽到南瓜田那段時說的那種感覺。

Right, cozy is exactly that whole vibe. A cafe can be cozy, a sweater can be cozy, and honestly, fall in general just feels cozy to a lot of people.對， cozy 講的就是那整個氛圍。一間咖啡店可以是 cozy，一件毛衣可以是 cozy，老實說，對很多人來說整個秋天就是給人 cozy 的感覺。

Last one, spooky season. That’s basically just October, right? The whole Halloween season that everyone online seems to get so excited about every single year?最後一個， spooky season（萬聖節季）。那基本上就是指十月，對吧？就是大家每年在網路上都很期待的那整個萬聖節季？

Yep, spooky means a little scary, or ghostly, so spooky season is just what people call the Halloween month. The pattern here is “be ready for.” Saying “I’m so ready for spooky season” just means you’re excited.對， spooky 就是有點嚇人、鬼鬼的意思，所以 spooky season 就是大家用來稱呼萬聖節那個月的講法。這裡的句型是 be ready for（準備好迎接）。講「I’m so ready for spooky season.」意思就是你很期待。

Okay so let’s count them up: fall, sweater weather, pumpkin spice, apple picking, leaf peeping, pumpkin patch, cozy, and spooky season. That’s eight words total.好，那我們來數一下： fall、 sweater weather、 pumpkin spice、 apple picking、 leaf peeping、 pumpkin patch、 cozy，還有 spooky season，總共八個字。

That’s the full list. And honestly, once you know all eight of those, September small talk in an American office gets so much easier, trust me on that.就是這整個清單。老實說，這八個字都學起來，九月在美國辦公室裡的閒聊會輕鬆很多，真的，相信我。

Okay, we’re about done for today. Let’s hear Daniel and Emma one more time, and see how many of those eight words you catch this round.好，今天差不多要結束了。我們再聽一次 Daniel 跟 Emma 的對話，這次看看你能抓到幾個這八個字。

🔁 [DIALOGUE REPLAY] 重播情境對話

The second time through, those eight words probably jumped right out at you way more than the first time.第二次聽的時候，那八個字應該比第一次聽跳出來得更明顯。

Tell us in the comments, which one would you actually try first: apple picking, leaf peeping, or grabbing a PSL?留言告訴我們，你會最想先試哪一個： apple picking、 leaf peeping，還是先來一杯 PSL？

Alright, stay cozy out there.好，大家秋天保持 cozy 一點。

This has been MJ English, now go hit that pumpkin patch.這裡是 MJ 英語，現在就去挑一顆南瓜吧。