The nuclear quadrupole interaction of dilutelight rare earth (RE) metals La, Pr and Nd by time differential perturbed angular correlationmeasurements. The quadrupole frequency νQ has been determined in Pr as a function oftemperature and pressure, in Nd as a function of temperature, and in La at 19 K. The pressuredependence of νQ of 111Cd in Pr ((d In νQ/d P)290 K = + 2.7 (2.3) · 10-3 Kbar-1) is a factor of3 - 4 weaker than in the heavy RE metals Gd to Er. At the same time the temperature dependenceof νQ in the light RE is up to a factor of 3 stronger than in the heavy RE. Between 300 K and900 K. the quadrupole frequency is a linear function of temperature with the same slope(d In νQ/dT)290 k = - 8.4(2) · 10-4 K-1 both in Pr and Nd. Between 25 K and 300 K the decrease is stronger than linear, and more pronounced in Pr than in Nd. The temperature coefficient(d In νQ/dT)290 k is found to decrease linearly with the RE atomic number across both the seriesof the fight and the heavy RE metals.