It is raining
in SpanishEstá lloviendo
/ehs-TAH yoh-VYEHN-doh/
This is the most standard, direct way to describe that rain is falling right at this moment. It works in every Spanish-speaking country and social situation.
💬Other Ways to Say It
Llueve
/YWEH-veh/
The simple present tense. While it technically means 'it rains,' it is frequently used interchangeably with 'it is raining' to state the current weather.
Está diluviando
/ehs-TAH dee-loo-VYAHN-doh/
Used when it is raining extremely hard. Think of the word 'deluge' or 'flood'.
Está chispeando
/ehs-TAH chees-peh-AHN-doh/
Means 'it is sparking' or 'sprinkling'. Used for very light rain.
Está garuando
/ehs-TAH gah-ru-AHN-doh/
The South American equivalent for drizzling or misting.
Llueve a cántaros
/YWEH-veh ah KAHN-tah-rohs/
Literally 'it is raining pitchers/jugs'. This is the Spanish equivalent of 'raining cats and dogs'.
Cae un palo de agua
/KAH-eh oon PAH-loh deh AH-gwah/
Slang for a sudden, massive tropical downpour.
🔑Key Words
Key Words to learn:
📊Quick Comparison
Here is how to choose the right word based on the intensity of the rain.
| Phrase | Intensity | Best For | Avoid When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Está lloviendo | Standard Rain | General use, standard rain | You want to be very specific about light mist |
| Está chispeando | Light Drizzle | Very light drops, starting/stopping rain | It is storming heavily |
| Está diluviando | Heavy Storm | Torrential downpours, storms | It is just a light shower |
📈Difficulty Level
The double-L sound (pronounced like 'y' or 'j') is the only tricky part for beginners.
Standard continuous tense (estar + gerund). Very consistent.
Straightforward usage, universally understood.
Key Challenges:
- Remembering not to use 'hace'
- Pronouncing the LL correctly
💡Examples in Action
Mira por la ventana, está lloviendo mucho.
Look out the window, it is raining a lot.
No podemos ir al parque porque llueve.
We can't go to the park because it's raining.
¡Cuidado! Está diluviando y la carretera está peligrosa.
Careful! It's pouring and the road is dangerous.
Solo está chispeando, no necesitas paraguas.
It's only sprinkling, you don't need an umbrella.
🌍Cultural Context
The Universal Ice-Breaker
Just like in English-speaking cultures, commenting on the rain is the number one way to start small talk in Spanish. A simple '¡Cómo llueve!' (Look how it rains!) is a perfectly acceptable way to start a conversation with a stranger in an elevator or shop.
April Showers
There is a famous rhyme in Spanish: 'En abril, aguas mil' (In April, a thousand waters). It's the cultural equivalent of 'April showers bring May flowers,' predicting a rainy spring season.
Rain Luck
In many Hispanic cultures, rain on a wedding day is actually considered good luck! It signifies fertility and cleansing for the new couple's future, rather than a ruined event.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Hace' instead of 'Está'
Mistake: "Saying 'Hace lluvia' or 'Hace lloviendo'."
Correction: Está lloviendo (It is raining) or Hay lluvia (There is rain).
Using 'Es' for 'It is'
Mistake: "Saying 'Es lloviendo'."
Correction: Está lloviendo.
Pronouncing the double L as L
Mistake: "Pronouncing 'Lloviendo' like 'Lo-vien-do'."
Correction: Yoh-vyeh-ndoh.
💡Pro Tips
Subject-Free Sentence
In English, we must say 'IT is raining.' In Spanish, the verb contains the subject. Never try to translate the word 'it' separately. Just say 'Está lloviendo' or 'Llueve'.
The Umbrella Trick
If you need to ask for an umbrella, the word is 'paraguas'. It literally means 'stops waters' (para + aguas). Even if you have just one umbrella, the word ends in 's' and is masculine: 'un paraguas'.
🗺️Regional Variations
Argentina & Uruguay (Rioplatense)
The 'sh' pronunciation is iconic to this region. Also, 'garúa' is a very common noun for the persistent, fine mist common in Buenos Aires winters.
Mexico
'Chispear' (literally 'to spark') is the go-to word for light rain. You will hear it constantly during the rainy season.
Caribbean (Puerto Rico, DR, Cuba)
Caribbean rain is often intense, sudden, and short. The slang 'palo de agua' implies a rain so heavy it feels like sticks hitting you.
💬What Comes Next?
You mention it is raining
Sí, qué mal tiempo hace.
Yes, the weather is so bad.
Ojalá pare pronto.
Hopefully it stops soon.
It starts raining suddenly
¡Nos vamos a mojar!
We are going to get wet!
Vamos a buscar refugio.
Let's look for shelter/cover.
🧠Memory Tricks
The word 'Llover' (to rain) looks like 'Liquid' + 'Over'. Imagine liquid falling over you to remember the verb.
To remember the pronunciation of 'Lloviendo', imagine you are saying 'Yo' (me) looking out a window ('viendo'). Yo-viendo the rain.
🔄How It Differs from English
English requires a dummy subject 'It' (It is raining). Spanish is a 'pro-drop' language, meaning the verb implies the subject. Because weather events are impersonal (no specific person is doing the raining), Spanish simply uses the verb form without any pronoun like 'ello' or 'eso'.
False Friends & Common Confusions:
Why it's different: You cannot translate 'pouring' literally as 'vertiendo' (pouring a drink).
Use instead: Está diluviando (It's deluging) or Está lloviendo a cántaros.
🎬In Popular Culture
Ojalá Que Llueva Café
by Juan Luis Guerra
A classic Merengue song where the singer wishes it would rain coffee beans so the poor farmers would have a harvest.
Why it matters: Teaches the subjunctive form of rain (llueva) used with wishes (ojalá).
Esta Tarde Vi Llover
by Armando Manzanero
One of the most famous boleros in history. The singer talks about watching the rain fall while missing his love.
Why it matters: Shows the infinitive use 'vi llover' (I saw [it] rain).
🎯Your Learning Path
➡️ Learn Next:
How to say it is sunny
Learn the contrast: rain uses 'estar' while sun uses 'hacer'.
How to say it is cold
Essential for discussing weather changes caused by the rain.
Weather vocabulary
Expand beyond just rain to snow, wind, and storms.
✏️Test Your Knowledge
💡 Quick Quiz: It is raining
Question 1 of 3
You are in Mexico and just a few tiny drops of rain are falling. What is the most natural thing to say?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I say 'Hace lluvia' like I say 'Hace sol'?
No, this is a very common mistake. 'Hace' is used with nouns like sun (sol) or wind (viento). Rain is viewed as an action, so we use the verb 'llover'. You can say 'está lloviendo' (it is raining) or simply 'llueve' (it rains).
What is the difference between 'está lloviendo' and 'llueve'?
'Está lloviendo' emphasizes that it is happening *right now* (it is raining). 'Llueve' is the simple present (it rains), which can be used for general facts (e.g., 'It rains a lot here') but is also frequently used to describe the current weather. In casual conversation, they are often interchangeable.
How do I pronounce the double L in 'llover'?
The double L (ll) in Spanish is generally pronounced like the 'y' in 'yellow'. So 'llover' sounds like 'yoh-ver'. In Argentina and Uruguay, it sounds like 'sh' (sho-ver).
Is there a slang word for heavy rain?
Yes! If it's raining incredibly hard, you can say 'está diluviando' (it's deluging). In Spain, you might hear 'llueve a cántaros' (raining jugs), and in the Caribbean, 'un palo de agua' (a stick of water).
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