Rain
Use this to say 'It's raining' right now. This is the most common way to describe that rain is currently falling.
Use this to say 'It rains.' It's a simple statement of fact, often used for general conditions (e.g., 'It rains a lot here').
A noun for a heavy downpour or a sudden, intense rain. Think 'rain shower' or 'cloudburst'.
A noun for a light rain or drizzle.
I don't like the rain.
We need an umbrella. It's raining!
In my city, it rains a lot in April.
It was just a five-minute downpour.
The noun 'lluvia' (rain) and the verb 'llover' (to rain) are standard and understood everywhere. Regional differences appear in slang for different types of rain.
The double 'll' in 'lluvia' is pronounced with a 'sh' sound, like 'SHOO-vyah'. 'Garúa' is a common term for a fine mist or drizzle.
For a very heavy downpour, you'll often hear 'palo de agua'. For example, 'Cayó un palo de agua' means 'A huge downpour came down'.
A very light, misty rain can be called 'chipichipi'.
The pronunciation of 'll' in 'lluvia' can vary, sometimes having a subtle 'ly' sound. 'Chirimiri' is a word for a very light drizzle, especially in the north (Basque Country).
Saying '*hace lluvia*' instead of 'llueve' or 'hay lluvia'. While 'hace' is used for many weather expressions (hace sol, hace frío), rain uses its own verb ('llover') or the verb 'haber' ('hay lluvia').
Confusing the noun and the verb. Saying '*Es lluvia*' to mean 'It's raining.' The correct phrase is 'Está lloviendo'. '*Es lluvia*' literally means 'It is rain,' which is an unnatural way to describe the weather.
Pronouncing the 'll' like an English 'l'. The 'll' in 'lluvia' is a 'y' sound in most of Latin America (YOO-vyah), not 'loo-vee-ah'. In Argentina, it's a 'sh' sound (SHOO-vyah).
Found this useful? Save it for later.