¿va a llover?
The English phrase "is it going to rain?" is translated into Spanish as ¿va a llover?
This phrase is used to ask if precipitation is expected in the near future.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the expression ¿Va a chispear? is used to mean "Is it going to drizzle?"
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the verb llover is an impersonal verb, it does not require a subject like "it" to be translated into Spanish. To turn the statement va a llover into the question ¿va a llover?, simply add question marks and use rising intonation.
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers sometimes use the expression caen chuzos to describe rain that is falling heavily, which literally means 'spikes are falling'.
- In many Latin American countries, a person might answer está cayendo un diluvio if it is already raining, referring to the biblical flood of Noah.
- The verb llover shares a common ancestor with the English word 'pluviometer', a device used to measure rainfall. Both stem from the Latin root *pluere.
Examples in context
- Mira las nubes, ¿va a llover?Look at the clouds, is it going to rain?
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are looking at the sky before leaving the house.
- SofíaJavier, ¿va a llover?Javier, is it going to rain?
- JavierNo lo sé, el cielo está muy gris.I don't know, the sky is very gray.
- SofíaMejor lleva un paraguas.You better take an umbrella.
- JavierTienes razón, Sofía.You are right, Sofia.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, llover, va, CC BY-SA 4.0.
