cantidad pluvial
/kantidad plubjal/from spelling rulesfeminine
The English word rainfall is translated into Spanish as cantidad pluvial. If unsure, use cantidad pluvial. Wiktionary also lists cuantía lluvial and pluviosidad.
Meaning: meteorology: amount of rain (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cantidad pluvial | /kantidad plubjal/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| cuantía lluvial | /kwantia ʝubjal/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| pluviosidad | /plubjosiˈdad/ | feminine |
In meteorology, rainfall refers to the amount of rain. While lluvia is the standard word for rain, precipitación is the formal term for rainfall. You might also use diluvio to refer specifically to a deluge or downpour of rain.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase cantidad pluvial is composed of cantidad (amount) and pluvial (relating to rain).
Which one should you use?
While cantidad pluvial refers to a specific measured amount, pluviosidad is often used to describe the general state or characteristic of rainfall in a region.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Pluviosidad is the preferred technical term in scientific, meteorological or academic contexts. For more formal settings, precipitación is also used for rainfall.
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers may use the phrase caer chuzos to describe intense rainfall, which literally means 'spikes are falling'.
- In Spanish, the word diluvio refers to a heavy rainfall but specifically evokes the biblical 'Great Flood', making it a more dramatic choice than 'downpour'.
- The word precipitación is used for 'rainfall' in science because it covers any water falling from the sky, including snow, sleet and hail.
Examples in context
- La precipitación en la región ha sido escasa este año.The rainfall in the region has been scarce this year.
- La lluvia de anoche dejó la ciudad completamente mojada.Last night's rain left the city completely wet.
- La tormenta de ayer causó una gran cantidad de lluvia.Yesterday's storm caused a large amount of rainfall.
- ¡Hoy cayó mucha agua durante la tormenta!A lot of rain fell today during the storm!
- Hoy cayó un chaparrón que nos dejó empapados.Today we had a heavy rain shower that left us soaked.
- Ayer hubo un diluvio que duró toda la tarde.Yesterday there was a downpour that lasted the entire afternoon.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are discussing the weather for their garden.
- DanielLa cantidad pluvial fue baja este año.The rainfall was low this year.
- SofíaSí, el jardín está muy seco.Yes, the garden is very dry.
- DanielTengo que regar las plantas ahora.I have to water the plants now.
- SofíaYo te ayudo con la manguera.I will help you with the hose.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rainfall” translations and entries pluviosidad, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
