How to Say “Raining” in French

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il pleut
The English phrase 'raining' is translated into French as il pleut.
The phrase il pleut is used to state that water is falling from the clouds in small drops. You can use the verb pleuvoir to mean 'to rain'. If you wish to refer to the rain as a thing, use the noun la pluie (the rain). Different expressions can describe the intensity of the weather: Il pleut à verse or Il tombe des cordes describe a downpour or heavy rain.

Which one should you use?

While il pleut is the standard way to say it is raining, you might use the expression Il tombe des cordes (It's raining ropes) or Il pleut des hallebardes (It's raining halberds) to specifically emphasize very heavy rainfall.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

The expression Il pleut des cordes is an informal way to say it is raining heavily. Similarly, Il pleut des hallebardes is an informal way to describe heavy rain.

How does it change in a sentence?

The phrase uses the impersonal pronoun il, which does not refer to a person, similar to the English 'it' in weather expressions. To describe the past, use il pleuvait for a continuous state (it was raining) or il a plu to indicate a completed period of rain (it rained/it has rained). For the future, use il pleuvra (it will rain).

What mistakes should you avoid?

Avoid using a personal subject such as elle pleut (she rains). You must always use the impersonal il.

Did you know?

  • The phrase il pleut des hallebardes refers to halberds, which were long polearms used by guards in the Middle Ages.
  • The word il in il pleut evolved from the Late Latin illī, which originally served as a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that one'.
  • In French, the verb pleuvoir can be used metaphorically to describe an overwhelming amount of something, such as les critiques pleuvent, meaning 'criticisms are raining down'.

Examples in context

  • Il pleut à peine.
    It is hardly raining.
    This sentence shows how to describe light rain using il pleut.
    Tatoeba #458785 by sacredceltic, translation #33299 by CM
  • Il pleut à seaux.
    It's raining cats and dogs.
    This sentence uses an idiom with il pleut to describe very heavy rain.
    Tatoeba #827317 by RaspaKrusto, translation #384559 by Dorenda
  • Il pleut à nouveau.
    It's raining again.
    This sentence uses il pleut to describe rain happening again.
    Tatoeba #1051914 by sacredceltic, translation #705428 by papabear
  • Aujourd'hui, il pleut beaucoup.
    Today, it is raining a lot.
  • Ne sors pas maintenant, il pleut à verse !
    Don't go out now, it's pouring!
  • Ne t'inquiète pas, j'ai un imperméable, même s'il pleut des hallebardes !
    Don't worry, I have a raincoat, even if it's raining halberds!
  • Hier, il a plu toute la journée.
    Yesterday, it rained all day.
  • Demain, il pleuvra certainement.
    Tomorrow, it will certainly rain.
  • Regarde tous ces nuages, il va certainement pleuvoir !
    Look at all those clouds, it will surely rain!
  • 106 more sentences on Tatoeba

Example conversation

Gabriel and Léa are looking out the window before a walk.

  1. Gabriel

    Regarde par la fenêtre, il pleut.
    Look out the window, it is raining.
  2. Léa

    Oh non, je n'ai pas de parapluie.
    Oh no, I don't have an umbrella.
  3. Gabriel

    On peut rester ici alors.
    We can stay here then.
  4. Léa

    D'accord, c'est une bonne idée.
    Okay, that is a good idea.

Sources

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Landon Clinton
Landon ClintonHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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