lluvia
/ˈʝubja/feminine
The Spanish word for rain is lluvia.
Lluvia is the most common and straightforward word for rain in Spanish. It refers to an instance of particles falling. If you want to describe the action of rain falling, you can use the related verb llover, which can also mean to issue in large quantities.
Meaning: an instance of particles falling (noun)
Which one should you use?
While lluvia is the standard noun for rain, you might use the adjective lluvioso to describe something as rainy.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun lluvia is feminine, so it is used with the feminine article la (e.g., la lluvia). When expressing that it is raining, use the third-person singular form of the verb llover, which is llueve.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʝubja/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the noun la lluvia when you actually want to say that it is currently raining. Instead, use the verb form llueve.
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers often use the phrase caer chuzos to describe a rain that is so heavy it feels like spears are falling from the sky.
- The word lluvia is used in the idiomatic expression lluvia de ideas, which is the direct equivalent of the English term 'brainstorming'.
- The word lluvia shares an ancestral root with the English word 'flow', as both traces back to a Proto-Indo-European root describing a continuous movement or liquid.
Examples in context
- La lluvia me anima.The rain cheers me up.This sentence shows how lluvia can be a subject that affects one's mood.Tatoeba #5844343 by albrusgher, translation #2720647 by Reiha
- ¿Te gusta la lluvia?Do you like rain?This sentence uses lluvia in a simple question about preference.Tatoeba #566126 by Shishir, translation #434604 by lukaszpp
- ¡Culpa a esta lluvia!Blame this rain!This sentence demonstrates using lluvia to assign blame for a situation.Tatoeba #4508558 by cueyayotl, translation #3447998 by vicky_arancia
- Espero que no llueva durante el evento al aire libre.I hope it doesn't rain during the outdoor event.
- Se esperan fuertes precipitaciones esta tarde.Heavy rain showers are expected this afternoon.
- ¡Qué bueno que no está lloviendo hoy!It's great that it's not raining today!
- Me encanta escuchar cómo llueve.I love listening to the sound of rain.
- Hace fresco afuera y está chispeando un poco.It's cool outside, and it's drizzling a bit.
- Hoy ha estado cayendo una llovizna persistente.Today, there has been a persistent drizzle.
- ¡Que llueva, que llueva, la vieja está en la cueva!Let it rain, let it rain, the old lady is in the cave!
- 280 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are looking out the window.
- DanielMira, ya empezó la lluvia.Look, the rain has already started.
- LucíaEs una lluvia muy fuerte.It is a very heavy rain.
- DanielNo podemos salir con esta lluvia.We cannot go out in this rain.
- LucíaTienes razón, Daniel. Esperemos un poco.You are right, Daniel. Let's wait a bit.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rain” translations and entries lluvia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lluvia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
