How to say it · Weather

Describing rain

"It's raining" doesn't say whether you need an umbrella or a boat. Pick the word that fits how hard it's falling. A shower is a short spell, so it isn't on this scale.

6 ways to say it

A woman and a bearded man share one big umbrella; the rain behind them thickens from a few drops on the left to dense streaks on the right.

How heavyLightHeavy

it's spittingfirst drops light rainwhat forecasts say drizzlefine and damp heavy rainnews and forecasts it's pouringstay-in rain it's bucketing downdramatic, British

Way 1 · first drops

it's spitting

Just a few drops, often when the rain is only starting. Informal, mainly British.

How heavyVery light

Use itWith friends

Examples

It's spitting, so I'll grab my coat before we go.

It often starts spitting just as I leave work, which is annoying because I have a ten-minute walk to the station.

In a conversation

A: Do we need an umbrella?
B: Maybe. It's spitting, and the sky looks pretty dark.

Common mistake

Not: ~~It spits outside.~~

Say: It's spitting.

Use the -ing form for weather that is happening now.

Practice saying this

Next: light rain

Way 2 · what forecasts say

light rain

The neutral way to say a little rain. It's what weather forecasts say.

How heavyLight

ToneNeutral

Use itAnywhere

Examples

There was light rain this morning, so I just took an umbrella.

During my holiday, the weather was mostly sunny, but there was some light rain in the evenings, which made the air feel fresh.

In a conversation

A: Should we cancel our walk?
B: No, it's only light rain. We'll be fine.

Common mistake

Not: It's ~~a small~~ rain.

Say: It's light rain.

Rain is 'light' (or 'heavy'), not 'small'.

Practice saying this

Next: drizzle

Way 3 · fine and damp

drizzle

Light rain made of very small drops. You get damp, not soaked.

How heavyLight

ToneNeutral

Use itAnywhere

Examples

It was drizzling when I left the house, but I didn't bother taking an umbrella.

My city gets quite a lot of drizzle in winter, especially in the mornings, so I usually wear a waterproof jacket.

In a conversation

A: Is it raining outside?
B: Only a bit. It's drizzling.

Common mistake

Not: ~~There is~~ drizzling outside.

Say: It's drizzling outside.

Use 'drizzling' as a verb with 'it', not as a noun after 'there is'.

Practice saying this

Next: heavy rain

Way 4 · news and forecasts

heavy rain

The neutral way to say a lot of rain. Forecasts and news use it.

How heavyMiddle

ToneNeutral

Use itAnywhere

Examples

We had to cancel the picnic because of heavy rain.

When I visited London, we had heavy rain almost every afternoon, so I ended up spending a lot of time in museums.

In a conversation

A: Did you get caught in that storm last night?
B: Yeah, the rain was so heavy I was soaked in about two minutes.

Common mistake

Not: There was ~~a strong~~ rain.

Say: There was heavy rain.

'Heavy rain' is the usual phrase; 'strong rain' isn't what people normally say.

Practice saying this

Next: it's pouring

Way 5 · stay-in rain

it's pouring

Very heavy rain. The everyday spoken way to say it.

How heavyHeavy

ToneNeutral

Use itAnywhere

Examples

It's pouring down, so let's wait five minutes before we leave.

I got caught in a downpour on my way home last week, and it was pouring so hard that I could barely see the road.

In a conversation

A: Why are you still at the office?
B: It's pouring outside, and I don't have an umbrella.

Common mistake

Not: It's ~~raining very big.~~

Say: It's pouring.

Rain isn't 'big' in English; say 'it's pouring' or 'it's raining heavily'.

Practice saying this

Next: it's bucketing down

Way 6 · dramatic, British

it's bucketing down

Even more dramatic than pouring. Informal British; "chucking it down" means the same.

How heavyVery heavy

Use itWith friends

Examples

It was bucketing down when the match was called off.

I remember getting stuck in traffic once when it was bucketing down, and a journey that normally takes twenty minutes took nearly an hour.

In a conversation

A: Are you still going to the barbecue?
B: Not a chance. Look outside, it's bucketing down.

Common mistake

Not: It's bucketing ~~rain~~ down.

Say: It's bucketing down.

The fixed expression does not take 'rain' between 'bucketing' and 'down'.

Practice saying this

Test yourself: which would you say?

Pick the right one

Which would you say?

Read the moment, then choose the way that fits it best.

The mistake learners make

What a translation app gives you, and what people actually say.

Not: It's raining ~~very much~~ today.

Say: It's raining heavily today. / It's pouring today.

"Very much" doesn't sound natural with rain. Say "raining heavily" or "pouring".

Now say it out loud

Pick one and practise it in a real conversation. Save the ones you want to remember.

it's pouring light rain heavy rain drizzle

Which would you say?

The mistake learners make

Now say it out loud

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