Rain is a common and important part of our lives. It gives water to plants, fills rivers, and keeps nature alive. In many languages, people have special ways of talking about rain. If you are learning French, knowing how to say “rain” is a simple and useful word to learn. You might hear it in weather reports, stories, or everyday conversations.
In French, there are different ways to talk about rain. Whether you want to know if it will rain today or describe a gentle drizzle, French has just the right words. This article will help you learn how to say “rain” in French, show other expressions for rain, and even give tips to practice using them.
Ways to Say “Rain” in French
When talking about rain in French, there are different phrases you can use based on the situation. Some expressions describe the weather, while others talk about the type of rain. Learning these words will help you sound natural when discussing the weather in French-speaking places. Below are 25 ways to say “rain” in French, along with their meanings, pronunciations, and examples.
1. Pluie
Pronunciation: plwee
Meaning: Rain
In a Sentence:
- La pluie tombe depuis ce matin. (The rain has been falling since this morning.)
- J’aime écouter le bruit de la pluie. (I love listening to the sound of rain.)
2. Goutte de pluie
Pronunciation: gooht duh plwee
Meaning: Raindrop
In a Sentence:
- Une goutte de pluie est tombée sur ma joue. (A raindrop fell on my cheek.)
- Les gouttes de pluie brillent sous le soleil. (Raindrops shine under the sun.)
3. Averse
Pronunciation: ah-vehrs
Meaning: Downpour
In a Sentence:
- Une averse soudaine a surpris tout le monde. (A sudden downpour surprised everyone.)
- L’averse a duré trente minutes. (The downpour lasted thirty minutes.)
4. Bruine
Pronunciation: brween
Meaning: Drizzle
In a Sentence:
- La bruine rend les rues humides. (The drizzle makes the streets wet.)
- Il fait froid avec cette bruine. (It’s cold with this drizzle.)
5. Pluie battante
Pronunciation: plwee bah-tahnt
Meaning: Heavy rain
In a Sentence:
- La pluie battante a inondé les routes. (The heavy rain flooded the roads.)
- J’ai couru sous la pluie battante. (I ran under the heavy rain.)
6. Pluie fine
Pronunciation: plwee feen
Meaning: Light rain
In a Sentence:
- La pluie fine est agréable pour une promenade. (The light rain is nice for a walk.)
- Il a plu une pluie fine tout l’après-midi. (It rained lightly all afternoon.)
7. Orage
Pronunciation: oh-rahzh
Meaning: Thunderstorm
In a Sentence:
- L’orage a effrayé les enfants. (The thunderstorm scared the kids.)
- Pendant l’orage, nous avons éteint les lumières. (During the thunderstorm, we turned off the lights.)
8. Déluge
Pronunciation: day-loozh
Meaning: Torrential rain
In a Sentence:
- Un déluge a causé des inondations en ville. (A torrential rain caused flooding in the city.)
- Le déluge était impressionnant hier soir. (The torrential rain was impressive last night.)
9. Crachin
Pronunciation: krah-shan
Meaning: Misty rain
In a Sentence:
- Le crachin est typique de cette région. (The misty rain is typical of this region.)
- J’aime marcher sous le crachin. (I like walking in the misty rain.)
10. Flotte
Pronunciation: flot
Meaning: Slang for rain
In a Sentence:
- Il y a de la flotte toute la journée. (There’s rain all day.)
- La flotte m’a mouillé les chaussures. (The rain soaked my shoes.)
11. Pluie torrentielle
Pronunciation: plwee tor-ahn-syell
Meaning: Torrential downpour
In a Sentence:
- La pluie torrentielle a interrompu le match. (The torrential downpour interrupted the game.)
- Cette pluie torrentielle a causé des dégâts. (This torrential downpour caused damage.)
12. Pluie verglaçante
Pronunciation: plwee vehr-glah-sahnt
Meaning: Freezing rain
In a Sentence:
- Attention, la pluie verglaçante rend les routes dangereuses. (Be careful, the freezing rain makes the roads dangerous.)
- La pluie verglaçante a formé une couche de glace. (The freezing rain formed a layer of ice.)
13. Pluie diluvienne
Pronunciation: plwee dee-loo-vyen
Meaning: Heavy rainstorm
In a Sentence:
- Une pluie diluvienne a surpris les randonneurs. (A heavy rainstorm surprised the hikers.)
- La pluie diluvienne a détruit les cultures. (The heavy rainstorm destroyed the crops.)
14. Arc-en-ciel après la pluie
Pronunciation: ar-kahn-syell ah-pray lah plwee
Meaning: Rainbow after the rain
In a Sentence:
- Un arc-en-ciel après la pluie est toujours magnifique. (A rainbow after the rain is always beautiful.)
- Nous avons vu un arc-en-ciel après la pluie. (We saw a rainbow after the rain.)
15. Pluvieux
Pronunciation: ploo-vyuh
Meaning: Rainy
In a Sentence:
- Le temps est pluvieux aujourd’hui. (The weather is rainy today.)
- La saison pluvieuse commence en octobre. (The rainy season starts in October.)
16. Grêle
Pronunciation: grehl
Meaning: Hail
In a Sentence:
- La grêle a abîmé les voitures. (The hail damaged the cars.)
- Une tempête de grêle est prévue ce soir. (A hailstorm is expected tonight.)
17. Temps pluvieux
Pronunciation: tahn ploo-vyuh
Meaning: Rainy weather
In a Sentence:
- Le temps pluvieux ne m’empêche pas de sortir. (The rainy weather doesn’t stop me from going out.)
- J’adore lire un livre pendant le temps pluvieux. (I love reading a book during rainy weather.)
18. Ciel couvert
Pronunciation: syell koo-vehr
Meaning: Cloudy sky
In a Sentence:
- Le ciel couvert annonce la pluie. (The cloudy sky signals rain.)
- Nous avons regardé le ciel couvert avant l’orage. (We watched the cloudy sky before the storm.)
19. Pluie d’orage
Pronunciation: plwee doh-rahzh
Meaning: Rain from a thunderstorm
In a Sentence:
- La pluie d’orage a éclaté soudainement. (The thunderstorm rain started suddenly.)
- Nous avons attendu que la pluie d’orage passe. (We waited for the thunderstorm rain to pass.)
20. Ruisseau après la pluie
Pronunciation: rhwee-soh ah-pray lah plwee
Meaning: Stream after the rain
In a Sentence:
- Un ruisseau après la pluie coule rapidement. (A stream after the rain flows quickly.)
- Les enfants jouent dans le ruisseau après la pluie. (The kids play in the stream after the rain.)
21. Nuages de pluie
Pronunciation: nyoo-ahzh duh plwee
Meaning: Rain clouds
In a Sentence:
- Les nuages de pluie cachent le soleil. (Rain clouds hide the sun.)
- Les nuages de pluie arrivent à l’horizon. (Rain clouds are arriving on the horizon.)
22. Temps humide
Pronunciation: tahn yoo-meed
Meaning: Humid weather
In a Sentence:
- Le temps humide annonce la pluie. (Humid weather signals rain.)
- Je déteste le temps humide avant la pluie. (I dislike the humid weather before rain.)
23. Pluie continue
Pronunciation: plwee kon-tee-nu
Meaning: Continuous rain
In a Sentence:
- La pluie continue a duré toute la semaine. (The continuous rain lasted all week.)
- Cette région est connue pour sa pluie continue. (This area is known for its continuous rain.)
24. Pluie abondante
Pronunciation: plwee ah-bon-dahnt
Meaning: Abundant rain
In a Sentence:
- La pluie abondante a rempli les rivières. (The abundant rain filled the rivers.)
- Une pluie abondante est rare dans le désert. (Abundant rain is rare in the desert.)
25. Chaleur après la pluie
Pronunciation: shah-luhr ah-pray lah plwee
Meaning: Warmth after the rain
In a Sentence:
- La chaleur après la pluie est agréable. (The warmth after the rain is pleasant.)
- Nous avons apprécié la chaleur après la pluie. (We enjoyed the warmth after the rain.)
26. Pluie passagère
Pronunciation: plwee pah-sah-zhair
Meaning: Passing rain
In a Sentence:
- Une pluie passagère a rafraîchi l’air. (A passing rain cooled the air.)
- Nous avons attendu que la pluie passagère se termine. (We waited for the passing rain to stop.)
27. Douche froide
Pronunciation: doosh frwahd
Meaning: Sudden cold shower
In a Sentence:
- Une douche froide a surpris les campeurs. (A sudden cold shower surprised the campers.)
- La randonnée s’est terminée sous une douche froide. (The hike ended in a sudden cold shower.)
28. Pluie estivale
Pronunciation: plwee es-tee-vahl
Meaning: Summer rain
In a Sentence:
- La pluie estivale a arrosé les jardins. (The summer rain watered the gardens.)
- J’aime marcher sous la pluie estivale. (I like walking in the summer rain.)
29. Pluie matinale
Pronunciation: plwee mah-tee-nahl
Meaning: Morning rain
In a Sentence:
- Une pluie matinale a nettoyé les rues. (A morning rain cleaned the streets.)
- La pluie matinale est fréquente en automne. (Morning rain is common in autumn.)
30. Arc-en-ciel sous la pluie
Pronunciation: ar-kahn-syell soo lah plwee
Meaning: Rainbow in the rain
In a Sentence:
- Nous avons vu un arc-en-ciel sous la pluie. (We saw a rainbow in the rain.)
- Un arc-en-ciel sous la pluie est un spectacle rare. (A rainbow in the rain is a rare sight.)
31. Pluie silencieuse
Pronunciation: plwee see-lan-syuhz
Meaning: Quiet rain
In a Sentence:
- J’ai médité en écoutant la pluie silencieuse. (I meditated while listening to the quiet rain.)
- La nuit était paisible avec une pluie silencieuse. (The night was peaceful with quiet rain.)
32. Chant de la pluie
Pronunciation: shan duh lah plwee
Meaning: Song of the rain
In a Sentence:
- J’adore écouter le chant de la pluie sur le toit. (I love listening to the song of the rain on the roof.)
- Le chant de la pluie me berce pour dormir. (The song of the rain lulls me to sleep.)
Other Ways to Say “Rain” in French
Below is a table of additional ways to talk about rain in French. Each phrase has a pronunciation guide, meaning, and example sentences to help you understand and practice using them.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Pluie fine et douce | plwee feen ay dooss | Gentle and light rain | La pluie fine et douce est idéale pour le jardin. (The gentle and light rain is perfect for the garden.) |
| Gouttes éparses | gooht ay-pars | Scattered raindrops | Il y a des gouttes éparses sur ma fenêtre. (There are scattered raindrops on my window.) |
| Temps brumeux et humide | tahn broo-meuh ay yoo-meed | Misty and humid weather | Le temps brumeux et humide annonce de la pluie. (The misty and humid weather signals rain.) |
| Ciel menaçant | syell meh-nah-sahn | Threatening sky | Le ciel menaçant indique une averse à venir. (The threatening sky shows an incoming rain shower.) |
| Averse passagère | ah-vehrs pah-sah-zhair | Passing shower | Une averse passagère a rafraîchi la matinée. (A passing shower cooled the morning.) |
| Pluie intermittente | plwee an-ter-mee-ten-tuh | Intermittent rain | La pluie intermittente a duré toute la journée. (The intermittent rain lasted all day.) |
| Douce fraîcheur après pluie | dooss fresh-ehr ah-pray plwee | Gentle coolness after rain | La douce fraîcheur après la pluie est apaisante. (The gentle coolness after the rain is soothing.) |
| Bruine légère | brween leh-zher | Light drizzle | Une bruine légère rend l’air agréable. (A light drizzle makes the air pleasant.) |
| Gouttes sur les feuilles | gooht soohr lay feh-yuh | Drops on the leaves | J’aime voir les gouttes sur les feuilles après la pluie. (I love seeing the drops on the leaves after the rain.) |
| Pluie rafraîchissante | plwee rah-fresh-ee-sahn-tuh | Refreshing rain | Une pluie rafraîchissante est tombée hier soir. (A refreshing rain fell last night.) |
| Chute de pluie | shoot duh plwee | Rainfall | La chute de pluie était abondante cette nuit. (The rainfall was abundant last night.) |
| Nuages sombres | nyoo-ahzh sohmb | Dark clouds | Les nuages sombres annoncent une tempête. (Dark clouds signal a storm.) |
Responses to “Rain” in French
When talking about rain in French conversations, you might want to respond to comments about the weather. Knowing how to reply politely or casually can make your interactions smoother. Below are different responses to rain-related statements, along with pronunciation, meaning, and examples to help you practice.
1. Oui, il pleut beaucoup
Pronunciation: wee eel pluh boh-koo
Meaning: Yes, it’s raining a lot.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Il pleut aujourd’hui, non? (It’s raining today, isn’t it?)
- Person 2: Oui, il pleut beaucoup. (Yes, it’s raining a lot.)
2. J’aime bien la pluie
Pronunciation: zhem byan lah plwee
Meaning: I like the rain.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Tu trouves la pluie ennuyeuse? (Do you find the rain boring?)
- Person 2: Non, j’aime bien la pluie. (No, I like the rain.)
3. Heureusement, c’est passager
Pronunciation: uh-reuhz-moh sa pah-sah-zhay
Meaning: Luckily, it’s temporary.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Quelle pluie aujourd’hui! (What rain today!)
- Person 2: Heureusement, c’est passager. (Luckily, it’s temporary.)
4. Ça rafraîchit l’air
Pronunciation: sah rah-fresh-ee lehr
Meaning: It freshens the air.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: J’en ai marre de cette pluie. (I’m tired of this rain.)
- Person 2: Oui, mais ça rafraîchit l’air. (Yes, but it freshens the air.)
5. Ça me détend
Pronunciation: sah muh day-tahn
Meaning: It relaxes me.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: La pluie ne te dérange pas? (Doesn’t the rain bother you?)
- Person 2: Non, ça me détend. (No, it relaxes me.)
6. Il en faut pour les plantes
Pronunciation: eel ahn foh poor lay plahnt
Meaning: It’s needed for the plants.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Il pleut encore! (It’s raining again!)
- Person 2: Oui, mais il en faut pour les plantes. (Yes, but it’s needed for the plants.)
7. Tant mieux, ça remplit les rivières
Pronunciation: tahn myuh sah rahm-plee lay ree-vyehr
Meaning: So much the better, it fills the rivers.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Cette pluie est agaçante! (This rain is annoying!)
- Person 2: Tant mieux, ça remplit les rivières. (So much the better, it fills the rivers.)
8. Ça m’aide à mieux dormir
Pronunciation: sah med ah myeuh dor-meer
Meaning: It helps me sleep better.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Tu n’aimes pas le bruit de la pluie? (Don’t you like the sound of the rain?)
- Person 2: Si, ça m’aide à mieux dormir. (Yes, it helps me sleep better.)
9. Espérons que ça s’arrête bientôt
Pronunciation: es-pay-rohn kuh sah sah-reht byan-toh
Meaning: Let’s hope it stops soon.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Combien de temps va durer cette pluie? (How long will this rain last?)
- Person 2: Espérons que ça s’arrête bientôt. (Let’s hope it stops soon.)
10. Ce temps est bon pour un café
Pronunciation: suh tahn ay boh poor uh kah-fay
Meaning: This weather is great for a coffee.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Que fais-tu quand il pleut? (What do you do when it rains?)
- Person 2: Ce temps est bon pour un café. (This weather is great for a coffee.)
11. C’est typique de cette saison
Pronunciation: say tee-peek duh seht seh-zohn
Meaning: It’s typical for this season.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Il pleut sans arrêt ces jours-ci. (It rains nonstop these days.)
- Person 2: Oui, c’est typique de cette saison. (Yes, it’s typical for this season.)
12. Ça ne me dérange pas trop
Pronunciation: sah nuh muh day-rahnzh pah troh
Meaning: It doesn’t bother me much.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Tu supportes cette pluie? (Can you handle this rain?)
- Person 2: Oui, ça ne me dérange pas trop. (Yes, it doesn’t bother me much.)
13. On s’y habitue
Pronunciation: ohn see ah-bee-tyuh
Meaning: You get used to it.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: La pluie te fatigue? (Does the rain tire you?)
- Person 2: Non, on s’y habitue. (No, you get used to it.)
14. C’est mieux que la neige
Pronunciation: say myeuh kuh lah nehj
Meaning: It’s better than snow.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Cette pluie est agaçante, non? (This rain is annoying, isn’t it?)
- Person 2: Oui, mais c’est mieux que la neige. (Yes, but it’s better than snow.)
15. Ça donne une ambiance cosy
Pronunciation: sah dohn oon ahn-byahnz koh-zee
Meaning: It creates a cozy atmosphere.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Pourquoi tu n’allumes pas la lumière? (Why don’t you turn on the lights?)
- Person 2: J’aime la pluie, ça donne une ambiance cosy. (I like the rain; it creates a cozy atmosphere.)
16. La nature en a besoin
Pronunciation: lah nah-tyoor ahn ah buh-zwan
Meaning: Nature needs it.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Je déteste cette pluie! (I hate this rain!)
- Person 2: Mais la nature en a besoin. (But nature needs it.)
17. Ça fait partie de la vie
Pronunciation: sah fay pahr-tee duh lah vee
Meaning: It’s part of life.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Toujours la pluie! (Always rain!)
- Person 2: Oui, mais ça fait partie de la vie. (Yes, but it’s part of life.)
18. C’est apaisant
Pronunciation: say ah-pay-zahn
Meaning: It’s calming.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Pourquoi tu es dehors sous la pluie? (Why are you outside in the rain?)
- Person 2: Parce que c’est apaisant. (Because it’s calming.)
19. Espérons qu’il y aura du soleil demain
Pronunciation: es-pay-rohn keel yoo-rah doo soh-lay duh-mahn
Meaning: Let’s hope for sunshine tomorrow.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ce temps gris est fatigant. (This gray weather is tiring.)
- Person 2: Espérons qu’il y aura du soleil demain. (Let’s hope for sunshine tomorrow.)
20. C’est bon pour rester à la maison
Pronunciation: say boh poor res-tay ah lah meh-zohn
Meaning: It’s good for staying home.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Que fais-tu quand il pleut? (What do you do when it rains?)
- Person 2: C’est bon pour rester à la maison. (It’s good for staying home.)
Exercise to Practice Saying “Rain” in French
Here are 12 fill-in-the-blank exercises to help you practice the ways to say “rain” in French. Each sentence includes a blank where you can fill in the correct word or phrase. After the exercises, you’ll find the answers along with the meanings of each sentence.
Fill in the blanks:
- La ________ tombe doucement sur les fleurs.
- Un ________ de pluie est tombé sur mon livre.
- Attention, la ________ verglaçante peut rendre les routes dangereuses.
- Après une longue journée, j’écoute le ________ de la pluie pour me détendre.
- Une ________ a surpris les campeurs cet après-midi.
- J’adore marcher sous une ________ légère et apaisante.
- Le ________ annonce une tempête dans quelques heures.
- La ________ fine a rafraîchi l’air ce matin.
- Nous avons vu un ________ après la pluie.
- Cette ________ torrentielle a causé des dégâts dans le village.
- Les ________ de pluie brillent sur les feuilles après l’orage.
- Une ________ matinale a rendu la rue glissante.
Answers:
- pluie (The rain is falling gently on the flowers.)
- goutte (A raindrop fell on my book.)
- pluie (Be careful, the freezing rain can make the roads dangerous.)
- chant (After a long day, I listen to the song of the rain to relax.)
- averse (A rain shower surprised the campers this afternoon.)
- bruine (I love walking in a light and calming drizzle.)
- orage (The thunderstorm predicts a storm in a few hours.)
- pluie (The light rain refreshed the air this morning.)
- arc-en-ciel (We saw a rainbow after the rain.)
- pluie (This torrential rain caused damage in the village.)
- gouttes (Raindrops shine on the leaves after the storm.)
- pluie (A morning rain made the street slippery.)
Conclusion
Learning how to say “rain” in French and practicing the related vocabulary can make your conversations more meaningful and engaging. Whether you’re describing the weather, talking about nature, or simply enjoying the soothing sound of rain, these expressions give you the tools to express yourself naturally.
Using phrases like “pluie battante” for heavy rain or “goutte de pluie” for raindrops shows that you’re attentive to details and committed to learning the language. By practicing the exercises and exploring various responses, you’ll soon feel confident discussing rain in any French conversation.
Keep practicing these phrases, and remember, just like rain nurtures plants, consistent effort nurtures your language skills!