French · Nature, Animals & Weather
"Rain" in French: pluie
la pluie
Rain in French is la pluie, feminine. Il pleut means it is raining. Sous la pluie means in the rain. Une averse is a shower.
Looking out
Encore de la pluie !Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce pluie
Say it
plwee
/plɥi/
Plwee—one syllable, like "pwee" with an l. Soft French u-like vowel after pl. Final e silent. Soft p.
"Rain" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| la pluie | rain The noun. | The noun. |
| il pleut | it is raining Weather verb from pleuvoir. | Weather verb from pleuvoir. |
| sous la pluie | in the rain Being outside while it rains. | Being outside while it rains. |
| une averse | a shower (of rain) Short burst of rain. | Short burst of rain. |
How to use pluie in real life
- 1Looking out
Encore de la pluie !
Rain again!
La pluie is the noun for rain.
- 2Without an umbrella
On va se mouiller sous la pluie.
We're going to get wet in the rain.
Sous la pluie = in the rain.
- 3Forecast
La pluie arrive cet après-midi.
The rain is coming this afternoon.
Noun pluie with arriver.
Mistakes English speakers make with pluie
Incorrect: Il est pluie.
Correct: Il pleut. / Il y a de la pluie.
Use il pleut for raining.
Incorrect: Le pluie est forte.
Correct: La pluie est forte.
Pluie is feminine.
Good to know
French has many rain words: bruine (drizzle), averse, orage (storm). Carrying a compact umbrella is normal city habit, especially in the west and north.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Caught without an umbrella in Rennes
ChatPal
La pluie commence. Tu as un parapluie ?
The rain is starting. Do you have an umbrella?
You
Non. On court sous la pluie ?
No. Shall we run in the rain?
ChatPal
Oui, vite ! Cette pluie est froide.
Yes, quick! This rain is cold.
You
Beurk. Je n'aime pas la pluie glacée.
Yuck. I don't like icy rain.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Rain" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Rain" in French
Pluie or il pleut?
Pluie is the noun; il pleut is "it is raining".
Is pluie feminine?
Yes: la pluie, une fine pluie.
How do I say in the rain?
Sous la pluie.
What is une averse?
A short rain shower.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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