Portuguese · Nature, Animals & Weather

"It's raining" in Portuguese: está chovendo

está chovendo

ess-TAH shoh-VEN-doophrase/es.ˈta ʃo.ˈvẽ.du/

Note: PT-PT: está a chover

It's raining in Portuguese is está chovendo. Use it for forecasts, outdoor plans, and that sudden tropical downpour. European Portuguese often says está a chover.

Canceling a walk

Está chovendo—vamos de Uber.

It's raining—let's take an Uber.

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How to pronounce está chovendo

Say it

ess-TAH shoh-VEN-doo

/es.ˈta ʃo.ˈvẽ.du/

ess-TAH shoh-VEN-doo

"It's raining" in Portuguese: quick reference

Portuguese	English	When to use
está chovendo	it's raining Brazilian present continuous.	Brazilian present continuous.
tá chovendo	it's raining (casual) Spoken Brazil.	Spoken Brazil.
chuva forte	heavy rain Intensity.	Intensity.
chuvisco	drizzle Light rain.	Light rain.

How to use está chovendo in real life

1Canceling a walk
Está chovendo—vamos de Uber.
It's raining—let's take an Uber.
Plan change.
2Window check
Olha: está chovendo forte agora.
Look: it's raining hard now.
Forte = hard.
3Beach morning
Se está chovendo, a gente fica no café.
If it's raining, we stay at the café.
Conditional plan.

Mistakes English speakers make with está chovendo

Incorrect: Está a chover. (as BR default)

Correct: Está chovendo.

Está a chover is European Portuguese.

Incorrect: Está raining.

Correct: Está chovendo.

Full Portuguese gerund.

Good to know

Summer storms in Brazil can dump rain for twenty minutes and stop. People wait under awnings, then keep going—está chovendo is often temporary, not a full-day write-off.