French expression of the day: Il pleut des cordes
Why 'ropes' are essential to rainy days in France.
Why do I need to know il pleut des cordes?
If you live in France, chances are you will need this from time to time.
What does it mean?
Il pleut des cordes translates to 'it rains some ropes', which means it is raining heavily - 'it's pouring'.
While it may sound a bit odd to compare rain to ropes, the idea is that the rain drops are so thick and heavy that it looks like ropes are coming down from the sky. A rather old-fashioned English equivalent would be its raining 'stair-rods'.
The more usual English equivalent is 'it's raining cats and dogs' - which you could argue is an even weirder way of picturing rain.
Ce matin il pleut des cordes!
Literally: "This morning it's raining ropes"
Meaning: it's raining cats and dogs!#IdiomOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/KRk8kRCt1H
— FGS MFL (@FGSlanguages) October 18, 2019
So if you're in an area hit by thunderstorms and heavy rain, this is one for you.
French expression of the hour: ‘il pleut des cordes’. #Paris #orage
— Matthew Fraser (@frasermatthew) August 12, 2020
If you are caught by a rafale de pluie (heavy gusts of wind and rain), you could exclaim Il pleut des cordes ! - It's raining cats and dogs!
⛈ L’orage s’abat sur #Paris ce soir avec de très fortes pluies précédées de bourrasques de vent. Il vient clôturer une journée bouillante (36,4°C). pic.twitter.com/ig0AOQmaMw
— Guillaume Séchet (@Meteovilles) August 12, 2020
Use it like this
On attend un peu avant de faire les courses ? Il pleut des cordes en ce moment. - Let's wait a little before getting groceries? It's raining cats and dogs at the moment.
Je suis désolée, je mouille tout, il pleuvait des cordes quand je suis partie. - I'm sorry, I'm dripping everywhere, it was pouring when I left.
C'était bien le festival ? Non, il pleuvait des cordes, c'était l'enfer. - Was the festival good? - No, it was pouring, it was hell.
Synonyms
Il tombe des cordes - Ropes are falling down
Il pleut très fort - It's raining heavily
Il pleut à flots - It's pouring
Il pleut comme vache qui pisse - It's raining like a pissing cow (very colloquial)
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Why do I need to know il pleut des cordes?
If you live in France, chances are you will need this from time to time.
What does it mean?
Il pleut des cordes translates to 'it rains some ropes', which means it is raining heavily - 'it's pouring'.
While it may sound a bit odd to compare rain to ropes, the idea is that the rain drops are so thick and heavy that it looks like ropes are coming down from the sky. A rather old-fashioned English equivalent would be its raining 'stair-rods'.
The more usual English equivalent is 'it's raining cats and dogs' - which you could argue is an even weirder way of picturing rain.
Ce matin il pleut des cordes!
— FGS MFL (@FGSlanguages) October 18, 2019
Literally: "This morning it's raining ropes"
Meaning: it's raining cats and dogs!#IdiomOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/KRk8kRCt1H
So if you're in an area hit by thunderstorms and heavy rain, this is one for you.
French expression of the hour: ‘il pleut des cordes’. #Paris #orage
— Matthew Fraser (@frasermatthew) August 12, 2020
If you are caught by a rafale de pluie (heavy gusts of wind and rain), you could exclaim Il pleut des cordes ! - It's raining cats and dogs!
⛈ L’orage s’abat sur #Paris ce soir avec de très fortes pluies précédées de bourrasques de vent. Il vient clôturer une journée bouillante (36,4°C). pic.twitter.com/ig0AOQmaMw
— Guillaume Séchet (@Meteovilles) August 12, 2020
Use it like this
On attend un peu avant de faire les courses ? Il pleut des cordes en ce moment. - Let's wait a little before getting groceries? It's raining cats and dogs at the moment.
Je suis désolée, je mouille tout, il pleuvait des cordes quand je suis partie. - I'm sorry, I'm dripping everywhere, it was pouring when I left.
C'était bien le festival ? Non, il pleuvait des cordes, c'était l'enfer. - Was the festival good? - No, it was pouring, it was hell.
Synonyms
Il tombe des cordes - Ropes are falling down
Il pleut très fort - It's raining heavily
Il pleut à flots - It's pouring
Il pleut comme vache qui pisse - It's raining like a pissing cow (very colloquial)
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