НIdioms can tell us a lot about how speakers of a certain language express themselves. One interesting idiom that has an amazing and interesting variety across languages is the one describing rainfall. English uses “it’s raining cats and dogs” to describe heavy rainfall. But what do speakers of other languages say when it’s raining cats and dogs? Let’s find out. (If you don’t see your language, please add it in a comment).
Spanish
It’s raining dung head-first.
“Esta lloviendo caen soretes de punta.”
French
“It’s raining like a pissing cow.”
“Il pleut comme une vache qui pisse“.
Afrikaans
It’s raining old women with clubs.
“Ou vrouens met knopkieries reen.”
Maltese
The doors of heaven have opened up.
“infetħu bibien is-sema
German
It’s raining/pouring shoemakers.
“Es regnet/gießt Schusterjungs.”
Slovak
“Padajú traktory.”
Danish
It’s raining cobbler boys.
“Det regner skomagerdrenge.“
Greek
“Rixnei kareklopodara.”
Hebrew
“yoréd mabúl”
Turkish
It’s raining like long strings of rope.
“Sicim gibi yağmur yağıyor.”
Brazilian Portuguese
It’s raining pocket knives.
It’s raining frogs’ beards.
Está chovendo canivetes or Está chovendo barba de sapo.
Polish
It’s throwing frogs.
“Rzuca żabami.”
Moroccan Arabic
It’s raining like a thread from the sky.
“katsob khayt mn sma.
Irish
It’s throwing cobblers knives.
“Tá sé ag caitheamhsceana gréasaí”
Japanese
Earth and sand are falling.
土砂降りである (doshaburi de aru)
Cantonese
dog shit is falling.
落狗屎 (lohk gáusí)
Norwegian
It’s raining female trolls.
“Det regner trollkjerringer.”
Serbian
The rain falls and kills the mice.
Пада киша уби миша (Pada kiša, ubi miša)
Swedish
It’s raining like rods / ladles / the rain stands like rods in the hillside.
“Det spöregnar / ösregnar / Regnet står som spön i backen.”
