Translation guide
Expressions for rainy weather in Japanese, from general terms to specific nuances.
Describing weather that is rainy in a neutral or general sense.
The most common word for rain. Can be used as a noun or with particles to describe rainy weather.
今日は雨です。
It's rainy today.
On rainy days, I stay home.
Literally 'rain falling', often used in casual or descriptive contexts, like children's songs or everyday talk.
It's rainy, so take an umbrella.
Formal or written term for rainy weather, often used in forecasts or official contexts.
The match is canceled due to rainy weather.
Referring to a period of rainy weather, such as the rainy season or continuous rain.
The East Asian rainy season, typically early summer. Very common in weather talk.
The rainy season has started.
During the rainy season, it's humid and damp.
Long spell of rain, not necessarily seasonal. Can be used for extended rainy periods.
Describing the state or feeling of rainy weather, often with adjectives.
Looks like rain; threatening to rain. Used for overcast, rainy-looking weather.
The sky looks like rain, doesn't it?
Tending to be rainy; often rainy. Describes a period with frequent rain.
A stretch of rainy weather. More formal or written.
I feel down because of the continuous rainy weather.
雨 (ame) is the general word for rain and rainy weather. 雨天 (uten) is formal and often used in written contexts like forecasts or announcements. 雨降り (amefuri) is casual and emphasizes the falling rain, common in everyday speech and children's language.
To say 'it's rainy', use 雨です (ame desu) or 雨が降っています (ame ga futte imasu). To describe a rainy day, use 雨の日 (ame no hi).
長雨で洗濯物が乾かない。
Because of the long rainy spell, the laundry won't dry.
This week's weather is mostly rainy.