Bedeutung
Heavy rainfall.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Rain is a constant companion in Finnish life, especially in the autumn. There is no social stigma to complaining about it; in fact, it's a primary way to bond with strangers at a bus stop. Children are taught from a young age that 'sataa kaatamalla' is not a reason to stay inside. They wear 'kurahousut' (mud pants) and play in puddles, reflecting the 'sisu' mindset. A 'kaatosade' at the summer cottage is often seen as a cozy opportunity to heat the sauna and stay inside playing cards, rather than a ruined day. Authors like Tove Jansson often use heavy rain to create atmosphere. In Moomin stories, a sudden downpour often signals a shift in the narrative or a coming adventure.
Drop the 'It'
Remember that Finnish doesn't need 'it' for weather. Just start with the verb 'Sataa'.
Not for Snow
Never use this for snow. It sounds very strange to a native speaker.
Bedeutung
Heavy rainfall.
Drop the 'It'
Remember that Finnish doesn't need 'it' for weather. Just start with the verb 'Sataa'.
Not for Snow
Never use this for snow. It sounds very strange to a native speaker.
Add 'Ihan'
Add the word 'ihan' (quite/completely) before 'kaatamalla' to sound more like a native: 'Sataa ihan kaatamalla!'
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word to say 'It is pouring rain'.
Ulkona sataa ________.
The instructive case '-malla' is required here.
Which sentence is correct?
How do you say 'Yesterday it poured rain'?
'Satoi' is the past tense (imperfekt) of 'sataa'.
Match the weather to the correct Finnish phrase.
You are soaking wet and the sky is grey with heavy sheets of water.
This is the best description for a heavy downpour.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Mennäänkö ulos? B: Ei, katso ikkunasta! ________.
You can't go out because it's pouring rain.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenUlkona sataa ________.
The instructive case '-malla' is required here.
How do you say 'Yesterday it poured rain'?
'Satoi' is the past tense (imperfekt) of 'sataa'.
You are soaking wet and the sky is grey with heavy sheets of water.
This is the best description for a heavy downpour.
A: Mennäänkö ulos? B: Ei, katso ikkunasta! ________.
You can't go out because it's pouring rain.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenIt is neutral. You can use it in almost any context, from a news report to a chat with a friend.
Yes! Adding 'vettä' (water) makes it even more explicit, though 'sataa' already implies rain.
'Kaatosade' is a noun (a downpour), while 'sataa kaatamalla' is a verb phrase (it is pouring).
It follows Finnish vowel harmony. Since 'kaataa' has back vowels (a), the ending must be '-malla'.
Yes, 'sataa ihan simona' or 'vettä tulee kuin esterin perseestä' (very vulgar/slangy).
Yes: 'Eilen satoi kaatamalla'.
Yes, it describes the same intensity of rain, but the imagery is different.
Yes, it is used all over Finland.
Usually, it implies a more sustained heavy rain, but it can be used for a sudden, heavy burst.
Use 'sataa vähän' or 'tihuttaa'.
Verwandte Redewendungen
sataa kuin saavista
synonymRaining like from a tub.
kaatosade
specialized formA downpour (noun).
sataa kuin aisaa
similarRaining like shafts.
tihkusade
contrastDrizzle.
koiranilma
builds onTerrible weather (dog's weather).
