A1 Collocation Neutral

Hujan deras

Heavy rain

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Hujan deras is the essential Indonesian phrase for heavy, pouring rain that stops traffic and keeps everyone indoors.

  • Means: Intense rainfall where water falls quickly and in large volumes.
  • Used in: Daily weather reports, casual chats, and complaining about traffic delays.
  • Don't confuse: Avoid saying 'hujan berat' (heavy rain) which is a literal English translation.
Hujan (Rain) + Deras (Swift/Intense) = ⛈️ A massive downpour

Explanation at your level:

Hujan deras means 'heavy rain'. 'Hujan' is rain. 'Deras' is fast or strong. Use this when you see a lot of water falling from the sky. It is a very common phrase in Indonesia because it rains a lot there. You can say 'Sekarang hujan deras' (Now it is raining heavily).
Hujan deras is a collocation used to describe intense rainfall. Unlike English which uses 'heavy', Indonesian uses 'deras' (swift/fast). It is often used with time markers like 'tadi' (earlier) or 'nanti' (later). For example: 'Nanti sore mungkin hujan deras.' It's an essential phrase for daily survival and making excuses for being late.
In an intermediate context, 'hujan deras' is used to discuss the consequences of weather. It often appears in sentences involving cause and effect, such as 'Hujan deras mengakibatkan jemuran saya basah semua.' You should also learn its synonym 'hujan lebat', which is slightly more formal and emphasizes the density of the raindrops rather than the speed of the fall.
At this level, you should recognize 'hujan deras' in news reports and literature. It is frequently paired with verbs like 'mengguyur' (to drench/pour over) or 'melanda' (to hit/strike). For instance, 'Hujan deras yang mengguyur ibu kota selama tiga jam mengakibatkan genangan air di beberapa ruas jalan.' Understanding the nuance between 'deras' (velocity) and 'lebat' (density) helps in achieving native-like precision.
Advanced learners should analyze 'hujan deras' through the lens of Indonesian maritime linguistics. The use of 'deras'—a term for hydraulic flow—to describe atmospheric precipitation reveals a conceptual blending of sky and sea. You will encounter this phrase in climate change discourse, where 'intensitas hujan deras' is analyzed alongside 'siklon tropis' and 'anomali cuaca'.
Mastery involves understanding the semiotics of 'hujan deras' in Indonesian contemporary culture and classical literature. It serves as a pathetic fallacy in 'Sastra' (literature), mirroring a character's internal turmoil. One must also master the sociolinguistic implications of the phrase in urban planning debates and its role in the collective Indonesian psyche regarding 'gotong royong' (communal help) during flood disasters caused by such weather.

Significado

A lot of rain falling quickly

🌍

Contexto cultural

Hujan deras in Jakarta almost always means 'macet' (traffic jams). People often use the phrase to negotiate meeting times or justify working from home. In farming communities, hujan deras is welcomed as a sign of fertility for the rice paddies, though too much can cause landslides (longsor). There is a strong cultural link between 'hujan deras' and eating 'Indomie' or 'Bakso'. The cold rain makes people crave warm, salty soups. The 'Pawang Hujan' is a traditional rain shaman often hired for outdoor events to prevent 'hujan deras' from occurring at a specific location.

💡

The 'Excuse' Rule

In Indonesia, 'hujan deras' is a socially acceptable reason for being 15-30 minutes late. Use it wisely!

⚠️

Avoid 'Hujan Berat'

Never use 'berat' for rain. It's the most obvious sign of a beginner learner.

Significado

A lot of rain falling quickly

💡

The 'Excuse' Rule

In Indonesia, 'hujan deras' is a socially acceptable reason for being 15-30 minutes late. Use it wisely!

⚠️

Avoid 'Hujan Berat'

Never use 'berat' for rain. It's the most obvious sign of a beginner learner.

🎯

Use 'Banget'

To sound more like a local, add 'banget' (very) at the end: 'Hujan deras banget!'

Ponte a prueba

Choose the most natural way to say 'It is raining heavily' in Indonesian.

Di luar sedang ____.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: hujan deras

'Hujan deras' is the standard collocation. 'Hujan berat' is a literal translation from English and is incorrect.

Fill in the blank with the correct word for 'heavy' in the context of rain.

Saya tidak bisa pergi karena hujan sangat ____.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: deras

In the context of rain, 'deras' is the appropriate adjective to describe intensity.

Match the weather to the appropriate action.

Hujan deras

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Bawa payung besar

You need a big umbrella (or to stay inside) during heavy rain.

Complete the dialogue.

A: Kenapa kamu basah? B: Tadi di jalan ada ____.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: hujan deras

Rain (hujan) makes you wet (basah).

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Ayudas visuales

Types of Rain in Indonesia

🌦️

Light

  • • Gerimis
  • • Hujan rintik-rintik
⛈️

Heavy

  • • Hujan deras
  • • Hujan lebat
🌪️

Extreme

  • • Hujan badai
  • • Hujan ekstrem

Preguntas frecuentes

5 preguntas

'Deras' refers to the speed/velocity of the rain falling, while 'lebat' refers to the density/abundance. In practice, they are used interchangeably.

No, 'kuat' (strong) is used for wind (angin kencang/kuat) or people, but not for rain.

It is neutral. It can be used in news reports and casual conversation.

You can say 'Mulai hujan deras'.

It means 'very heavy rain'. 'Sekali' adds emphasis.

Frases relacionadas

🔄

Hujan lebat

synonym

Heavy rain (emphasizing density)

🔗

Hujan rintik-rintik

contrast

Drizzle / Light rain

🔗

Pawang hujan

builds on

Rain shaman

🔗

Sedia payung sebelum hujan

builds on

Prepare the umbrella before it rains

Dónde usarla

🛍️

Stuck at the Mall

A: Aduh, di luar hujan deras banget!

B: Iya, kita tunggu di sini saja dulu ya.

informal
🚗

Calling a Taxi/Gojek

Driver: Maaf Pak, saya telat karena hujan deras.

Passenger: Oh, tidak apa-apa. Hati-hati di jalan.

neutral
💼

Office Meeting

Boss: Kenapa rapatnya belum mulai?

Staff: Banyak yang terjebak hujan deras, Pak.

formal
🏠

At Home with Family

Ibu: Cepat angkat jemuran! Sudah hujan deras!

Anak: Siap, Bu!

informal
📺

News Broadcast

News Anchor: Hujan deras diprediksi akan melanda wilayah Jawa Barat malam ini.

formal
🍜

Ordering Food

Customer: Mas, kok makanannya lama?

Courier: Maaf Kak, hujan deras, saya harus berteduh.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Deras' as 'Dash'. The rain is DASHing down to the ground very fast!

Visual Association

Imagine a tropical jungle where the rain is so thick you can't see the person standing five meters away. The water isn't just falling; it's a solid wall of liquid speed.

Rhyme

Hujan deras, hati was-was. (Heavy rain makes the heart anxious.)

Story

You are sitting in a small 'Warung' (stall). Suddenly, the sky turns black. The 'Hujan Deras' starts hitting the tin roof so loudly you have to shout to be heard. You order a hot coffee and wait for the 'current' of the sky to slow down.

Word Web

HujanDerasBanjirPayungBasahMendungPetirAngin

Desafío

Next time it rains, look out the window and decide: Is it 'rintik-rintik' (drizzle) or 'deras' (heavy)? Say the word out loud three times.

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Lluvia fuerte

Indonesian focuses on the speed of the water flow.

French moderate

Il pleut à verse

French often uses a verbal phrase, while Indonesian uses a noun-adjective pair.

German high

Starkregen

German is a single compound word; Indonesian is a collocation.

Japanese partial

大雨 (Ooame)

Japanese focuses on size/scale; Indonesian focuses on flow speed.

Arabic moderate

مطر غزير (Matar ghazir)

Arabic emphasizes abundance; Indonesian 'deras' emphasizes speed.

Chinese partial

大雨 (Dàyǔ)

Chinese uses 'Big' for standard heavy rain; Indonesian uses 'Swift'.

Korean low

폭우 (Pogu)

Korean is more dramatic; Indonesian is more descriptive of the water's movement.

Portuguese high

Chuva forte

Indonesian 'deras' is more specific to liquid dynamics than 'forte'.

Easily Confused

Hujan deras vs Hujan lebat

Learners don't know which one to use.

Use 'deras' for the speed of falling water and 'lebat' for the sheer volume/density. They are 90% interchangeable.

Hujan deras vs Arus deras

Learners might think this is a type of rain.

'Arus deras' refers to a strong river current, not rain.

Preguntas frecuentes (5)

'Deras' refers to the speed/velocity of the rain falling, while 'lebat' refers to the density/abundance. In practice, they are used interchangeably.

No, 'kuat' (strong) is used for wind (angin kencang/kuat) or people, but not for rain.

It is neutral. It can be used in news reports and casual conversation.

You can say 'Mulai hujan deras'.

It means 'very heavy rain'. 'Sekali' adds emphasis.

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