Meaning
Describing the weather as rainy.
Cultural Background
Rain is often associated with romantic nostalgia (nỗi buồn man mác). In many V-Pop songs, rain is the background for a breakup. In Saigon, rain is 'chợt đến chợt đi' (comes and goes suddenly). People don't let it stop their plans; they just wait 15 minutes under a bridge. Spring rain (mưa phùn) is essential for the Tet holiday atmosphere, making the peach blossoms bloom. Hue is famous for its long, poetic, and somewhat gloomy rain, which has shaped the city's quiet and meditative character.
Use 'rồi'
Adding 'rồi' at the end (Trời mưa rồi) makes you sound much more natural, like you're reacting to the world.
Avoid 'Nó'
Never say 'Nó mưa'. It's the biggest giveaway that you're translating from English.
Meaning
Describing the weather as rainy.
Use 'rồi'
Adding 'rồi' at the end (Trời mưa rồi) makes you sound much more natural, like you're reacting to the world.
Avoid 'Nó'
Never say 'Nó mưa'. It's the biggest giveaway that you're translating from English.
Raincoat etiquette
If you're on a motorbike and it starts raining, pull over safely. Everyone else will be doing the same!
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing word to say 'It is currently raining.'
Trời ___ mưa.
'đang' is the marker for the present continuous tense in Vietnamese.
How do you say 'It's raining very heavily'?
Select the correct sentence:
'To' (big) is the standard adjective used to describe heavy rain in Vietnamese.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You see dark clouds and want to warn your friend.
'Sắp' means 'about to', perfect for a warning.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Ngoài kia có mưa không? B: ________, trời đang nắng.
Since the second part says 'it's sunny', the first part must be a negation of rain.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesTrời ___ mưa.
'đang' is the marker for the present continuous tense in Vietnamese.
Select the correct sentence:
'To' (big) is the standard adjective used to describe heavy rain in Vietnamese.
You see dark clouds and want to warn your friend.
'Sắp' means 'about to', perfect for a warning.
A: Ngoài kia có mưa không? B: ________, trời đang nắng.
Since the second part says 'it's sunny', the first part must be a negation of rain.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questionsIn casual speech, you can just say 'Mưa rồi!' but 'Trời mưa' is the complete and most common form.
They both mean heavy rain. 'Mưa to' is more common in daily speech, while 'mưa lớn' is slightly more formal/news-oriented.
Use 'Trời tạnh rồi' or 'Hết mưa rồi'.
Yes, 'Cơn mưa' means 'a rain shower'.
Related Phrases
Trời tạnh
contrastThe rain has stopped
Mưa rào
specialized formHeavy shower
Áo mưa
builds onRaincoat
Ướt như chuột lột
similarWet like a peeled rat
