how to say “it’s raining cats and dogs” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/גשם-שוטף-1.m4a” /]יוֹרֵד גֶּשֶׁם שׁוֹטֵף

In Hebrew, we call a downpour גשם שוטף[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/גשם-שוטף-2.m4a” /] – literally, flowing or washing rain.

It’s raining in Hebrew is יורד גשם[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/גשם-שוטף-3.m4a” /] – literally, rain is coming down.

So it’s pouring rain or, if you will, it’s raining cats and dogs, is יורד גשם שוטף[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/גשם-שוטף-1.m4a” /].

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/גשם-שוטף-4.m4a” /]אתמול ירד גשם שוטף בתל אביב.

Yesterday it was pouring rain in Tel Aviv.

There is another, more colorful Hebrew expression for lots of rain that conjures up the events of the Torah reading a few weeks ago: מבול[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/גשם-שוטף-5.m4a” /] – a flood.