French Phrase

N'oublie pas ton parapluie ; il pleut des cordes.

/nu.blje pa tɔ̃ pa.ʁa.plɥi il plø de kɔʁd/

Meaning"Don't forget your umbrella; it's raining heavily."

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Meaning

The speaker is reminding someone not to forget their umbrella because it is raining very heavily. The expression 'pleuvoir des cordes' is a vivid idiom that emphasizes the intensity of the rain.

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When to use

Use this sentence when you see a sudden downpour and want to warn a friend or family member to take an umbrella. It works well in informal conversation, especially among peers.

✦Grammar Breakdown

N'oubliepastonparapluie;ilpleutdescordes

Negative Imperative (N'oublie pas)

To give a negative command with a verb that ends in a vowel, attach the pronoun after the verb with an apostrophe (N' + oublie) and add 'pas' after the verb.

Possessive Adjective (ton)

Use 'ton' before a masculine singular noun to indicate 'your' (your umbrella).

Idiomatic Expression (pleuvoir des cordes)

Literally 'to rain ropes', this idiom means it is raining heavily, similar to English 'raining cats and dogs'.

🗨In Conversation

N'oublie pas ton parapluie ; il pleut des cordes.

Don't forget your umbrella; it's raining cats and dogs.

Merci, je le prends tout de suite.

Thanks, I'll grab it right away.

✕Common Mistakes

oublie pas ton parapluie
In the negative imperative, the 'ne' must be attached to the verb with an apostrophe (N'oublie pas).
il pleut beaucoup
While correct, it loses the vivid imagery of the idiom 'pleuvoir des cordes'.
il pleut cordes
Do not drop the article 'des'; the idiom requires it.

↔Alternatives

Prends ton parapluie, il pleut beaucoup.
Take your umbrella, it's raining a lot.
N'oublie pas ton parapluie, il fait un temps de chien.
Don't forget your umbrella, the weather is terrible.
Mets ton parapluie, il tombe la pluie à torrents.
Put on your umbrella, the rain is coming down in torrents.

Cultural Tip

The idiom 'pleuvoir des cordes' is colloquial and widely used across France. It evokes the image of ropes hanging from the sky, emphasizing how hard the rain falls. While perfectly natural in spoken French, avoid it in very formal writing; there you would simply say 'il pleut très fort'.