German Phrase
Regnet's draußen?
Meaning
Literally ‘Is it raining outside?’, this short question is used to find out whether rain is falling at the moment in the place you are talking about.
When to use
Use it in casual conversation when you want to check the weather before stepping out, when you’re planning an outdoor activity, or simply as a small‑talk starter with friends or colleagues.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Regnet'sdraußen?
Verb conjugation
‘Regnet’ is the 3rd person singular present form of ‘regnen’ (to rain).
Pronoun contraction
‘s’ is a spoken contraction of the pronoun ‘es’ (it). In writing you can also say ‘Regnet es draußen?’
Verb‑subject inversion
In yes/no questions the verb moves to the first position, followed directly by the subject (or its contraction).
Adverb of place
‘draußen’ means ‘outside’ or ‘outdoors’ and stays after the verb‑subject cluster.
🗨In Conversation
Regnet's draußen?
Is it raining outside?
Ja, seit ein paar Minuten. Nimm besser einen Regenschirm mit.
Yes, it’s been raining for a few minutes. You’d better take an umbrella.
✕Common Mistakes
Regnet du draußen?
‘Regnen’ is an impersonal verb; you cannot use ‘du’ as the subject.
Es regnet draußen?
The verb must be placed before the subject in a yes/no question; otherwise it’s a statement.
Regnet's drinnen?
‘drinnen’ means ‘inside’; the phrase is fine grammatically but changes the meaning.
↔Alternatives
Regnet es draußen?
Is it raining outside?
Ist es draußen nass?
Is it wet outside?
Regnet es gerade draußen?
Is it raining right now outside?
Cultural Tip
Talking about the weather is a classic ice‑breaker in German culture. The contracted form ‘Regnet's’ is common in spoken, informal German, especially among friends or in regional dialects. In more formal settings—e.g., a business meeting or a written email—use the full form ‘Regnet es draußen?’ to avoid sounding too casual.