Italian Phrase
Piove a catinelle!
Meaning
Literally ‘It rains into buckets!’, this idiom is used to describe a sudden, heavy downpour, similar to the English ‘It’s raining cats and dogs’. It conveys both the intensity of the rain and a slightly informal, vivid tone.
When to use
Use it when you’re caught in a sudden, heavy rainstorm or when you want to comment on how torrential the weather is. It’s common in casual conversation, on the street, or in social media posts about the weather.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Pioveacatinelle!
Piove (verb)
Third‑person singular present of the intransitive verb *piovere* ‘to rain’. It never takes a subject; the weather itself is the implicit subject.
a + noun (idiomatic)
The preposition *a* here does not mean ‘to’, but introduces an idiomatic comparison – ‘as if into …’. It is common in expressions like *piove a dirotto*.
catinelle (noun)
Plural of *catinella*, a small bucket or pail. In the idiom it evokes the image of rain pouring into many buckets.
🗨In Conversation
Piove a catinelle!
It’s pouring down!
Sì, meglio prendere l’ombrello.
Yes, better grab an umbrella.
✕Common Mistakes
Piove a catinella.
The idiom uses the plural *catinelle*; singular sounds unnatural.
Piove a le catinelle.
The article *le* is omitted because *a* already introduces the idiom.
Piove a catinelle.
Missing the exclamation mark can make it sound less expressive; the phrase is usually exclaimed.
↔Alternatives
Sta piovendo a dirotto.
It’s pouring.
Piove forte.
It’s raining hard.
C’è un temporale.
There’s a thunderstorm.
Cultural Tip
Italian weather idioms often use vivid objects (buckets, hammers, etc.) to stress intensity. *Piove a catinelle* is informal and works best in spoken Italian or friendly written contexts; in formal writing you’d prefer *piove molto* or *c’è una pioggia intensa*. The phrase is understood throughout Italy, though in some northern regions people also say *piove a dirotto* with the same meaning.