Spanish Phrase

Dicen que va a llover más tarde.

/ˈdi.sen ke ˈba a ʝoˈβeɾ ˈmas ˈtarde/

Meaning"They say it will rain later."

💡

Meaning

Literally “They say that it is going to rain later.” The sentence reports a piece of information heard from others, usually about the weather forecast.

🎯

When to use

Use this phrase when you want to share a rumor, a news item, or a weather forecast you heard from someone else. It’s common in informal conversation, on the street, or in a casual chat with friends.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Dicenquevaallovermástarde

Dicen (decir)

Third‑person plural present of *decir* used for reported speech; it translates to “they say”.

que (conjunction)

Introduces a subordinate clause that reports what is being said.

va a + infinitive

Periphrastic future (near future) – literally “is going to”. It is formed with the verb *ir* + *a* + infinitive.

llover (impersonal verb)

Weather verbs like *llover* are impersonal; they only appear in the third‑person singular form, even though the subject is not expressed.

más tarde

Adverbial phrase meaning “later”. It can be placed before or after the verb.

🗨In Conversation

Dicen que va a llover más tarde.

They say it will rain later.

Entonces mejor llevemos paraguas.

Then we’d better bring umbrellas.

✕Common Mistakes

Dicen que van a llover más tarde.
The verb *llover* is impersonal; it never takes a plural subject. Use *va a llover* (third‑person singular).
Dicen que lloveré más tarde.
When talking about future weather you need the periphrastic future (*va a llover*) or the simple future (*lloverá*), not the preterite.

↔Alternatives

Dicen que más tarde lloverá.
They say it will rain later.
Se dice que va a llover más tarde.
It is said that it will rain later.
Según el pronóstico, lloverá más tarde.
According to the forecast, it will rain later.

Cultural Tip

Talking about the weather is a universal ice‑breaker in Spanish‑speaking countries. Using *dicen que* softens the statement, showing you’re passing on information rather than asserting it yourself. In many regions, especially in Latin America, you’ll also hear *se dice que* as a more neutral way to convey the same idea.