Spanish Phrase
Está nublado pero no llueve.
Meaning
The sky is covered with clouds, but it isn’t raining. The sentence contrasts two weather conditions, emphasizing that clouds don’t always mean rain.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to describe the current weather, especially in casual conversation or small‑talk about the day’s conditions.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Estánubladoperonollueve
Estar (temporary state)
Use 'estar' for temporary conditions like weather; 'está' is the third‑person singular present of estar.
Nublado (adjective)
An adjective that describes the sky as cloudy; it agrees in gender and number with the implied subject (el cielo).
pero (conjunction)
Connects two contrasting ideas, similar to 'but' in English.
no (negation)
Placed before the verb to negate it; here it negates 'llueve'.
llueve (verb)
Third‑person singular present of 'llover' meaning 'it rains'.
🗨In Conversation
¿Cómo está el tiempo hoy?
How’s the weather today?
Está nublado pero no llueve.
It’s cloudy but not raining.
✕Common Mistakes
Es nublado pero no llueve.
Use 'estar' for temporary weather conditions; 'es' (ser) describes permanent traits.
Está nublado pero no lloviendo.
Negate the verb directly; 'no lloviendo' is ungrammatical.
Está nublado pero no llúeve.
Do not add an unnecessary accent; the correct spelling is 'llueve' (no accent on the 'e').
↔Alternatives
Hay nubes, pero no está lloviendo.
There are clouds, but it isn’t raining.
El cielo está cubierto, sin lluvia.
The sky is overcast, without rain.
Está nublado y no cae lluvia.
It’s cloudy and no rain is falling.
Cultural Tip
Talking about the weather is a universal ice‑breaker in Spanish‑speaking countries. Native speakers often use 'nublado' for a fully overcast sky, while 'nublado' can also be used loosely for a few clouds. Remember that 'llover' is an impersonal verb; you never say 'yo lluevo' for the weather. In some regions, people say 'está lloviendo' instead of 'llueve' – both are correct, but 'llueve' is more concise.