Spanish Phrase
Parece que va a llover.
Meaning
‘Parece que va a llover.’ translates to ‘It looks like it’s going to rain.’ It is used when you notice dark clouds, humidity, or hear a forecast and want to comment on the imminent weather change.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual conversation when you want to give a quick weather prediction based on observation or a short‑term forecast. It works well as a starter for small talk or as a reason to suggest taking an umbrella.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Parecequevaallover
Parecer (impersonal)
‘Parece’ is the third‑person singular of ‘parecer’ used impersonally to mean ‘it seems/looks like’.
Que (subordinating conjunction)
‘Que’ introduces the subordinate clause that explains what it seems.
Ir + a + infinitive (periphrastic future)
‘Va a’ is the present form of ‘ir’ plus ‘a’ + infinitive, a common way to talk about the near future.
Llover (impersonal verb)
‘Llover’ is an impersonal verb; it only appears in the third person and means ‘to rain’.
🗨In Conversation
Parece que va a llover.
It looks like it’s going to rain.
Sí, mejor llevemos los paraguas.
Yes, we’d better bring the umbrellas.
✕Common Mistakes
Parece que está a llover.
‘Estar a + infinitive’ is not used for future predictions; use ‘va a + infinitive’ instead.
Parece que lloverá.
While grammatically correct, native speakers prefer the periphrastic form ‘va a llover’ in casual speech.
↔Alternatives
Creo que va a llover.
I think it’s going to rain.
Se ve que va a llover.
You can see it’s going to rain.
Va a llover, según el pronóstico.
It’s going to rain, according to the forecast.
Cultural Tip
Talking about the weather is a universal ice‑breaker in Spanish‑speaking cultures. ‘Parece que…’ is informal and perfect for everyday chat, while the simple future ‘lloverá’ sounds more formal or written. In many Latin American countries people will add a friendly ‘¡A ver si nos mojamos!’ (Let’s see if we get wet!) after this phrase.