Is there a Portuguese expression for "raining cats and dogs"?

Question

Supposedly, there are two origins for this expression:

One supposed origin is that the phrase derives from mythology. Dogs and wolves were attendants to Odin, the god of storms, and sailors associated them with rain. Witches, who often took the form of their familiars - cats, are supposed to have ridden the wind. Well, some evidence would be nice. There doesn't appear to be any to support this notion.

It has also been suggested that cats and dogs were washed from roofs during heavy weather.

So it always made me wonder, if in Portuguese people thought of a similar way to describe a heavy rain. Specially if it involves cats and dogs...

score 14 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 15 '15 at 09:38

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The most similar expressions in Portuguese I can think of are:

chover a potes = "raining pots" (literally translated);
chover a cântaros = "raining jugfuls/pitchers" (also literally translated).

However, the intended meaning would be someone up in the sky pouring down water from big pots, or jugs full of it, repeatedly.

It seems Portuguese language was not influenced by those origins to describe a heavy rain as "cats and dogs" falling from the sky.

answered Jul 15 '15 at 09:38

Armfoot

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Português europeu creio eu. No Brasil, nunca ouvi nenhuma dessas expressões. – Victor Stafusa - BozoNaCadeia Jul 15 '15 at 16:27
@VictorStafusa Mas parece que já foram usadas no Brasil. São as duas comuns em autores do século XIX. Exemplo: «Messias fechou [a janelinha] declarando, com a sua voz macia e imperturbável: " Que chovia a potes " » - Coelho Neto, Turbilhão, 1906. – Jacinto May 27 '16 at 17:09
"chovia a cântaros" is less common than "chovendo canivetes", but still used in Rio de Janeiro by older folks. – Centaurus Jan 19 '20 at 02:18

score 14 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:53

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Another expression used, at least in Brazil (as far as I know), is:

"chover canivetes"

which roughly translates to "raining pocket knives", or "raining penknives". This page (in portuguese) makes a quick discussion on "raining cats and dogs" vs "chovendo canivetes" vs "chovendo a cântaros" (as pointed in Armfoot's answer).

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:53

Community

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answered Jul 15 '15 at 17:41

Ivo Terek

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The theme of pointed objects as similes for rain seems to be common to Spanish and Portuguese: a traditional equivalent of this in Spanish is llover/caer chuzos de punta, where chuzo is a small blade (cf. Port. chuço) and de punta means "point first". – pablodf76 Feb 26 '17 at 00:20
And for when it's truly raining a lot there's the chover canive aberto. – stafusa Jan 19 '18 at 23:54
@pablodf76, in Portuguse chuço is not a small blade, it's a sort of lance: «Pau armado de ponta aguda de ferro» (see definition of chuço in Priberam dictionary). A quick search tells me it might mean the same in Spanish. – ANeves Jan 13 '20 at 14:22
"chovendo canivetes" is current usage where I'm from. – Centaurus Jan 19 '20 at 02:15

score 2 · Answer 3 · edited Feb 26 '17 at 00:59

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Brazil is a big country and, in each region, there are lots of different slangs. These are the ones I usually hear:

está caindo o mundo ("the world is falling down")
toró (slang for "really heavy storm")

edited Feb 26 '17 at 00:59

Ramon Melo

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answered Feb 25 '17 at 20:35

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 18 '20 at 17:23

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In São Paulo, people say: "Está caindo um pé d'água!"

answered Jan 18 '20 at 17:23

D. Lüdi

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This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post; instead, provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker. - From Review – Peixoto Jan 27 '20 at 08:28
@Peixoto , porque achas que isto não responde? "Está caindo um pé d'água" não é uma tradução válida para "it's raining cats and dogs"? – ANeves Feb 04 '20 at 14:04

Is there a Portuguese expression for "raining cats and dogs"?

4 Answers4