usage: rainy and raining

[hanzj]

We say "It's raining" when rain is currently falling from the sky.

When do we use the word rainy?
How do you use the word rainy?


Update: Are there any cases where rainy could take the place of raining?

[sapo]

i m not a native english speaker, so dont mind if i m wrong, but i think that rainy is like "chuvoso" in portuguese... you use for those days that the sky is dark and rains several times... so its a rainy day :)

[Virogenesis]

Well I can only think of two times you might consider the use of rainy as a word.

1. describing weather in a past tenese.
We had quite a few rainy days last week
2. describing upcoming weather
expect a rainy day today

would possible be another way sure you could say expect rain today or expect showers its a hard word to actually describe its usage as many alternatives exist.

[hanzj]

But we can say "It was raining hard last week." Or, "the forecast says that it will be raining tomorrow."

Can you use the word "rainy" when it is currently raining? Can you say, "Oh, it's rainy now!" ? Or does that sound strange/unnatural?

[Rita]

But we can say "It was raining hard last week." Or, "the forecast says that it will be raining tomorrow."

Can you use the word "rainy" when it is currently raining? Can you say, "Oh, it's rainy now!" ? Or does that sound strange/unnatural?

No, that sounds unnatural to me.

[Virogenesis]

I personaly find that unnatural it sounds like it is in the wrong tense to me anyway.

[Rumor]

But we can say "It was raining hard last week." Or, "the forecast says that it will be raining tomorrow."

Can you use the word "rainy" when it is currently raining? Can you say, "Oh, it's rainy now!" ? Or does that sound strange/unnatural?

Rainy describes a thing, it is an adjective . . . It's a rainy day, or It's a rainy afternoon. So the usage would be:
1) It's raining today.
2) It's been a rainy day.

[hanzj]

Rumor,
You've given me some clarity. Thank you!

[fuscia]

i wonder if it could ever be an adverb...

"the old drunk stumbled into the alley and urinated on the empty trash cans in a rainily fashion."