Learn German: Es regnet draußen. - It is raining outside.

Just like in English when we say "It is raining," the es (it) doesn't refer to a specific thing or person. This is called an impersonal subject. German uses es for weather conditions because every regular sentence needs a subject!

Why is there no word for "is" in the German sentence?

In English, we use "is raining" to talk about what is happening right now. German doesn't have a direct equivalent to this "-ing" form! The single word regnet covers both "rains" and "is raining". So, es regnet is all you need to say "it is raining".

What is the special letter in draußen?

That letter is called the Eszett or sharp S (ß). It makes a strong "ss" sound, exactly like the "ss" in the English word "hiss". It is never used at the beginning of a word, which is why you usually only see it in the middle or at the end of words.

Can I change the word order and put draußen first?

Yes, you can! You could say Draußen regnet es. Remember that in German statements, the verb must always stay in the second position. If draußen moves to the front, the verb regnet stays in spot number two, and the subject es hops to the third spot.