Learn Hardcore Latin: Etsi pluit, sponsa flammeum gerit et puer cumeram portat. - Although it is raining, the bride wears the veil and a boy carries the bridal basket.

Breakdown of Etsi pluit, sponsa flammeum gerit et puer cumeram portat.

Why does pluit mean it is raining when there is no Latin word for it?

In Latin, pluit is an impersonal verb. That means it is used in the 3rd person singular without naming a real subject.

So:

Latin often does this with weather expressions. The it in English is just a dummy subject, and Latin usually does not need one.

What is etsi doing at the beginning of the sentence?

Etsi means although, even though, or though. It introduces a clause that contrasts with the main idea.

So:

The sense is: despite the rain, the other actions are still happening.

Why is pluit in the indicative and not the subjunctive?

Because etsi often introduces a clause of real fact.

Here the speaker is simply stating a fact:

So Latin uses the indicative:

A learner might expect the subjunctive after words like , but with , the indicative is very common when the statement is presented as true.