A simpler way to say this might be “when things go wrong, they really go wrong” or “bad things don’t happen alone.”
When we say “it never rains but it pours,” we mean that when something difficult or bad happens, other challenging things often happen at the same time. It’s a way of expressing the experience where troubles or difficulties seem to come all at once, not in isolation.
Here are some examples in sentences:
Example 1:
Just when she lost her job, her car broke down too. She felt like it never rains but it pours.
Example 2:
First, he lost his keys, and then he slipped and sprained his ankle; he muttered, “it never rains but it pours.”
Let’s see how we might use this phrase in conversation:
Example 3:
Tom: “I had a flat tire on my way here and then, when I finally arrived, I realized I left my presentation at home.”
Jerry: “Sounds like it never rains but it pours. Sorry to hear that, Tom.”
Example 4:
Maria:
“I can’t believe it! First, my cat gets sick, and now my laptop won’t turn on!”
Lisa: “Oh no, Maria. It sounds like it never rains but it pours.”
So, when you hear or see the phrase “it never rains but it pours,” it is expressing a situation where misfortunes or difficult situations are happening all at once or in quick succession.
