Croatian Croatia, Serbia

Da je baba bila muško, zvala bi se Duško

Proverb USED Frequently BY Everyone

(If grandma had been a man, her name would have been Duško) • It's used to prevent regret and overanalyzing past events over which we no longer have influence, as they have already occurred. Duško is a male name in Croatia.

"Da sam marljivije učio, do sada sam mogao diplomirati s odličnim uspjehom i potencijalno si osigurati bolje plaćen posao." "Eh, da je baba bila muško, zvala bi se Duško."

"If I had studied harder, I could have graduated with honors by now and potentially secured a better paying job." "Eh, if grandma was male, her name would be Duško."

Arabic Palestine

اللي خلف ما مات

Proverb USED On Occasion BY Elders

(the one who left (children) behind did not die) • It's a way to deliver condolences to the family (especially the children) of the deceased. It basically means if a parent left behind kids who he/she taught good values, wisdom, and faith, It's like they don't really die. The good things they taught their kids, which their kids can in turn pass on to their kids, makes them live on beyond their years.

"شد حيلك، اللي خلف ما مات."

"Stay strong. The one who left (children) behind, did not die."

Scots Scotland

We're a' Jock Tamson's bairns

Proverb USED On Occasion BY Some

(We are all Jock Tamson's children.) • An expression of mutual fellowship. Similar to "we are all God's children."

"I don't care what country you're from - you're welcome here. We're a' Jock Tamson's bairns."

English Scotland

shy weans don't get sweets

Proverb USED On Occasion BY Some People

(Shy kids don't get sweets) • Used to encourage someone to pluck up the courage to ask for something.

"If you don't think he's paying you enough, you need to ask for a wage increase. Shy weans don't get sweets."

"If you don't think he's paying you enough, you need to ask for a wage increase. Shy Kids don't get sweets."

Polish Poland

stara miłość nie rdzewieje

Proverb USED On Occasion BY Older Generations

(old love doesn't rust) • Once you fell in love with someone, you'll always be fond of them, even if you haven't seen each other in a long time; It's easy to reignite the love for your past partners and crushes.

"Nie przeszkadza ci, że twoja żona idzie na imprezę, gdzie będzie jej były?" "Niby dlaczego? To stare dzieje." "Wiesz, jak to mówią: stara miłość nie rdzewieje..."

"Doesn't it bother you that your wife goes to the party where her ex will be?" "Why would it bother me? It's ancient history." "You know what they say: old love doesn't rust..."

Italian Italy

campa cavallo che l'erba cresce

Proverb USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(live, horse, and grass will grow) • Used to say that you waiting for something is like a horse waiting for the grass to grow to eat. It's not happening anytime soon.

"sto aspettando che Giovanni mi risponda al messaggio" "campa cavallo che l'erba cresce"

"I'm waiting for Giovanni to reply to my text" "live, horse, and grass will grow"

Italian Italy

Il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizio

Proverb USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People

(The wolf looses its fur but not its vice) • This proverb describes that it’s very difficult to get rid of a bad habit.

“Perché vi siete lasciati?” “Mi ha di nuovo tradito!” “Te l’ho detto, il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizio!”

“Why did you break up?” “She cheated on me again!” “I told you already, the wolf looses its fur but not its vice!”

Italian Italy

l'acqua cheta rovina i ponti

Proverb USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(calm water ruins the bridges) • Referring to the erosive power of water, it's used to describe people that come across as quiet, but they do their work without being noticed (the work having a negative connotation).

"Hai sentito che ha combinato Luca? É riuscito a fregare tutti! Chi lo avrebbe mai detto!" "Eh, l'acqua cheta rovina i ponti!"

"Have you heard about Luca? He screwed everybody! Who could have possibly told!" "Eh, calm water ruins the bridges!"

Serbian Serbian speaking countries

u laži su kratke noge

Proverb USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(a lie has short legs) • It's used to express the fact that every lie will be revealed in the end. A person with short legs won't go far and so won't any lies.

"On neće moći ovo da krije još dugo. U laži su kratke noge."

"He won't be able to hide this for much longer. A lie has short legs."

Italian Italy

Piove sul bagnato

Proverb USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(It rains on the wet) • It means that unfortunate things always happen to an already unfortunate person around the same time. It also means that lucky things always happen to an already lucky person. It corresponds to the saying "When it rains, it pours" in English.

"Oggi ho perso il lavoro e pure la ragazza!" "Piove sempre sul bagnato..."

"Today I lost my job and even my girlfriend!" "It always rains on the wet!"

Hungarian Hungary

sok bába közt elvész a gyerek

Proverb USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(among many midwives the child is lost) • When too many people work on a project, it is left unfinished.

"Három ácsot fogadtunk fel, mégsincs készen a tető. Sok bába közt elvész a gyerek..."

"We hired three carpenters, yet the roof is still unfinished. Among many midwives the child is lost..."

Arabic Egypt

عريان الطيز بيحب التأميز

Proverb USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(Someone with their ass exposed likes to criticize) • Used in reference to hypocrites، or those who make fun of people while they are losers.

-"إزاي مش عارف ياخد الدكتوراه لحد دلوقتي؟" -"إنت حتى مش بتعرف تقرأ وتكتب، بس عريان الطيز بيحب التأميز"

-"How is he not able to get his Ph.D. until now?" -"You don't even know how to read and write, but that who has his ass exposed likes to criticize."

Italian Italy

Chi ha i denti non ha il pane e chi ha il pane non ha i denti

Proverb USED On Rare Occasion BY Everyone

(Who has teeth has no bread and who has bread has no teeth) • It means that some people have talents and ambitions but no opportunity to realise them and some others have means (usually financial resources) but no aspirations to realise. It is used both to feel sorry for a talented person who can't afford what they want and to criticise a person who has occasions that they don't deserve.

"Maria parla benissimo l'inglese ma non più permettersi il viaggio a Londra, quindi il suo posto verrà preso da Marco, che non parla una parola di inglese. È proprio vero che chi ha i denti non ha il pane e chi ha il pane non ha i denti!"

"Maria speaks English very well, but she can't afford the trip to London, so her place will be taken by Marco, who doesn't speak a word of English. It is true that who has teeth has no bread and who has bread has no teeth!"

Portuguese Brazil

cavalo dado não se olha os dentes

Proverb USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(you don't look at the teeth of a given horse) • It's used when you get something for free or as a gift; it means that since it was given to you, you shouldn't complain about it, even if you don't really like it.

"Eu não gosto muito dessa camiseta que ele me deu, mas cavalo dado não se olha os dentes."

"I don't really like this T-shirt he gave me, but you don't look at the teeth of a given horse."

Dutch Belgium

een ezel stoot zich geen tweemaal aan dezelfde steen

Proverb USED On Occasion BY Some People

literally it means "A donkey does not bump into the same stone twice" which means you don't make the same mistake twice. However if you say "Even a donkey does not bump into the same stone twice" it means you are not very bright.

“Het was dezelfde vraag op je examen als vorige keer en je hebt weeral fout geantwoord? Zelfs een ezel stoot zich niet twee keer aan dezelfde steen.”

“You got the same question as last time on your exam and you answered wrong again? Even a donkey doesn't bump into the same stone twice.”

Italian Lombardy and Tessin, Italy and Switzerland

Dopo sette fette, ha capito che era polenta

Proverb USED On Rare Occasion BY Mostly old people

(After seven slices, s/he realized it was polenta) • Used to describe someone who realizes something obvious, especially after doing the same thing in a more long or difficult way for a long time.

"Ieri mio fratello ha scoperto che può sbloccare il suo telefono con l'impronta digitale." "Beh, dopo sette fette ha capito che era polenta!"

"Yesterday my brother discovered he can unlock his phone with his fingerprint." "Well, after seven slices he realized it was polenta!"

English United States

get it how you live

Proverb USED On Occasion BY African-Americans

Used to affirm that one should use any and all means necessary to reach a goal. “You” can be replaced with any other subject pronoun. Similar to “à la guerre comme à la guerre” in French.

“I worked overtime for 9 weeks to buy myself this new car.” “Wow. Get it how you live.”

Spanish Spanish speaking countries

Quien mucho abarca poco aprieta

Proverb USED Very frequently BY Almost Everyone

(Who embraces a lot little will squeeze) • It is a proverb meaning that whoever tries to do many things at the same time will not be able to do any of them well.

"No trates de hacer todo al mismo tiempo: quien mucho abarca poco aprieta."

"Don't try to do everything at the same time - who embraces a lot little will squeeze."

German German speaking countries

Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof

Proverb USED On Rare Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(Life is not a pony farm) • This phrase is used when trying to express that life is not easy.

"Du musst dir dein Geld selbst erarbeiten, das Leben ist schließlich kein Ponyhof."

"You have to work for your own money, life is not a pony farm after all."

Marathi India

नाचता येईना अंगण वाकडे

Proverb USED On Rare Occasion BY Elders or peers

(unable to dance, calls the yard slanted) • This phrase is used to taunt someone who claims that a certain task can not be performed as a result of the bad external conditions rather than accepting that they have not mastered the skill themselves. It is generally not said directly to them, and is whispered to the other listener.

"मी चित्र रंगवू मस्त शकतो, पण रंगच खराब आहेत." "नाचता येईना अंगण वाकडे."

"I can paint very well, but actually the paints are quite bad." "He can't dance, and says that the yard is slanted"