 |
French proverbs
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V
A
- A beau mentir qui vient de loin.
- Translation: Long ways, long lies.
- À bon chat, bon rat.
- Translation: Two knaves well met.
- Literal meaning: A fine rat to match a fine cat.
- Abondance de biens ne nuit pas.
- Translation: Plenty is no plague.
- Literal meaning: An abundance of goods does no harm.
- À bon entendeur, salut!
- Translation: A word to the wise is enough.
- À bon vin point d'enseigne.
- Translation: Good wine needs no bush.
- À brebis tondue Dieu ménage le vent.
- Translation: God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb.
- À chaque jour suffit sa peine.
- Translation: Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
- À chaque mercier son panier.
- Translation: Let each man his own burden bear.
- À cheval donné on ne regarde pas la bride.
- Translation: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
- À cœur vaillant rien d'impossible
- Translation: Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.
- À frotter la tête d'un âne, on perd son savon.
- Translation: Rubbing a donkey's head is nothing but a waste of soap.
- Aide-toi et le ciel t'aidera
- Translation: Heaven helps those who help themselves.
- À la guerre comme à la guerre.
- Translation: One must take things as they come.
- À la queue gît le venin.
- Translation: The sting is in the tail.
- À la trogne on connaît l'ivrogne.
- Translation 1: One can tell a drunkard by his mug.
- Translation 2: Two things a drunkard do disclose: A fiery face, and a crimson nose.
- À l'impossible nul n'est tenu.
- Translation: No one is expected to achieve the impossible.
- À l'œuvre, on connaît l'artisan / l'ouvrier.
- Translation: A good workman is known by his chips / his work.
- À malin, malin et demi.
- Translation: Diamonds cut diamonds.
- À méchant ouvrier, point de bon outil.
- Translation: A bad workman always blames his tools.
- À père avare, fils prodigue.
- Translation: Niggard father, spendthrift son.
- Après la pluie le beau temps.
- Translation: Every cloud has a silver lining.
- Literal meaning: After rain, fair weather.
- À quelque chose malheur est bon.
- Translation: It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good.
- À tout péché miséricorde.
- Translation: No sin but should find mercy.
- À tout seigneur tout honneur.
- Translation: Honour to whom honour is due.
- À trompeur, trompeur et demi.
- Translation: Set a thief to catch a thief.
- Aujourd'hui en chair, demain en bière.
- Translation: Today a man, tomorrow none.
- Au royaume des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois.
- Translation: In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
- Autant de têtes, autant d'avis.
- Translation: Too many cooks spoil the broth.
- Literal meaning: Many minds, many views.
- Autres temps, autres moeurs.
- Translation: Other days, other ways.
- Aux grands maux les grands remèdes.
- Translation: Desperate ills demand desperate measures.
- Aux innocents les mains pleines.
- Translation 1: It's beginner's luck.
- Translation 2: Fortune favours fools.
- Avec des si et des mais, on mettrait Paris en bouteille.
- Translation 1: If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
- Translation 2: If ifs and ands were pots and pans, there'd be no trade for tinkers.
- Literal meaning: With ifs and buts, one could put Paris in a bottle.
- À vieille mule, frein doré.
- Translation: An old jenny gets a golden bit
B
- Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais.
- Translation: Ill-gotten gains seldom prosper.
- Bon chien chasse de race.
- Translation: Like father, like son.
- Bon repas doit commencer par la faim.
- Translation: Hunger is the best spice.
- Bon sang ne saurait mentir.
- Translation: Blood will out.
- Literal meaning: Good blood cannot lie.
- Bonne renommée vaut mieux que ceinture dorée.
- Translation: A good name is better than riches.
- Literal meaning: Better a good name than a golden belt.
C
- Ce qui est fait n'est plus à faire.
- Translation: What's done is done.
- C'est trop aimer quand on en meurt.
- Translation: They love too much who die for love.
- Ce n'est pas la vache qui crie le plus fort qui donne le plus de lait.
- Translation: Great cry, little wool.
- Ce que femme veut, Dieu le veut.
- Translation: A woman's will is God's will.
- C'est bonnet blanc et blanc bonnet.
- Translation: It's six of one and half a dozen of the other.
- C'est dans le besoin qu'on reconnaît ses vrais amis.
- Translation: A friend in need is a friend indeed.
- C'est dans les vieilles marmites qu'on fait les meilleures soupes.
- Translation: Good broth may be made in an old pot.
- C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron.
- Translation: Practice makes perfect.
- Literal meaning: By dint of forging one becomes a blacksmith.
- C'est la goutte / goutte d'eau qui fait déborder le vase.
- Translation: It's the straw / last straw that breaks the camel's back.
- Literal meaning: It's the drop / drop of water that makes the vase overflow.
- C'est la paille et la poutre.
- Translation: It's the pot calling the kettle black.
- Literal meaning: It's the mote and the beam.
- C'est la Pitié / l'hôpital qui se moque de la Charité.
- Translation: It's the pot calling the kettle black.
- Literal meaning: It's Mercy / the hospital looking down on Charity.
- C'est la poule qui chante qui a fait l'œuf.
- Translation: The guilty dog barks the loudest.
- C'est l'arroseur arrosé.
- Translation: It's the biter bit.
- Literal meaning: It's the waterer getting drenched.
- C'est le poêle qui se moque du chaudron.
- Translation: It's the pot calling the kettle black.
- Literal meaning: It's the stove looking down on the cauldron.
- C'est un prêté pour un rendu.
- Translation 1: Tit for tat.
- Translation 2: One good turn deserves another.
- Chacun pour soi et Dieu pour tous.
- Translation 1: Every man for himself, and God for us all.
- Translation 2: Every man for himself, and the Devil take the hindmost.
- Chacun son métier, les vaches seront bien gardées.
- Translation: One should mind one's own business.
- Literal meaning: Each to his craft, and the cows will be well looked after.
- Chacun voit midi à sa porte.
- Translation: To each his own.
- Literal meaning: Everyone sees noon at his door.
- Chantez à l'âne, il vous fera des pêts.
- Translation: Sing to an ass, he will fart in your face.
- Charbonnier est maître chez soi.
- Translation (British): An Englishman's home is his castle.
- Literal meaning: A coalman is master of his own house.
- Charité bien ordonnée commence par soi-même.
- Translation: Charity begins at home.
- Chassez le naturel, il revient au galop.
- Translation: A leopard cannot change its spots.
- Chat échaudé craint l'eau froide.
- Translation 1: Once bitten, twice shy.
- Translation 2: A burned child dreads the fire.
- Literal meaning: A scalded cat fears cold water.
- Chien qui aboie ne mord pas.
- Translation: Barking dogs seldom bite.
- Chose promise, chose due.
- Translation: Promises are made to be kept.
- Cœur qui soupire n'a pas ce qu'il désire.
- Translation: A heart that sighs is one that has not what it desires.
- Comme on fait son lit on se couche.
- Translation: As you make your bed, so you must lie in it.
- Comparaison n'est pas raison.
- Translation: Comparisons are misleading.
- Contentement passe richesse.
- Translation: Happiness is worth more than riches.
- Coucher de poule et lever de corbeau écartent l'homme du tombeau.
- Translation: Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
D
- Dans le doute, abstiens-toi.
- Translation: When in doubt, forbear.
- De la discussion jaillit la lumière.
- Translation: Two heads are better than one.
- Demain il fera jour.
- Translation: Tomorrow is another day.
- Des goûts et des couleurs, il ne faut pas discuter.
- Translation: There's no accounting for tastes.
- Literal meaning: Never argue about tastes or colours.
- Deux avis valent mieux qu'un.
- Translation: Two heads are better than one.
- Literal meaning: Two opinions are better than one.
- Dis-moi qui tu hantes, je te dirai qui tu es.
- Translation: A man is known by the company he keeps.
- Douce parole n'écorche pas langue.
- Translation: Good words break no bones.
E
- En avril, ne te découvre pas d'un fil; en mai, fais ce qui te plaît.
- Translation: Never cast a clout till May is out.
- Literal meaning: In April, do not shed a single thread; in May, do as you please.
- En tout pays, il y a une lieue de mauvais chemins.
- Translation: There will be bumps on the smoothest roads.
- Entre deux maux, il faut choisir le moindre.
- Translation 1: Of two evils one must choose the lesser.
- Translation 2: Forgive and forget.
- Entre l'arbre et l'écorce, il ne faut pas mettre le doigt.
- Translation: Do not meddle in other people's family affairs.
- Literal meaning: Don't poke your finger 'twixt the bark and the tree.
F
- Fais ce que dois, advienne que pourra.
- Translation: Do your duty, come what may.
- Fais ce que je dis, ne fais pas ce que je fais.
- Translation: Do as I say, not as I do.
- Faute avouée est à moitié pardonnée.
- Translation: A fault confessed is a half redressed.
- Faute de grives, on mange des merles.
- Translation 1: Half a loaf is better than no bread.
- Translation 2: You have to cut your coat according to your cloth.
- Literal meaning: Eat blackbirds if you can't have thrushes.
- Femme rit quand elle peut et pleure quand elle veut.
- Translation: A woman laughs when she can and weeps when she will.
- Force fait loi.
- Translation: Might makes right.
H
- Hâtez-vous lentement.
- Translation: Make haste slowly.
- Heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour.
- Translation: Lucky in cards, unlucky in love.
- Homme mort ne fait guerre.
- Translation: A dead man deals no blows.
- Honni soit qui mal y pense.
- Translation: Evil be to him who evil thinks.
I
- Il faut battre le fer pendant qu'il est chaud.
- Translation 1: Strike while the iron is hot.
- Translation 2: Make hay while the sun shines.
- Il faut casser le noyau pour avoir l'amande.
- Translation 1: He who would eat the nut must first crack the kernel.
- Translation 2: No pain, no gain.
- Il faut de tout pour faire un monde.
- Translation: It takes all sorts to make a world.
- Il faut laver son linge sale en famille.
- Translation: Don't air your dirty laundry in public.
- Il faut manger pour vivre, et non vivre pour manger.
- Translation: Eat to live, don't live to eat.
- Il faut ménager la chèvre et le chou.
- Translation: One must run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.
- Literal meaning: One must consider both the cabbage and the goat.
- Il faut prendre le taureau par les cornes.
- Translation: Take the bull by the horns.
- Il faut que jeunesse se passe.
- Translation 1: Youth must have its fling.
- Translation 2: Boys will be boys.
- Il faut qu'une porte soit ouverte ou fermée.
- Translation: There can be no middle ground.
- Literal meaning: A door must be either open or shut.
- Il faut savoir obéir avant que de commander.
- Translation: Obedience comes before leadership.
- Il faut tourner sa langue sept fois dans sa bouche avant de parler.
- Translation: Think before you speak.
- Il ne faut jamais dire « Fontaine je ne boirai pas de ton eau ».
- Translation: Never say never.
- Literal meaning: Never say, "Fountain, I shall not drink of your water."
- Il ne faut jamais remettre au lendemain ce qu'on peut faire le jour même.
- Translation 1: Procastination is the thief of time.
- Translation 2: One of these days is none of these days.
- Il ne faut pas chercher midi à quatorze heures.
- Translation: Don't complicate the issue.
- Literal meaning: Don't look for noon at two o'clock.
- Il ne faut pas confondre vitesse et précipitation.
- Translation: More haste, less speed.
- Il ne faut pas déshabiller Pierre pour habiller Paul.
- Translation: Don't rob Peter to pay Paul.
- Literal meaning: Don't undress Peter to dress Paul.
- Il ne faut pas mettre la charrue avant les bœufs.
- Translation: Don't put the cart before the horse.
- Literal meaning: Don't put the plough before the oxen.
- Il ne faut pas mettre tous les œufs dans le même panier.
- Translation: Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
- Il ne faut pas réveiller le chat qui dort.
- Translation: Let sleeping dogs lie.
- Literal meaning: Don't wake a sleeping cat
- Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué.
- Translation: Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
- Literal meaning: Don't sell the bearskin before you've killed the bear.
- Il n'est jamais trop tard pour bien faire.
- Translation: It is never too late to mend.
- Literal meaning: It is never too late to do well.
- Il n'est pire aveugle que celui qui ne veut pas voir.
- Translation: There are none so blind as they who will not see.
- Il n'est pire eau que celle qui dort.
- Translation: Still waters run deep.
- Il n'est pire sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre.
- Translation: There is none so deaf as he who will not hear.
- Il n'y a pas d'ânesse qui ne trouve son âne.
- Translation: Every Jack has his Jill.
- Literal meaning: Every she-ass finds her donkey.
- Il n'y a pas de fumée sans feu.
- Translation: There's no smoke without fire.
- Il n'y a pas de petit chez soi.
- Translation: There's no place like home.
- Il n'y a pas de petit profit.
- Translation: A penny saved is a penny earned.
- Il n'y a pas de sot métier.
- Translation: Every trade has its value.
- Il n'y a que les montagnes qui ne se rencontrent jamais.
- Translation: There are none so distant that fate cannot bring together.
- Literal meaning: Only mountains never meet.
- Il y a loin de la coupe aux lèvres.
- Translation: There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip.
- Il y a plus d'un âne à la foire qui s'appelle Martin.
- Translation: If one will not, another will.
- Literal meaning: There is more than one donkey at the fair called Martin.
- Impossible n'est pas français.
- Translation: There is no such word as "can't".
- Literal meaning: There is no such word as "impossible" in French.
J
- Jamais couard n'aura belle amie.
- Translation: Faint heart never won fair lady.
L
- La bave du crapaud n'atteint pas la blanche colombe.
- Translation: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.
- La caque sent toujours le hareng.
- Translation: What's bred in the bone will come out in the flesh.
- Literal meaning: A herring barrel will always smell of herring.
- La curiosité est un vilain défaut.
- Translation: Curiosity killed the cat.
- Literal meaning: Curiosity is a wicked fault.
- La faim chasse le loup hors du bois.
- Translation: Hunger drives the wolf out of the wood.
- La fête passée, adieu le saint.
- Translation: The river passed, and God forgotten.
- La fin justifie les moyens.
- Translation: The ends justify the means.
- La nuit porte conseil.
- Translation 1: Take advice of your pillow.
- Translation 2: Sleep on it.
- La nuit tous les chats sont gris.
- Translation: At night all cats are grey.
- La parole est d'argent, mais le silence est d'or.
- Translation: Talking is silver, silence is golden.
- La plus belle fille du monde ne peut donner que ce qu'elle a.
- Translation: The prettiest girl in the world can only give what she has.
- L'appétit vient en mangeant.
- Translation: The more you have, the more you want.
- Literal meaning: Eating whets the appetite.
- La raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure.
- Translation: Might is always right.
- L'argent n'a pas d'odeur.
- Translation: Money is money (wherever it comes from).
- Literal meaning: Money has no smell.
- L'argent ne fait pas le bonheur.
- Translation: Money can't buy happiness.
- L'argent ne se trouve pas sous le pas / le sabot d'un cheval.
- Translation: Money doesn't grow on trees.
- Literal meaning: Money is not found under a horse's hoof.
- L'homme est un loup pour l'homme.
- Translation: Brother will turn on brother.
- La vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid.
- Translation: Revenge is a dish best served cold.
- La vérité est dans le vin.
- Translation: In wine is truth.
- La vérité sort de la bouche des enfants.
- Translation: Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings comes forth truth.
- Le crime ne paie pas.
- Translation: Crime does not pay.
- Le Diable chie toujours au même endroit.
- Translation: The Devil always shits in the same place.
- Le malheur des uns fait le bonheur des autres.
- Translation: One man's meat is another man's poison.
- Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien.
- Translation: Let well alone.
- Literal meaning: Better is the enemy of good.
- Le monde appartient à ceux qui se lèvent tôt.
- Translation: The early bird catches the worm.
- Literal meaning: The world belongs to those who rise early.
- L'enfer est pavé de bonnes intentions.
- Translation: Hell is paved with good intentions.
- L'erreur est humaine.'
- Translation: To err is human.
- Les absents ont toujours tort.
- Translation: The absent are always in the wrong.
- Les affaires sont les affaires.
- Translation: Business is business.
- Les apparences sont trompeuses.
- Translation: All that glitters is not gold.
- Literal meaning: Appearances are deceptive.
- Les bons comptes font les bons amis.
- Translation 1: Short reckonings make long friends.
- Translation 2: Neither a borrower nor a lender be.
- Les bons outils font les bons ouvriers
- Translation: Good tools make good workers.
- Les chiens aboient, la caravane passe.
- Translation: Let the world say what it will.
- Literal meaning: The dogs bark, but the caravan passes by.
- Les chiens ne font pas des chats.
- Translation: Like breeds like.
- Literal meaning: Dogs don't breed cats.
- Les conseillers ne sont pas les payeurs.
- Translation: Advice is cheap.
- Les cordonniers sont les plus mal chaussés.
- Translation: The cobbler's children go barefoot.
- Les fruits défendus sont les meilleurs.
- Translation: Forbidden fruits are the sweetest.
- Les grands diseurs ne sont pas les grands faiseurs.
- Translation: Talkers are not doers.
- Les grands esprits se rencontrent.
- Translation: Great minds think alike.
- Les jours se suivent et ne se ressemblent pas.
- Translation 1: After Christmas comes Lent.
- Translation 2: Time changes and we with time.
- Les loups ne se mangent pas entre eux.
- Translation 1: Dog does not eat dog.
- Translation 2: There is honour among thieves.
- Les murs ont des oreilles.
- Translation: Walls have ears.
- Le soleil luit pour tout le monde.
- Translation: The sun shines for one and all.
- Les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières.
- Translation: Tall oaks from little acorns grow.
- Literal meaning: Little streams make big rivers.
- Les plaisanteries les plus courtes sont les meilleures.
- Translation: Brevity is the soul of wit.
- Literal meaning: The shortest jokes are the best.
- L'espoir fait vivre.
- Translation: Where there's life, there's hope.
- Les voyages forment la jeunesse.
- Translation: Travel broadens the mind.
- Le temps c'est de l'argent.
- Translation: Time is money.
- L'exactitude est la politesse des rois.
- Translation: Punctuality is the politeness of kings.
- L'exception confirme la règle.
- Translation: It's the exception that proves the rule.
- L'excès en tout est un défaut.
- Translation: Too much is too much.
- Literal meaning: Excess in anything is a fault.
- L'habit ne fait pas le moine.
- Translation: Don't judge the book by its cover.
- Literal meaning: The cowl does not make the friar.
- L'occasion fait le larron.
- Translation: Opportunity makes the thief.
- Loin des yeux, loin du cœur.
- Translation: Out of sight, out of mind.
- L'oisiveté est la mère de tous les vices.
- Translation 1: Idleness is the root of all evils.
- Translation 2: An idle mind is the devil's workshop.
- L'union fait la force.
- Translation: United we stand, divided we fall.
M
- Mange ton poisson à présent qu'il est frais, marie ta fille à présent qu'elle est jeune.
- Translation: Eat your fish while it is fresh, marry your daughter while she is young.
- Mars venteux et avril pluvieux font mai gai et gracieux.
- Translation: March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers.
- Mieux vaut être seul que mal accompagné.
- Translation: Better be alone than in bad company.
- Mieux vaut faire que dire.
- Translation 1: Well done is better than well said
- Translation 2: Actions speak louder than words.
- Mieux vaut plier que rompre.
- Translation: Adapt and survive.
- Literal meaning: Better bend than break.
- Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir.
- Translation: Prevention is better than cure.
- Mieux vaut rire que pleurer.
- Translation: Laughter is the best medecine.
- Literal meaning: Better laugh than weep.
- Mieux vaut s'adresser à Dieu qu'à ses saints.
- Translation: It is better to talk to the organ-grinder than to his monkey.
- Literal meaning: It is better to appeal to God than to His saints.
- Mieux vaut tard que jamais.
- Translation: Better late than never.
- Mieux vaut tenir que courir.
- Translation: A bird in hand is worth two in a bush.
- Literal meaning: Better hold than run.
- Moineau à la main vaut mieux que grue qui vole.
- Translation: A bird in hand is worth two in a bush.
- Literal meaning: Better a sparrow in hand than a crane on the wing.
- Morte la bête, mort le venin.
- Translation: Dead dogs don't bite.
- Literal meaning: Dead is the beast, dead is the venom.
M
- Nécessité fait loi.
- Translation: Beggars can't be choosers.
- Noël au balcon, Pâques au tison.
- Translation: A warm Christmas means a cold Easter.
- Literal meaning: Christmas on the balcony, Easter by the fireside.
- Nul n'est prophète en son pays.
- Translation: No man is a prophet in his own country.
O
- Oignez vilain, il vous poindra.
- Translation: Claw a churl by the breech, and he will shite in your fist.
- On n'apprend pas à un vieux singe à faire des grimaces.
- Translation: You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
- Literal meaning: You can't teach an old monkey how to make faces.
- On ne fait pas boire un âne qui n'a pas soif.
- Translation: You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
- On ne fait pas d'omelette sans casser des œufs.
- Translation: You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs.
- On ne marie pas les poules avec les renards.
- Translation: Different strokes for different folks.
- Literal meaning: You can't marry a hen and a fox.
- On ne peut avoir le beurre et l'argent du beurre.
- Translation: You can't have your cake and eat it.
- Literal meaning: You can't have the butter and the money from the butter.
- On ne peut avoir le lard et le cochon.
- Translation: You can't have your cake and eat it.
- Literal meaning: You can't have the bacon and the pig.
- On ne peut être à la ville et aux champs.
- Translation: You can't be in two places at once.
- Literal meaning: You can't be in town and in the fields.
- On ne peut être au four et au moulin.
- Translation: You can't be in two places at once.
- Literal meaning: You can't be at the oven and in the mill.
- On ne peut faire d'une buse un épervier.
- Translation: You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
- Literal meaning: You can't turn a buzzard / a dolt into a sparrowhawk.
- On ne prend pas les mouches avec du vinaigre.
- Translation: Honey catches more flies than vinegar.
- Literal meaning: You don't catch flies with vinegar.
- On ne prête qu'aux riches.
- Translation 1: Reputations shape reactions.
- Translation 2: Only the rich get richer.
- Literal meaning: One lends only to the rich.
- On n'est jamais si bien servi que par soi-même.
- Translation: If you want something done right, do it yourself.
- Où la vache / la chèvre est attachée, il faut qu'elle broute.
- Translation: The cow / goat must browse where she is tethered.
P
- Paris / Rome ne s'est pas fait / faite en un jour.
- Translation: Rome wasn't built in a day.
- Pas de nouvelle, bonne nouvelle.
- Translation: No news is good news.
- Petit à petit l'oideau fait son nid.
- Translation 1: Many a mickle makes a muckle.
- Translation 2: Little strokes fell great oaks.
- Literal meaning: Little by little the bird builds its nest.
- Petite pluie abat grand vent.
- Translation: Little rain lays great dust.
- Literal meaning: Little rain overcomes great wind.
- Petit poisson deviendra grand.
- Translation 1: Tall oaks from little acorns grow.
- Translation 2: Boys will be men one day.
- Literal meaning: The little fish will grow.
- Pierre qui roule n'amasse pas mousse.
- Translation: A rollling stone gathers no moss.
- Plaie d'argent n'est pas mortelle.
- Translation: Money isn't everything.
- Literal meaning: A money worry isn't a mortal wound.
- Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
- Translation: The more things change, the more they're the same.
- Plus fait douceur que violence.
- Translation: Kindness succeeds where force will fail.
- Literal meaning: Gentleness accomplishes more than violence.
- Plus on est de fous, plus on rit.
- Translation: The more the merrier.
- Promettre et tenir sont deux.
- Translation: It's one thing to promise and another to perform.
- Prudence est mère de sûreté.
- Translation: Discretion is the better part of valour.
- Literal meaning: Caution is the mother of safety.
Q
- Quand le chat n'est pas là les souris dansent.
- Translation: While the cat's away the mice will play.
- Literal meaning: While the cat's away the mice will dance.
- Quand le vin est tiré, il faut le boire.
- Translation: In for a penny, in for a pound.
- Literal meaning: Once the wine is drawn, it must be drunk.
- Quand on parle du loup on en voit la queue.
- Translation: Talk of the Devil and he will appear.
- Literal meaning: Talk of the wolf and you'll see his tail.
- Qui a bon voisin a bon matin.
- Translation: Good neighbours give good days.
- Qui a bu boira.
- Translation: Once a drunkard, always a drunkard.
- Literal meaning: Who has drunk, will drink.
- Qui aime bien châtie bien.
- Translation: Spare the rod and spoil the child.
- Literal meaning: Who loves well, chastises well.
- Qui casse les verres les paie.
- Translation: Who breaks pays.
- Literal meaning: Who breaks the glasses, pays for them.
- Qui cherche trouve.
- Translation: Seek and ye shall find.
- Literal meaning: Who seeks, finds.
- Qui donne aux pauvres prête à Dieu.
- Translation: Charity will be rewarded in heaven.
- Literal meaning: Who gives to the poor, lends to God.
- Qui dort dîne.
- Translation: He who sleeps forgets his hunger.
- Literal meaning: Who sleeps, dines.
- Qui m'aime aime mon chien.
- Translation: Love me, love my dog.
- Qui ne dit mot consent.
- Translation: Silence gives consent.
- Literal meaning: Who says no word, consents.
- Qui n'entend qu'une cloche n'entend qu'un son.
- Translation: Hear the other side and believe little.
- Literal meaning: Who hears only one bell, hears only one sound.
- Qui ne risque rien n'a rien.
- Translation: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
- Literal meaning: Who risks nothing, gets nothing.
- Qui ne veut rien n'a rien.
- Translation: Where there's a will there's a way.
- Literal meaning: Who wants nothing, gets nothing.
- Qui paye ses dettes s'enrichit.
- Translation: The rich man is the one who pays his debts.
- Literal meaning: Who pays his debts, gets rich.
- Qui peut le plus peut le moins.
- Translation: He who can do more can do less.
- Qui se couche avec les chiens se lève avec des puces.
- Translation: Lie down with dogs, wake up with fleas.
- Qui se fait brebis le loup le mange.
- Translation: Who will needs be sheep, the wolf devours.
- Qui sème le vent récolte la tempête.
- Translation 1: As you sow, so you shall reap.
- Translation 2: He who sows the wind shall reap the whirlwind.
- Qui se ressemble s'assemble.
- Translation 1: Birds of a feather flock together.
- Translation 2: Like attracts like.
- Qui se sent morveux, qu'il se mouche.
- Translation: Who feels snotty, let him blow his nose.
- Qui s'y frotte s'y pique.
- Translation: Gather thistles, expect prickles.
- Qui trop embrasse mal étreint.
- Translation: Grasp all, lose all.
- Qui va à la chasse perd sa place.
- Translation: He who leaves his place, loses it.
- Literal meaning: Who goes hunting, loses his place.
- Qui veut la fin veut les moyens.
- Translation: He who wills the end wills the means.
- Qui veut noyer son chien l'acccuse de rage.
- Translation: Give a dog a bad name and hang him.
- Literal meaning: He who wants to drown his dog says it has rabies.
- Qui veut voyager loin, ménage sa monture.
- Translation: He who wishes to ride far spares his horse.
- Qui vivra verra.
- Translation: Time will tell.
- Literal meaning: Who shall live, shall see.
- Qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf.
- Translation: He that will steal an egg will steal an ox.
R
- Rien ne sert de courir, il faut partir à point.
- Translation: Slow and steady wins the race.
- Rira bien qui rira le dernier.
- Translation: He who laughs last laughs best.
- Rouge soir et blanc matin, c'est la journée du pèlerin.
- Translation: Evening red and morning grey will set the traveller on his way.
S
- Secret de deux, secret de Dieu; secret de trois, secret de tous.
- Translation: When three people know, the whole world knows.
- Literal meaning: A secret shared by two is shared with God; a secret shared by three is shared with everybody.
- Si jeunesse savait, si vieillesse pouvait.
- Translation: Youth is wasted on the young.
- Literal meaning: If youth but knew, if old age but could.
- Souris qui n'a qu'un trou est bientôt prise.
- Translation: Better safe than sorry.
- Literal meaning: A mouse that has only one hole is soon caught.
- Souvent femme varie, bien fol qui s'y fie.
- Translation: Woman is fickle, man beware!
- Suffisance vaut abondance.
- Translation: Enough is as good as a feast.
- Literal meaning: Enough is worth plenty.
T
- Tant crie-t-on Noël qu'il vient.
- Translation: A constant importunity at length prevails.
- Literal meaning: So long is Christmas cried that it comes.
- Tant dort le chat qu'il se réveille.
- Translation: The sleeping cat at length awakes.
- Tel est petit qui boit bien
- Translation: Though he is little, he can tipple.
- Tel est pris qui croyait prendre.
- Translation: It's the biter bit.
- Literal meaning: He is caught who thought to catch.
- Tel maître, tel valet.
- Translation: Like master, like man.
- Tel père, tel fils.
- Translation: Like father, like son.
- Tel qui rit vendredi, dimanche pleurera.
- Translation: Sing before breakfast, cry before night.
- Literal meaning: Laugh on Friday, cry on Sunday.
- Tous les chemins mènent à Rome.
- Translation: All roads lead to Rome.
- Tous les goûts sont dans la nature.
- Translation: It takes all sorts to make a world.
- Toute médaille a son revers.
- Translation 1: Every rose has its thorn.
- Translation 2: Every path has its puddle.
- Literal meaning: Every medal has its back.
- Toute peine mérite salaire.
- Translation: The labourer is worthy of his hire.
- Literal meaning: Every job deserves a wage.
- Toute vérité n'est pas bonne à dire.
- Translation: The truth is sometimes best left unsaid.
- Tout nouveau, tout beau.
- Translation 1: Anything for a change.
- Translation 2: New brooms sweep clean.
- Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre.
- Translation 1: All things come to those who wait.
- Translation 2: Every dog has his day.
- Trop de hâte nuit.
- Translation: Haste makes waste.
- Trop gratter cuit, trop parler nuit.
- Translation: Too much scratching pains, too much talking plagues.
U
- Un bienfait n'est jamais perdu.
- Translation: A favour is never lost.
- Un chien regarde bien un évêque.
- Translation: A cat may look at a king.
- Literal meaning: A dog may look at a bishop.
- Un clou chasse l'autre.
- Translation: One man goes and another steps in.
- Literal meaning: One nail drives out the other.
- Un(e) de perdu(e), dix de trouvé(e)s.
- Translation: There are plenty more fish in the sea.
- Literal meaning: One lost, ten found.
- Une fois n'est pas coutume.
- Translation 1: Just the once will not hurt.
- Translation 2: Once in a while does no harm.
- Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps.
- Translation: One swallow doesn't make a summer.
- Literal meaning: One swallow doesn't make a spring.
- Une place pour chaque chose et chaque chose a sa place.
- Translation: A place for everything and everything in its place.
- Un homme averti en vaut deux.
- Translation 1: Forewarned is forearmed.
- Translation 2: Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.
- Un malheur ne vient jamais seul.
- Translation 1: It never rains but it pours.
- Translation 2: Ill-luck comes not alone.
- Un sou est un sou.
- Translation: Every penny counts.
- Literal meaning: A penny is a penny.
- Un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l'auras.
- Translation: A bird in hand is worth two in a bush.
V
- Vache de loin a lait assez.
- Translation: Blue are the hills that are far away.
- Literal meaning: From afar, the cow has milk aplenty.
- Ventre affamé n'a pas d'oreilles.
- Translation: Words are wasted on a starving man.
- Literal meaning: The hungry belly has no ears.
- Vouloir, c'est pouvoir.
- Translation: Where there's a will there's a way.
|
|
|
|
