The 68 Best French Proverbs (and their meaning)

French culture leaves us with phrases in the public domain that we can learn from.

France is a Central European country founder of the current European community and whose origins take us back to ancient Gaul and the ancient people of the Franks, from whom it derives its name.

Due to its geographical location, France has been a meeting point for many different peoples over time, accumulating the cultural and material riches they possessed. In contemporary times, France is considered one of the most advanced countries in Europe, and shines for its gastronomic culture and tourist attractions.

• Recommended article: "80 great Arabic proverbs full of wisdom".

French proverbs (and their translation).

Proverbs are a source of wisdom that the French have known how to use since ancient times.That's why we have made this selection of the 68 best French proverbs that we should all know and that perhaps you didn't know.

Autre temps, autres mœurs.

Other times, other ways.

2. Mettre de l'eau dans son vin.

Put water in your wine.

3. Qui se sent morveux, se mouche.

Whoever feels snotty, blows his snot.

4. Le prix est oublié, la qualité reste.

The price is forgotten, the quality remains.

5. Être comme un coq en pâté.

To be like a rooster in pâté.

6. Ce n'est pas la vache qui crie le plus fort qui donne le plus de lait.

It is not the cow that cries the loudest that gives the most milk.

7. Jeter l'argent par les fenêtres.

To throw money out of the windows.

8. L'eau va à la rivière.

The water goes to the river.

9. On ne peut pas avoir le lard et le cochon.

You can't have the bacon and the pork.

10. Les cordonniers sont toujours les plus mal chaussés.

Shoemakers always wear worn-out shoes.

11. There is no feather that falls without a plucked bird.

No hay pluma caída sin pájaro desplumado.

12. A penny is a penny.

Un duro es un duro.

13. You don't know wine by the label.

No se conoce el vino por la etiqueta.

14. To drunken blackbirds, bitter cherries.

Al merlo gordo las cerezas amargas.

15. A dog that barks does not bite.

El perro que ladra no muerde.

16. Open house, makes the honest man a thief.

En casa abierta, el justo peca.

París.

17. Serve according to the taste of the master, or do not serve at all.

Anda a tu amo a sabor, si quieres ser servidor.

18. The wise man tries everything before resorting to arms.

El prudente todo lo ha de probar, antes que armas tomar.

19. One does not measure oil without having greasy hands.

Quien el aceite mesura, las manos se unta.

20. Cheap, tripled clientele.

Haz barato, y venderás por cuatro.

21. Well-founded jokes are the worst.

Malas son las burlas verdaderas.

22. The dead man, the tail on the rack.

Al burro muerto, la cebada al rabo.

23. For flatterers, there is no rich fool, nor poor wise man.

Para los aduladores, no hay rico necio, ni pobre discreto.

24. The fool knows more in himself than the clever man in others.

Más sabe el necio en su casa, que el cuerdo en la ajena.

25. By dint of hairdressers, the bride becomes bald.

Muchos aduladores pierden la novia.

26. The woman and the sardine, the smallest are the finest.

La mujer y la sardina, cuanto más pequeña más fina.

27. Uncoupled ox can lick itself.

El buey suelto, bien se lame.

28. To look for noon at two o'clock.

(Buscar una hora en otra)

29. To call a cat, a cat.

Llamar al gato, gato.

30. To be hungry as a wolf.

Tener una hambre de lobo.

31. Help yourself, Heaven will help you.

El equivalente en francés de "A Dios rogando y con el mazo dando".

32. Paris was not built in a day.

París no cayó en una hora.

33. Not having a say in the matter.

No tener vela en este entierro.

34. Love does much, but money does everything.

El amor hace mucho, pero el dinero lo hace todo.

35. An open house makes an honest man a thief.

En casa abierta, el justo peca.

36. Who sows thistles, collects stings.

Quien abrojos siembra, espinas coge.

37. Good lawyer, bad neighbor.

Buen abogado, mal vecino.

38. Childish love, water in a basket.

Amor de niño, agua en cestillo.

39. No absentee who is right, no present who is wrong.

Neither ausente sin culpa, nor presente sin disculpa.

40. in war, hunting and love, for one pleasure, a thousand pains.

Guerra, caza, y amores, por un placer, mil dolores.

41. Life without friends, death without witnesses.

Vida sin amigo, muerte sin testigo.

42. Many people threatened, have their whole limbs.

Más son los amenazados que los heridos.

43. Do what your master wants, then sit at his table.

Haz lo que tu amo te manda, y siéntate con él a la mesa.

44. Do not share the fruit with your boss, either for fun or for good.

Ni en burla ni en veras, con tu amo no partas peras.

45. Tell me who you are with, I will tell you who you are.

Dime con quién andas, y te diré quien eres.

Laon.

46. Cry if you must to learn, later you will laugh.

Aprende llorando, reirás ganando.

47. No path, without some trouble.

No hay atajo, sin trabajo.

48. Whoever does not want to risk himself, will not cross the sea.

Quien no se aventura, no pasa la mar.

49. The game must be worth the candle.

En balde se quema el candil.

50. From bad seedlings, never good melons.

De mala berenjena, nunca buena calabaza.

51. The joke must stop when it is at its best.

A la burla, dejarla cuando más agrada.

52. A young horse, old rider.

A caballo nuevo, caballero viejo.

53. As for his eye, it was not much, and yet he carried it in his hand.

Lo del ojo no era nada,y lo llevaba en la mano.

54. Never absent is found innocent.

Nunca los ausentes se hallaron justos.

55. Affection harms reason.

Afición ciega razón.

56. The devil takes care of us, and we of others.

Nos por lo ajeno, y el diablo por lo nuestro.

57. He who loves well never forgets.

Bien ama, quien nunca olvida.

58. Health and cheerfulness, give beauty.

Salud y alegría, hermosura cría.

59. To be a friend of everyone or of no one is the same.

Amistad de todos, y de ninguno, todo es uno.

60. Associate with the good, and you will become good.

Júntate a los buenos, y serás de ellos.

61. Play with hands, play with villains.

Burlas de manos, burlas de villanos.

62. Mute mouth, God does not hear.

Boca que no habla, Dios no la oye.

63. Give the grateful beyond his request.

Al agradecido, más de lo pedido.

64. It is not the temper of the weapons, but that of the Heart that gives victory.

Ánimo vence guerra, que no arma buena.

65. Who cannot walk, let him run!

Quien no puede andar, que corra.

66. Make do with a bad master, lest you find a worse one.

Mal amo has de guardar, por miedo de empeorar.

67. I do not care for a friend who bites with his beak while covering with his wing.

Reniego del amigo que cubre con las alas, y muerde con el pico.

68. The loves of cats begin by showing their teeth.

Los amores del gato, riñendo entran.