Common Sayings Around The World That Prove Just How Awesome Language Really Is
.Explore the amazing diversity and creativity of language around the world!
Greek
Όποιος γίνεται πρόβατο τον τρώει ο λύκος (Ópios yínetai próvato ton tróei o líkos)
Whoever becomes a sheep is eaten by the wolf (Follow the wrong people, and you will fail with them)
German
In der Kürze liegt die Würze
In shortness is spice (The shorter a joke, the funnier it is)
Russian
Любовь зла, полюбишь и козла (Lyubóv zla, polyúbish i kozlá)
Love is evil, you will even fall in love with a goat (Love can blind you, and make you see someone for better than they really are)
Yiddish
ווען די באבע וואלט געהאט רעדער, וואלט זי געווען א טראלייבוס(Ven di bobe volt gehat reder, volt zi geven a troleybus)
If grandma had wheels, she’d be a trolleybus (Stop focusing on ‘what ifs’, and concentrate on what you’ve got)
Spanish
Los trapos sucios se lavan en casa
Dirty clothes are washed at home (Personal family problems should be sorted out in private, not in the view of everyone else)
Dutch
Hoge bomen vangen veel wind
High trees catch a lot of wind (Those that are successful always attract criticism)
Catalan
De mica en mica s’omple la pica i de gota en gota s’omple la bota
Little by little you fill the sink and drop by drop you fill the barrel (Be patient in your achievements)
Italian
Al contadino non far sapere quanto è buono il cacio con le pere
Don’t let the peasant know how good the cheese with pears is (Know your place, don’t long for things you can’t afford)
Afrikaans
Al dra ‘n bobbejaan ‘n goue ring, bly hy nog ‘n lelike ding
Even if a baboon wears a gold ring, he’s still an ugly thing (Don’t be taken in by superficial changes in appearance)
French
Qui vole un oeuf, vole un boeuf
Whoever steals an egg steals an ox (Once a thief, always a thief, no matter how big or small the crime)
