French Proverbs  

Contents  

A ............................................................................................................................................................... 3  

B ............................................................................................................................................................... 5  

C ............................................................................................................................................................... 6  

D .............................................................................................................................................................. 8  

E ............................................................................................................................................................... 9  

F ............................................................................................................................................................... 9  

G .............................................................................................................................................................. 9  

H ............................................................................................................................................................ 10  

I .............................................................................................................................................................. 10  

J .............................................................................................................................................................. 12  

L ............................................................................................................................................................. 12  

M ........................................................................................................................................................... 16  

N ............................................................................................................................................................ 17  

O ............................................................................................................................................................ 17  

P ............................................................................................................................................................. 18  

Q ............................................................................................................................................................ 19  

R ............................................................................................................................................................. 21  

S ............................................................................................................................................................. 22  

T ............................................................................................................................................................. 22  

U ............................................................................................................................................................ 23  

V ............................................................................................................................................................. 24  

A  

à beau mentir qui vient de loiny  

long ways, long lies (lit.: he who comes from afar can lie well; i.e.: someone from far away can more  

easily tell lies without fear of being caught because he is unknown in his new region)  

à bon chat, bon rat  

meet one's match; tit for tat; an equal [in combat] (lit.: a good rat for a good cat)  

à bon vin, point d enseigne  

the reputation of a good thing precedes it (lit.: not need to explain a good wine; i.e.: what is good  

needs no recomendation)  

à brebis tondue Dieu mesurele vent  

the Lord tempers the wind to the shorn lamb (a Biblical reference)  

à chaque jour suffit sa peine  

sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof (lit.: for each day there suffices suffering; i.e.: deal with  

today s difficulties without worrying about what might come tomorrow; n.b.: from the New  

Testament, Matthew 6:34)  

à cheval donné on ne regarde pas le dents  

don t look a gift horse in the mouth (lit.: one doesn t look at the reins of a horse given as a gift)  

à cSur vaillant rien d impossible  

nothing is impossible to a willing heart (lit.: for a brave heart, nothing is impossible)  

à l impossible, nul n est tenu  

no one can be expected to do the impossible (lit.: for what is impossible, nothing is expected)  

à l Suvre on reconnaît l artisan  

you can tell an artist by his work (lit.: by his work one recognizes the artisan)  

à la Chandeleur, l hiver se passe ou prend vigueur  

as of February 2, winter either wanes or gains strength (lit.: on Candlemass [Feb. 2], winter ends or  

becomes stronger than before; n.b.: the date Feb. 2 is also Groundhog Day, whose connotations are  

similar, though a shadow of a marmot is involved)  

à la Sante-Luce, les jours croissent du saut d une puce  

as of Sainte Luce Day (Dec. 13), the days start to lengthen ever so slowly (lit.: on Sainte Luce, the days  

grow at the pace of a flea; n.b.: this of course is not accurate; it is after the solstice on Dec. 21 or 22  

that the daytime starts to lengthen)  

à mauvais ouvrier point de bons outils  

a bad workman blames his tools (lit.: for a bad workman, no good tools)  

à père avare fils prodigue  

the miser s son is a spendthrift (lit.: for a miserly father a prodigal son; i.e.: a vice or fault in a parent  

can turn into the opposite vice or fault in a child)  

à quelque chose malheur est bon  

every cloud has a silver lining (lit.: for something bad there is good; i.e.: bad things can have a  

positive aspect, in particular when viewed from a distance)  

à tout seigneur, tout honneur  

honor to whom honor is due (lit.: to all nobles, all honor; i.e.: honor should be bestowed upon people  

according to rank and achievement)  

à vieille mule, frein doré  

a golden brake for an old mule (i.e.: be nice to older animals so they can be sold at market; also used  

to refer to older women who apply makeup excessively)  

abondance de biens ne nuit pas  

an abundance of goods does no harm (said when receiving something that one already has in  

sufficient quantity)  

aide-toi, le ciel t-aidera  

God helps those who help themselves (lit.: help yourself, and the heavens will help you; n.b.: despite  

popular belief, this phrase is not found in the Bible)  

après la pluie, le beau temps  

every cloud has a silver lining; good and bad things come one after the other (lit.: after the rain, nice  

weather)  

araignée du matin, chagrin, araignée du soir, espoir  

seeing a spider in teh morning brings bad luck, seeing a spider in the evening brings good luck (a  

commonly cited French superstition)  

au bout du fossé, la culbute  

danger is imminent (lit.: at the end of a ditch, a somersault)  

au royaume des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois  

in the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king (lit.: in the kindgom of the blind, the one-eyed  

are kings)  

aussitôt dit, aussitôt fait  

said and done (lit.: soon said, soon done; from the Latin dictum factum)  

autant des têtes, autant d avis  

too many cooks spoil the broth (lit.: so many heads, so much advice)  

autant en emporte le vent  

empty promises (lit.: as much as the wind can carry)  

autres temps, autres mSurs  

times change (lit.: other times, other customs)  

aux grands maux, les grands remèdes  

big problems require big solutions; desperate situations call for desperate measures (lit.: for large  

evils, great remedies)  

aux innocents les main pleins  

fortune favors the innocent (lit.: the innocent have their hands full)  

aux innocents les mains pleines  

the meek shall inherit the earth (lit.: full hands for the innocent)  

avant de balayer devant la porte du voisin, il faut commencer par balayer devant sa propre porte  

before cleaning up your neighbor s door, you must start by cleaning your own  

(lit.: before sweeping at your neighbor's door, you must sweep your own door)  

avec des si, on mettrait Paris en bouteille  

if ifs and ands were pots and pans, there d be no work for tinker s hands; if wishes were horses (lit.:  

with ifs, Paris could be put in a bottle)  

avoir le beurre et l argent du beurre  

have one s cake and eat it too, to (lit.: to have one s butter and the money for it; n.b.: this idiom is  

also used with vouloir instead of avoir)  

B  

beaucoup de bruit pour rien  

much ado about nothing (lit.: a lot of noise for nothing; n.b.: from the title of the Shakespearean  

play)  

bien faire et laisser dire  

do the work well and let them say what they will (lit.: do well and let others speak; i.e.: one should do  

one s work without worrying about critics)  

bien mal acquis ne profite jamais  

ill gotten, ill spent; ill-gotten gains seldom prosper (lit.: goods badly acquired never benefit [anyone])  

bon chien chasse de race  

like father, like son (lit.: a good dog hunts by instinct)  

bon sang ne peut mentir  

blood will out (lit: noble blood cannot lie; i.e.: nobility will not stoop to the indignity of lying; it is  

unclear here if the nobility refers to a person's character or family lineage)  

bon repas doit commencer par la faim  

hunger is the best sauce (lit.: a good meal should begin with hunger [i.e.: a desire to eat, not  

necessarily starvation])  

bonne renommée vaut mieux que cienture dorée  

a good name is worth more than wealth (lit.: a good reputation is worth more than a golden belt)  

C  

c'est à l'Suvre qu'on connaît l Suvrier  

a man is judged or known by his works, by the work he does (lit.: it is by the work that we know the  

worker)  

c'est au pied du mur qu on voit le maçon  

the tree is known by its fruit (lit.: it is at the base of a wall that one can see the mason)  

c'est dans le besoin qu'on reconnaît ses vrais amis  

a friend in need is a friend indeed (lit.: it is when there is need that one finds his real friends)  

c'est dans les vieilles marmites qu'on fait les meilleures soupes  

the best broth is made in the oldest pot (i.e.: a well-seasoned pan or pot is preferable to a new one,  

as is the case for the Chinese wok)  

c'est en forgeant qu on devient forgeron  

practice makes perfect (lit.: it is in/by forging that one becomes an ironmonger/blacksmith)  

c'est la goutte d'eau qui fait déborder levase  

it's the straw that broke the camel's back; it's the last straw (lit.: it's the drop of water that makes hte  

vase overflow)  

c'est la paille et la poutre  

it's the pot calling the kettle black; it's six of one or a half dozen of the other; same difference (lit.: it's  

the mote and the beam; n.b.: from the New Testament reference to the mote in one's eye and the  

beam in another's)  

c'est l hôpital qui se moque de la Charité  

it s the pot calling the kettle black; it's six of one or a half dozen of the other; same difference (lit.: it  

is the hospital mocking charity)  

c'est l'arroseur arrosé  

hoisted by one's own petard; it's the biter bit (lit.: it's the waterer being soaked)  

c'est la poule qui chante qui a fait l Suf  

the guilty dog barks the loudest (lit.: it is the hen that sings that laid the egg)  

c'est le ton qui fait la chanson  

it is the tone that makes the music; it's not what you say but how you say it (i.e.: how things are said  

makes their meaning credible)  

c'est le ton qui fait la musique  

it is the tone that makes the music; it's not what you say but how you say it (i.e.: how things are said  

makes their meaning credible)  

c'est un prêté pour un rendu  

tit for tat; one good turn deserves another; back and forth (lit.: it is something loaned for something  

returned)  

ce n'est pas à un vieux singe qu on apprend à faire la grimace  

you can t teach an old dog new tricks; there s no substitute for experience (lit.: one can t teach an old  

monkey to smile; n.b.: there are several other equivalents in English, including don t teach your  

grandmother to suck eggs)  

ce n'est pas la vache qui crie le plus fort qui fait le plus de lait  

talkers are not doers; all talk and no action (lit.: it s not the cow that moos the loudest that makes  

the most milk)  

ce que femme veut, Dieu le veut  

what woman wants, God wants (i.e.: woman always reach their goals)  

ce qui est fait n'est plus à faire  

don't leave till tomorrow what can be done today (lit.: what is already done needs not to be done)  

ce sont les tonneaux vides qui font le plus de bruit  

empty vessels make the most noise (lit.: it s the empty barrels that make the most noise)  

c'est trop aimer quand on en meurt  

they love too much who die for love (lit.: it is loving too much when one dies of it)  

celui qui a volé de l'or est en prison, celui qui a volé un pays est fait roi  

he who steals gold lands in prison, he who steals a country is made king (i.e.: invasion of a nation is a  

form of theft, though not so recognized)  

chacun pour soi et Dieu pour tous  

each to himself and God for all; every man for himself and the Devil take the hindmost (i.e.: let God  

see to other people)  

chacun ses gôuts (son gôut)  

to each his own (lit.: each their tastes, style, etc.)  

chacun son métier, les vaches seront bien gardées  

mind your own business; tend to your own (lit.: each to his craft/task, and the cows will be watched  

well)  

chacun voit midi à sa porte  

to each his own (lit.: each person sees midday at their door)  

chaque chose en son temps  

all things in their time (lit.: each thing in its time)  

charbonnier est maître chez soi  

every man s home is his castle (lit.: the charcoal maker is master in his home)  

charité bien ordonné commence par soi-même  

charity begins at home (lit.: well-ordered charity starts with oneself)  

chat échaudé craint l eau froide  

once bitten, twice shy (lit.: a scalded cat fears cold water)  

chose promise, chose due  

promises are made to be kept (lit.: thing promised, thing owed)  

ciel pommelé et fille fardée ne son pas de longue durée  

like a dappled sky, the beauty of a woman does not last long (n.b.: a proverb that indicates the  

transience of things. The ciel pommelé is a sky that changes quickly, often into a storm. And the  

heavy make-up, fardée, does not last long either.)  

cSur qui soupir n a pas qu il désire  

the heart that sighs yet has desires (lit.: the heart that sighs does not have what it desires)  

comme on connaît ses saints, on les honore  

to know a friend is to respect him (lit.: as you know your saints, you honor them)  

comme on fait son lit, on se couche  

as you make your bed, so you shall lie in it (lit.: as one makes his/herbead, one sleeps)  

comparaison n est pas raison  

comparison is not reason (i.e.: a comparison proves nothing)  

contentement passe richesse  

contentment is better than wealth (lit.: contentment or serenity surpasses riches)  

D  

dans le doute, abstiens-toi  

when in doubt, don t (lit.: when in doubt, remove yourself *from the situation+)  

de deux maux, il fault choisir le moindre  

choose the lesser of two evils (lit.: given two evils, one must choose the lesser)  

de la discussion jaillit la lumière  

truth is reached through discussion (lit.: from discussion leaps light)  

défiance est mere de sûreté  

mistrust is the mother of security (i.e.: trust but verify)  

des goûts et des couleurs il ne faut pas discuter  

there s no accounting for taste; to each his/her own (lit.: of tastes and colors one must not argue)  

deux avis valent mieux qu un  

two heads are better than one (lit.: two opinions are worth more than one)  

dis-moi qui tu hantes, je te dirai qui tu es  

a man is known by the company he keeps (lit.: tell me who you spend time with, and I will tell you  

who you are)  

donne au chien l os pour qu il ne convoite pas ta viande  

give some to keep the rest (lit.: give the dog the bone so that he doesn t try to get your meat)  

donner un Suf pour avoir un bSuf  

give a little to get a lot (lit.: one has to know when to give an egg to get an ox)  

E  

en avril ne te découvre pas d un fil  

ne er cast a clout till be May be out (lit.: in April you will not find a line)  

en avril, n ôte pas un fil; en mai, fais ce qu il te plaît  

in April, don t take off your clothes, but in May, do as you please (a commonly cited French belief  

about the weather)  

en tout pays, il y a une lieue de mauvais chemin  

there will be bumps on the smoothest roads (lit.: in every region, there is one league of bad road)  

entre deux maux, il fault choisir le moindre  

choose the lesser of two evils (lit.: between two evils, one must choose the lesser)  

entre l arbre et l écorce il ne faut pas mettre le doigt  

do not meddle in other people s business (lit.: do not put your finger between a tree and its bark)  

erreur n est pas compte  

an error is not an account (i.e.: as long as an error is present, an account is not definitive)  

F  

faire d une pierre deux coups  

kill two birds with one stone (lit.: make with one stone two blows)  

fais ce qui dois, advienne que pourra  

do what you must, come what may (n.b.: this is not fatalistic, but rather realistic and pragmatic)  

faute avouée est à demi (à moitie) pardonnée  

a sin confessed is a sin half pardoned (lit.: an error revealed is partially forgiven)  

faute de grives, on mange des merles  

beggars can t be choosers; you have to cut your coat according to your cloth; half a loaf is better than  

none (lit.: for lack of thrushes, one eats blackbirds)  

G  

goutte à goutte, l eau use la pierre  

drop by drop water wears away a stone (i.e.: time and patience yield results)  

H  

heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour  

happy at play, unhappy in love (n.b.: a reference to the fate of gamblers and other risk-takers, whose  

love lives often turn out poorly)  

I  

il faut battre le fer pendant qu il est chaud  

strike while the iron is hot (lit.: one must strike the iron while it is hot)  

il faut casser le noyau pour avoir l amande  

no pain, no gain; one has to break some eggs to make an omelet (lit.: one must crack the shell to get  

the almond)  

il faut prendre la vie comme elle vient  

one must take life as it comes (n.b.: this is not fatalistic, but rather realistic and pragmatic)  

il faut qu une porte soit ouverte ou fermée  

there can be no middle course (lit.: a door must either be open or closed)  

il faut que jeunesse se passe  

youth must have its fling (lit.: youth must happen)  

il faut rendre à César ce qui appartient à César, et à Dieu ce qui est à Dieu  

render unto Ceasar what is Ceasar s, and unto God what is God s (n.b.: Biblical origin)  

il faut toujours garder une poire pour la soif  

save for a rainy day (lit.: one must always keep a pear for thirst)  

il faut tourner sept fois sa langue dans sa bouche avant de parler  

you should count to ten before you say anything (lit.: you should turn your tongue seven times in  

your month before speaking)  

il n est pire aveugle que celui qui ne veut pas voir  

there is no worse blind person than the one who does not want to see  

il n est pire eau que l eau qui dort  

still water runs deep (lit.: there is no worse water than the water that sleeps)  

il n est pire sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre  

there is no worse deaf person than the one who does not want to hear  

il n est si méchant pot qui ne trouve son couvercle  

every Jack has his Jill (lit.: there is no jar so horried that it cannot find a lid)  

il n y a pas de fumée sans feu  

where there s smoke, there s fire (lit.: there is no smoke without fire)  

il n y a pas de sot métier  

all professions are respectable (lit.: there is no dirty profession)  

il n y a qu heur et malheur en ce monde  

there is nothing but good luck and bad luck in the world  

il n y a que le premier pas qui coûte  

the first step is the hardest (lit.: it is only the first step that costs)  

il n y a que les montagnes qui ne se recontrent jamais  

there are none so distant that fate cannot bring together (lit.: it is only mountains that never meet)  

il n y que la vérité qui blesse  

it is only the truth that hurts  

il ne faut jamais courir deux lièvres à la fois  

do not do two things at once (lit.: do not ever chase two hares at the same time)  

il ne faut jamais dire Fontaine, je ne boirai bas de ton eau!  

never say never (lit.: never say, Fountain, I will not ever drink your water)  

il ne faut jamais jeter le manche après la cognée  

don t give up so easily  

il ne faut jamais jeter le manche après la cognée  

never say die (lit.: never throw the ax handle after striking)  

il ne faut jurer de rien  

you never can tell (lit.: you should not promise anything)  

il ne faut pas juger les gens sur la mine  

don t judge a book by its cover (lit.: do not judge people by their appearance)  

il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l ours avant de l avoir tué  

don t count your chickens before they ve hatched (lit.: do not sell the skin of a bear before you kill it)  

il ne sert à rien de déshabiller Pierre pour habiller Paul  

robbing Peter to pay Paul (lit.: it s useless to undress Peter to dress Paul)  

il vaut mieux aller au boulanger qu au médecin  

an apple a day keeps the doctor away (it is better to go to the breadmaker than to the physician; i.e.:  

a balanced lifestyle helps maintain health)  

il vaut mieux aller au moulin qu au médecin  

an apple a day keeps the doctor away (it is better to go to the mill than to the physician; i.e.: a  

balanced lifestyle helps maintain health)  

il vaut mieux avoir affaire à Dieux qu à ses saints  

it s better to talk to the organ grinder than to the monkey (lit.: better to speak to God than to his  

saints)  

il vaut mieux être marteau qu enclume  

it s better to be a hammer than a nail (lit.: it s better to be a hammer than an anvil)  

il vaut mieux s adresser à Dieux qu à ses saints  

it s better to talk to the organ grinder than to the monkey (lit.: better to speak to God than to his  

saints)  

il vaut mieux tenir que courier  

it is better to have than to chase  

il y a loin de la coupe aux lèvres  

there s many a slip twixt the cup and the lip (lit.: it is far from the cup to the lips)  

il y a plus d un âne à la foire qui s appelle Martin  

don t jump to conclusions; it s a very common name (lit.: there s more than one donkey called  

Martin in the marketplace; n.b.: the idea here is to obtain more information than just one piece of  

data)  

il y a un temps pour tout  

there is a right time for everything  

(lit.: there is a time for everything)  

impossible n est pas français  

there is no such word as can t (lit.: impossible is not French; n.b.: Napolen is credited with creating  

this proverb when he said ce n est pas possible, m écrivez-vous; cela n est pas français to general  

Lemarois, commander in Magdebourg, who was having difficulty holding his ground)  

J  

jamais deux sans trois  

bad things come in threes (lit.: never two without three)  

jeux de main(s), jeux de vilain(s)  

stop fooling around or it will end in tears (lit.: playing around with your hand is the play of villains)  

L  

l air ne fait pas la chanson  

do not judge by appearances; appearances can be deceptive (lit.: the sound does not create the  

l appétit vient en mangeant  

the more one has, the more one wants (lit.: the appetite grows as one eats)  

l arbre cache souvent la forêt  

haste makes waste; one can t see the forest through the trees (lit.: the tree often hides the forest)  

l argent est un bon serviteur et un mauvais maître  

money makes a good servant but a poor master (i.e.: money can contribute to happiness for those  

who use it well but creates misery for those who are controlled by greed)  

l argent n a pas d odeur  

money has no smell  

l argent ne fait pas le bonheur  

money can t buy happiness  

l argent va à l argent  

money attracts money (lit.: money goes to money)  

l eau va à la rivière  

money flows to the rich (lit.: water goes to the river)  

l enfer est pavé de bonnes intentions  

the road to hell is paved with good intentions (lit.: hell is paved with good intentions)  

l espirt qu on veut avoir gâte celui qu on a  

the spirit one wants to have ruins what one already has  

l exactitude est la politesse des rois  

punctuality is the politeness of kings  

l exception confirme la règle  

the exception that proves the rule (i.e.: one exception does not necessarily disprove a rule, and can,  

when examined closely, confirm it)  

l habit ne fait pas le moine  

clothes don t make the man (lit.: the habit doesn t make the monk)  

l habitude est une seconde nature  

habit is second nature  

l homme est un loup pour l homme  

man is a wolf toward himself; brother will turn on brother (lit.: man is a wolf toward man; n.b.: from  

the Latin homo homini lupus, by Plautus)  

l intention vaut le fait  

it is the thought that counts (lit.: the intention is worth the act)  

l occasion fait le larron  

opportunity makes a thief [of anyone] (lit.: the opportunity makes the robber)  

l oisivité est la mere de tous les vices  

the devil finds work for idle hands (lit.: idleness is the mother of all vices)  

le bonheur des uns fait le malheur des autres  

one man's meat is another's poison (lit.: the happines of some creates the sadness of others)  

le rire est le propre de l'homme.  

laughter is unique to man  

la caque sent toujours le hareng  

what s bred in the bone will come out in the flesh (lit.: the barrel will always smell of herring)  

la faim chasse le loup du bois  

necessity knows no law (lit.: hunger chases the wolf from the woods)  

la fête passée, adieu le saint  

when his day is done, it s good-bye to the saint (lit.: once the party is over, it is good-bye to the saint)  

la fin justifie les moyens  

the end justifies the means  

la fortune sourit aux audacieux  

fortune favors the brave (lit.: fortune smiles upon the audacious)  

fortune vient en dormant  

luck comes while we sleep (i.e.: the best way to become wealthy is to leave it up to fate)  

la goutte d eau qui fait déborder le vase  

the straw that breaks the camel s back (lit.: the drop of water that makes the vase spill over)  

la météo est la science du temps qu il aurait dû faire  

meteorology is the science of the weather that should have happened  

la nuit port conseil  

night brings wisdom (i.e.: a time to reflect, think, ponder, rest, and often gain new ideas while  

sleeping)  

la nuit, tous les chats sont gris  

all cats are grey in the dark (lit.: at night, all the cats are gray; i.e.: in darkness people and things look  

the same)  

la parole est d argent, mais le silence est d or  

words are silver, yet silence is golden  

la patience paye  

patience is a virtue (lit.: patience pays)  

la pluie du matin réjoiut le pèlerin  

morning rain delights the pilgrim (i.e.: because morning rain is often followed by a sunny day)  

la plus belle fille du monde ne peut donner que ce qu elle a  

the most beautiful woman in the world can only give what she has  

la raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure  

might makes right (lit.: the right of the strongest is always the best)  

l la vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid  

revenge is a dish best served cold  

la vérité sort de la bouche des enfants  

out of the mouths of babes and sucklings [comes forth truth] (lit.: the truth comes out of the mouths  

of infants)  

le chat parti, les souris dansent  

when the cat s away, the mice will play (lit.: when the cat is gone, the mice dance)  

le doute est la clé de toute connaissance  

doubt is the key to all knowledge  

le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle  

not worth the effor (lit.: the game is not worth the candle)  

le loup retourne toujours au bois  

one always goes back to one s roots (lit.: the wolf always returns to the woods)  

le mieux est l ennemi du bien  

better is the enemy of good (lit.: better is the enemy of good)  

le soleil luit pour tout le monde  

the sun shines on the entire world (i.e.: everyone has a irght to what nature provides to us all)  

le temps c est de l argent  

time is money (n.b.: from the English proverb)  

le temps perdu ne se rattrape jamais  

time and tide wait for no man (lit.: time lost is never recovered)  

les absents ont toujours tort  

it is always the people who are not there that are blamed (lit.: the absent are always wrong)  

les arbres cachent la forêt  

the trees hide the forest  

les beaux esprits se rencontrent  

great minds think alike (lit.: beautiful minds find each other)  

les bons comptes font les bon amis  

good accounting makes for good friends (i.e.: friends should know exactly what each owes the other)  

les chiens aboient, la caravane passe  

let the world say what it will; to each his own (lit.: the dogs howl, the caravan passes by)  

les chiens ne font pas des chats  

the apple doesn t fall far from the tree; like father, like son (lit.: dogs do not make or become cats)  

les conseilleurs ne sont pas les payeurs  

nothing is given so freely as advice; free advice is seldom cheap (lit.: advisors do not pay for advice)  

les cordonniers sont (toujours) les plus mal chaussés  

the shoemaker s son always goes barefoot (lit.: shoemakers are always have the worst shoes)  

les grandes douleurs sont muettes  

great sorrow is often silent (i.e.: extreme moral suffering does not make itself known)  

les grands diseurs ne sont pas les grands faiseurs  

great talkers are not great doers  

les grands esprits se rencontrent  

great minds think alike (lit.: great minds find each other)  

les gros poissons mangent les petits  

survival of the fittest; the large fish eat the small ones (lit.: big fish eat little fish)  

les jours se suivent et ne se ressemblent pas  

what a day may bring, a day may take away (lit.: the days follow each other but don t resemble each  

other)  

les loups ne se mangent pas  

there is honor among thieves (lit.: wolves do not eat each other)  

les murs ont des oreilles  

walls have ears (lit.: walls have ears)  

les paroles s'envolent, les écrits restent  

words fly, but letters remains  

les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières  

tall oaks from little acorns grow (lit.: small streams formt great rivers)  

loin des yeux, loin du coeur  

out of sight, out of mind (lit.: far from the eyes, far from the heart)  

M  

mains froids, cSur chaud  

cold hands, warm heart  

mauvaise herbe croît toujours  

bad weeds always grow (n.b.: used in reference to rapid growth of a difficult child)  

méfiance est mere de sûreté  

mistrust is the mother of security  

mettre la charrue avant les bSufs  

put the cart before the horse (lit.: never put the plow before the oxen)  

mettre la charrue devant les bSufs  

put the cart before the horse (lit.: put the plow before the oxen)  

mieux vaut prévenir que guérir  

prevention is better than cure; an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (lit.: it is better to  

prevent than cure)  

mieux vaut tard que jamais  

better late than never  

morte la bête, mort le venin  

kill the beast, destroy the venom (i.e.: an enemy or dangerous creature cannot cause harm once  

dead)  

N  

n éveillez pas le chat qui dort  

let sleeping dogs lie (lit.: do not awaken the sleeping cat)  

ne fait pas à autrui ce que tu ne voudrais pas qu on te fit  

do not do to others what you would not have them do to you (n.b.: the Golden Rule in negative, and  

as a result much more logical, form)  

nécessité fait loi  

necessity knows no law (lit.: necessity makes [its own] laws)  

Noël au balcon, Pâques aux tisons  

a warm Christmas spells cold weather for Easter (lit.: Christmas on the balcony, Easter by the embers  

[in a fireplace])  

nul n est prophète en son pays  

no man is a prophet in his own country (lit.: none is a prophet in his own country)  

O  

Sil pour Sil, dent pour dent  

an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (lit.: eye for eye, tooth for tooth)  

on n'est jamais mieux servi que par soi-même  

you are never better served than by yourself  

on ne fait pas d omelette sans casser des Sufs  

you cannot make an omelete without breaking some eggs (i.e.: nothing is achieved without pain and  

sacrifice)  

on ne marie pas les poules avec les renards  

different strokes for different folks; to each his or her own (lit.: one does not marry hens to foxes)  

on ne peut pas avoir le beurre et l argent du beurre  

you cannot have your cake and eat it too (lit.: one cannot have the butter and the money from the  

butter)  

on ne peut pas être à la fois au four et au moulin  

you cannot be in two places at once (lit.: you cannot at the same time be at the oven and at the mill)  

on ne prend pas les mouches avec du vinaigre  

one doesn t attract flies with vinegar  

on ne prête qu aux riches  

only the rich get richer (lit.: one lends only to the wealthy)  

on récolte ce qu on a semé  

as you sow, so shall you reap  

on reconnaît l arbre à ses fruits  

a tree is known by its fruit  

ou il y a du poisson il y a de l'eau  

where there is smoke, there is fire (lit.: where there are fish, there is water)  

P  

Paris ne s est pas fait en un jour  

Rome wasn t built in a day (lit.: Paris wasn t built in a day. Note that the cities switch)  

pas de nouvelles, bonnes nouvelles  

no news is good news (lit.: a lack of news, good news)  

pas de plaisir sans peine  

no pleasure without pain  

pauvreté n est pas vice  

poverty is not a vice (i.e.: it is not shameful to be poor)  

pécheé avoué est à demi pardonné  

a sin confessed is half pardonned  

petit à petit, l oiseau fait son nid  

slow and steady wins the race; every little bit helps (lit.: little by little, the birds builds its nest)  

petite pluie abat grand vent  

small efforts can go a long way (lit.: a little rain beats back strong winds)  

pierre qui roule n amasse pas mousse  

a rolling stone gathers no moss (lit.: a stone that rolls amasses no moss)  

plaie d argent n est pas mortelle  

money isn t everything (lit.: a financial wound is not mortal)  

plus fait douceur que violence  

better kindness than violence  

plus on est de fous, plus on rit  

the more the merrier (lit.: the more there are insane people, the more one laughs; i.e.: it is easier to  

laugh in a crowd)  

point (pas) d argent, point (pas) de Suisse  

nothing for nothing (lit.: no money, no Swiss)  

point de nouvelles, bonnes nouvelles  

no news is good news (lit.: no news, good news)  

porter d l eau à la rivière  

carry coals to Newcastle (lit.: to carry water to the river)  

pour un clou, Martin perdit son âne  

for want of a nail, the kingdom was lost (lit.: for lack of a nail, Martin lost his donkey)  

pourquoi remettre au lendemain ce que l'on peut faire le jour même  

why put off until tomorrow what can be done today  

prudence est mère de sûreté  

discretion is the better part of valor (lit.: caution is the mother of safety)  

Q  

quand le chat n est pas là les souris dansent  

when the cat s away, the mice will play (lit.: when the cat is not there, the mice dance)  

quand le diable devient vieux, il se fait ermite  

new converts are the most pious (lit.: when the devil gets old, he becomes a hermit)  

quand le vin est tiré, il faut le boire  

once the first step is taken, there is no going back; as you make your bed, so must you lie upon it (lit.:  

when the wine is drawn, it must be drunk)  

quand les poules auront des dents  

never; never in a month of Sundays; when pigs fly (lit.: when hens have teeth)  

quand on parle du loup (on en voit le queue)  

speak of the devil (lit.: when one speaks about a wolf, one sees the tail; n.b.: the second half is often  

omitted, in part because of the homonym between queue and cul)  

qui a bu boira  

a leopard never changes its spots; once a thief, always a thief (lit.: he who has drunk will drink)  

qui aime bien châtie bien  

who loves well suffers well (i.e.: those who truly love do not fear testing)  

qui casse les verres les paie  

you break it, you buy it; as you make your bed, so must you lie upon it (lit.: he who breaks the glasses  

pays for them)  

qui craint le danger ne doit pas aller en mer  

if you can t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen (lit.: he who fears danger should not go to sea)  

qui donne aux pauvres prête à Dieu  

who gives to the poor loans to God (i.e.: those who are charitable are rewarded by God)  

qui dort dîne  

he who sleeps forgets his hunger (lit.: he who sleeps dines)  

qui n entend qu une cloche n entend qu un son  

hear the other side and believe little (lit.: he who hears only one bell hears only one sound)  

qui naît poule aime à caqueter  

a leopard cannot change its spots (lit.: one born as a hen will enjoy cackling)  

qui ne dit mot consent  

silence is consent (lit.: he who says not a word consents)  

qui ne risque rien n a rien  

nothing ventured, nothing gained (lit.: he who risks nothing has nothing)  

qui ne tente rien n a rien  

nothing ventured, nothing gained (lit.: he who does not attempt has nothing)  

qui paie ses dettes s enrichit  

he who pays his debts becomes richer (i.e.: by paying one s debts, one creates or increases credit)  

qui peut le plus peut le moins  

he who can do the most can do the least (i.e.: those who can do the hard things can readily do the  

easy ones)  

qui s excuse, s accuse  

he who excuses himself implicates himself; the lady doth protest too much (lit.: he who excuses  

himself accuses himself)  

qui s y frotte s y pique  

keep your distance; don t get too close or you ll get burned (lit.: he who rubs against it gets stung)  

qui se couche avec les chiens se lève avec des puces  

if you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas (lit: he who sleeps with dogs gets up with fleas)  

qui se fait brebis le loup le mange  

nice guys finish last (lit.: he who makes himself a ewe is eaten by the wolf)  

qui se ressemble, s assemble  

birds of a feather flock together (lit.: those who resemble each other will get together)  

qui se sent morveux se mouche  

if the shoe fits, wear it  

qui sème le vent récolte la tempête  

as you sow, so shall you reap (lit.: he who sows the wind reaps the storm)  

qui terre a, guerre a  

he who has land has quarrels (lit.: who has land has wars)  

qui trop embrasse mal étreint  

you shouldn t bite off more than you can chew (lit.: he who grasps too much holds onto little)  

qui va à la chasse perd sa place  

he who leaves his place loses it (lit.: he who goes on the hunt loses his place)  

qui veut la fin veut les moyens  

the ends justify the means (lit.: he who wants the end wants the means)  

qui veut noyer son chien l accuse de la rage  

give a dog a bad name and hang him (lit.: he who wants to harm his dog accuses it of having rabies)  

qui veut voyager loin ménage sa monture  

slow and steady wins the race (lit.: he who wants to travel far spares his mount)  

qui vole un Suf vole un bSuf  

once a thief, always a thief; little lies lead to big lies (lit.: he who steals an egg will steal an ox)  

quiconque se sert de l épée périra par l épée  

he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword  

R  

rien n'arrête la course du temps  

nothing can stop the course of time  

rien ne sert de courir il faut partir a point  

nothing is served by running; one must leave at the right time  

rira bien qui rira le dernier  

who laughs last laughs best  

Rome ne s est pas fait en un jour  

Rome wasn t built in a day  

S  

santé passe richesses  

heath is better than riches (lit.: health exceeds riches/wealth)  

si chacun se mêlait de ses propres affaires, tout irait pour le mieux  

if we each attend to our own affairs, it would be for the best for all  

si jeunesse savait, si vieillesse pouvait  

youth is wasted on the young (lit.: if youth knew, if old age could)  

souris qui n a qu un trou est bientôt prise  

better safe than sorry; an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure (lit.: a mouse that has  

only one hole is quickly caught)  

souvent femme varie (bien fol est qui s y fie)  

woman is fickle (lit.: women change often)  

T  

tant va la cruche à l eau qu à la fin elle se casse  

enough is enough (lit.: so often does the pitcher go to the water that it finally breaks)  

tel est pris qui croyait prendre  

hoist by your own petard (lit.: he is caught who thought he could catch)  

tel père, tel fils  

like father, like son (lit.: such the father, such the son)  

tel qui rit vendredi dimanche pleurera  

laugh on Friday, cry on Sunday (lit.: he who laughs on Friday will cry on Sunday)  

tous les chemins mènent à Rome  

all roads lead to Rome (i.e.: there are many ways to arrive at a particular goal)  

tous les gôuts sont dans la nature  

it takes all kinds [to make a world] (lit.: all different tastes are found in nature)  

tout ce qui brille n est pas or  

all that glitters is not gold  

tout est bien qui finit bien  

all s well that ends well  

tout soldat a dans son sac son baton de maréchal  

the sky is the limit (lit.: every soldier has in his pack a field marshal s baton; n.b.: attributed to  

Napoleon)  

tout vient à point à qui sait attendre  

all things come to those who wait (lit.: everything comes at the right time to he who knows how to  

wait)  

toute médaille a son revers  

every medallion has its other side  

toute peine mérite salaire  

a laborer is worthy of his hire (lit.: every trouble taken deserves a salary)  

toute vérité n est pas bonne à dire  

some things are better left unsaid (lit.: all truth is not good to say)  

trompe-moi une fois, et tu seras à blâmer; trompe-moi deux fois, et je serai à blâmer  

fool me once and you are to blame; fool me twice and I am to blame  

trop de précaution nuit  

too much caution harms (lit.: too much precaution injures)  

U  

un chien regarde bien un évêque  

a cat may look upon a king (lit.: a dog may look at a bishop)  

un chien vivant vaut mieux qu un lion mort  

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush (lit.: a live dog is worth more than a dead lion)  

un clou chasse l autre  

one man goes and another steps in; life goes on (lit.: one nail drives out another)  

un de perdu, dix de retrouvés  

easy come, easy go; there are many fish in the sea (lit.: one lost, ten found)  

un homme averti en vaut deux  

forewarned is forearmed (lit.: a warned man is worth two)  

un malheur ne vient jamais seul  

it never rains but it pours (lit.: misfortute never comes alone)  

un mauvais arrangement vaut mieux qu'un bon procès  

a poor arrangement is worth more than a good [legal] process (i.e.: court battles can be so costly and  

time-consuming that a disappointing agreement of some sort reached out of court can be preferable)  

un menteur doit avoir bonne mémoire  

a liar must have a good memory  

un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l auras  

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush (lit.: having one is worth more than having two in the  

future)  

une âne grate l autre  

little things please little minds (lit.: one donkey scratches another)  

une fois n est pas coutume  

once is not habit (lit.: one time is not a custom)  

une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps  

one swallow doesn't make a summer (lit.: one swallow doesn't make spring)  

V  

ventre affamé n a point d oreilles  

words are wasted on a starving man (lit.: a hungry stomach has no ears)  

vouloir, c est pouvoir  

where there s a will, there s a way (lit.: to want is to be able)