PROVERBS

What are proverbs?

Every culture has a collection of wise sayings that offer advice about how to live your life. These sayings are called "proverbs".

How can you use proverbs to learn English?

It's good to know the really common English proverbs because you hear them come up in conversation all the time. Sometimes people say the entire proverb to give advice to a friend. More often, someone will say just part of a proverb like this:

You know what they say: when the going gets tough...

Two-word aphorisms

* Know yourself (Thyself). First Sócrates and then Plato
* Money talks If you have a lot of money, it gives you power and influence.

Three-word aphorisms

* Haste makes waste: This idiom means that if you try to do something quickly, without planning it, you're likely to end up spending more time, money, etc, doing it.
* Money isn't everything. There are other important things in this world, not just money.

* Money makes money. (If you have money, you can use it to get more money through investment).

 * Practice makes perfect.
* Slowly but surely. 
Achieving the desired results gradually and reliably rather than quickly and spectacularly.

Four-word aphorisms

* Better late than never.                      
It's best to do something on time. But if you can't do it on time, do it late.
* Better (be) safe than sorry / Better (to be) safe than sorry.
Sth. that you say which means it is best not to take risks even if it seems boring or hard work to be careful. You should be cautious; if you are not, you may regret it.
* Fortune favors the bold.                       
People who bravely go after what they want are more successful than people who try to live safely.
* I think, therefore I am. (Cogito ergo sum, Rene Descartes)
* No bees no honey (no work no money)
It basically means that every convenience has its inconvenience.
* No pain, no gain. If we do not do hard work, and suffer some pain, we will achieve or gain nothing.
* No risk, no gain / reward. (risk is the price you pay for opportunity. A reason for withdrawal often stems from fear of risk-taking.
* No risk, no fun (sin riesgo no hay diversion)
Betty: I am scared to surf that wave!!; Tom: Come on. No Risk No Fun!!!
* (If) you snooze, you lose (if you do not pay attention and do something quickly, someone else will do it instead of you)


Five-word aphorisms

* Use it or lose it. (If you don't use it you lose it).
* No man is an island.
You can't live completely independently. Everyone needs help from other people.
* There's no place like home.                       
Your own home is the most comfortable place to be.
* Do right. Do your best.

Six-word aphorisms

* Birds of a feather flock together.                       
People like to spend time with others who are similar to them.
* If you want success, be unique.* Don't find fault, find a remedy.
* Lost time is never found again. (Sometimes it feels like we've spent all our lives decorating this house.' 'Well, Rome wasn't built in a day).
* Make hay while the sun shines. (If we want to make hay, we need sunny weather, so when the sun comes we should take the opportunity to make hay. Thus the proverb suggests that we should make good use of any opportunity while it lasts).
* Rome wasn't built in a day.
Said to emphasize that you cannot expect to do important things in a short period of time.* Two wrongs don't make a right.
When someone has done something bad to you, trying to get revenge will only make things worse.
* The early bird catches the worm.                       
You should wake up and start work early if you want to succeed.
* The more haste, the less speed.
* The more laws, the more offenders

Seven-word aphorisms

* A picture is worth a thousand words.                       
Pictures convey emotions and messages better than written or spoken explanations. (That's why PhraseMix has illustrations)
* (As for me), All I know is (that) I know nothing. (Sócrates)
* The pen is mightier than the sword.
Trying to convince people with ideas and words is more effective than trying to force people to do what you want.
* The shortest answer is doing the thing.
* When in Rome, do as the Romans.
Act the way that the people around you are acting. This phrase might come in handy when you're traveling abroad notice that people do things differently than you're used to.
* If you want to learn, then teach.
* If you want to be happy, be.

Eight-word aphorisms

* Be kind whenever posible. It's always posibble.
* If you want to get along, go along. (make progress, improve / consent, accept, compromise, tolerate)
* If you want to get along, go along.
* Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.                       
If you have an enemy, pretend to be friends with them instead of openly fighting with them. That way you can watch them carefully and figure out what they're planning.
* There's no such thing as a free lunch.
Things that are offered for free always have a hidden cost.
* Taugh times never last, but taugh people do.
No matter how tough times get, you have the potential to achieve the best of life.(Overcoming obstacles, adversities and discouragement)
* The more you have / get the more you want.
* The less you need, the more you have.
* The important thing is not to stop questioning.

Nine-word aphorisms

* When the going gets tough, the tough get going.                       
Strong people don't give up when they come across challenges. They just work harder.
* Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst
Bad things might happen, so be prepared.
* Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened. 
* Don't wait. The time will never be just right.
* If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.

Ten-word aphorisms

* Be smarter than other people. Just don't tell them so.
* People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.                       
Don't criticize other people if you're not perfect yourself.
* If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.
* You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.

MORE THAN TEN-WORD APHORISMS

* If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.