Learn French Today

French Proverbs

I find that learning by heart a few unusual French phrases such as these French proverbs is such an asset and really makes you stand out from the crowd.

Most are quite similar to the English translation and as there are lots of them I have listed the ones that I would use or ones that you are more likely to hear other French speakers use.

Top Tip: Learn one French Proverb a week and you will really impress people!

French Proverb Table

French Proverb English Proverb
Après la pluie le beau temps Every cloud has a silver lining (lit.: After the rain, the nice weather)
Aussitôt dit, aussitôt fait No sooner said than done
Autres temps, autres moeurs. Times change. (lit.: Other times, other customs)
Autant des têtes, autant d'avis Too many cooks spoil the broth  (lit.: so many heads, so much advice)
Aux innocents les mains pleines. Beginner's luck
Avoir le beurre et l'argent du beurre
 
Have one's cake and eat it too (lit.: to have one's butter and the money for it)
Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais. Ill gotten ill spent  (lit.: goods badly acquired never benefit [anyone])
Bon chien chasse de race Like father, like son  (lit.: a good dog hunts by instinct)
C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron. Practice makes perfect. (lit.: It is by forging that one becomes an ironmonger)
C'est un prêté pour un rendu One good turn deserves another  (lit.: it is something loaned for something returned)
Chacun ses gôuts Each to his own
Chat échaudé craint l'eau froide Once bitten, twice shy (lit.: a scalded cat fears cold water)
Faire d'une pierre deux coups To kill two birds with one stone (lit.: make with one stone two blows)
Heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour. Lucky at cards, unlucky in love
Il faut casser le noyau pour avoir l'amande. No pain no gain (lit.: one must crack the shell to get the almond)
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 réfléchir avant d'agir Look before you leap (lit.: you have to think before acting)
Il ne faut jamais dire « Fontaine, je ne boirai pas de ton eau ! »
 
Never say never. (lit.: you should never say, "Fountain, I will never drink your water!")
Il ne faut rien laisser au hasard. Leave nothing to chance.
Impossible n'est pas français. There is no such word as "can't." (lit.: impossible is not French)
L'arbre cache souvent la forêt. Can't see the forest for the trees.
Le temps, c'est de l'argent Time is money
Les jours se suivent et ne se ressemblent pas.
 
There's no telling what tomorrow will bring. (lit.: the days follow each other and don't look alike)
Mains froids, cœur chaud Cold hands, warm heart
Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir Prevention is better than cure
Mieux vaut tard que jamais Better late than never
On ne peut pas avoir le beurre et l'argent du beurre
 
You can't have your cake and eat it too (lit.: one cannot have the butter and the money from the butter)
On ne prête qu'aux riches Only the rich get richer (lit.: one lends only to the wealthy)
Paris ne s'est pas fait en un jour. Rome wasn't built in a day
Plaie d'argent n'est pas mortelle Money isn't everything (lit.: a financial wound is not mortal)
Plus on est de fous, plus on rit The more the merrier ((lit.: the more there are insane people, the more one laughs)
Quand on veut, on peut Where there's a will, there's a way.
Qui casse les verres les paie You pay for your mistakes (lit.: he who breaks the glasses pays for them)
Qui ne risque rien n'a rien Nothing ventured, nothing gained
Qui se sent morveux, qu'il se mouche If the shoe fits, wear it (lit.: he who feels stuffy should blow his nose)
Qui va lentement va sûrement Slowly but surely.
Qui vivra verra What will be will be/ Time will tell (lit.: He who lives will see)
Rien ne sert de courir, il faut partir à point Slow and steady wins the race (lit.: running is worthless, you have to leave on time.)
Rira bien qui rira le dernier Whoever laughs last laughs best (lit.: who laughs last laughs best)
Tout est bien qui finit bien All's well that ends well
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)
Un clou chasse l'autre Life goes on (lit.: one nail chases the other)
Un malheur ne vient jamais seul! When it rains, it pours! (lit.: misfortune never comes alone)
Un sou est un sou Every penny counts (li.: a cent is a cent)
Vouloir, c'est pouvoir Where there's a will, there's a way (lit.: to want, that's to be able)



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