Common Proverbs Used in Everyday Life
1. It Takes Two to Tango – when two people work as a team, they are both responsible for the team’s successes and failures
2. There’s No Place like Home – a person is happiest with his or her family and friends
3. An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away – if one eats healthy foods, one will remain in good health and will not need to see the doctor often.
4. Do As I Say, Not As I Do – follow my advice, but don’t follow my example
5. When in Rome Do As the Romans Do – when traveling, follow the customs of the local
people, or behave in an appropriate manner according to how people around you behave.
6. Curiosity Killed the Cat – being curious about other people’s affairs may get you into trouble.
7. Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew – don’t assume more responsibility than you can handle; don’t be overconfident
8. Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket – don’t risk losing everything at once
9. Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire – when there is evidence of a problem, there probably is a problem
10. No Pain, No Gain – nothing can be accomplished without effort
11. Practice Makes Perfect – doing something many times improves one’s skill at it
12. Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day – Important work takes time, and you should not rush it or expect to do it quickly
13. Beggars Can’t Be Choosers – people who need something should be satisfied with what they get even if it is not exactly what they wanted.
14. A Leopard Cannot Change His Spots – a person cannot change his or her basic character once it has been formed
15. Money Does Not Grow on Trees – money is not easily obtained
Common Proverbs and Their Meanings
16. You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks – elderly people can’t change their behavior or learn anything new
17. He Who Laughs Last, Laughs Best – (the person who succeeds in making the last move has the most fun
18. Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder – what seems ordinary or ugly to one person might seem beautiful to another
19. Blood Is Thicker Than Water – members of the same family share stronger ties with each other than they do with others
20. A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed – a person who helps at a difficult time is a person who you can really rely on.
21. Love Is Blind – one sees no faults in the person one loves
22. Actions Speak Louder Than Words – people’s actions are more convincing than their words are
23. Better Late Than Never – it’s better to do something late than not to do it at all
24. Better Safe Than Sorry – it’s wiser to be cautious and careful than to be hasty or rash and so do something you may later regret.
25. Haste Makes Waste – rushing things leads to mistakes or poor results
26. You Reap What You Sow – you eventually have to face up to the consequences of your actions.
27. The Grass Is Always Greener on the Other Side of the Fence – another place or situation always appears to be better than your own
28. The Best Things in Life Are Free – the things that give a person the most happiness don’t cost anything
29. No News Is Good News – if you do not hear new information about a situation, it is probably because nothing bad has happened.