FRENCH PROVERBS

• Mieux vaut faire que dire.
• Literal translation: Better to do than to say.
• Idiomatic translation: Actions speak louder than words / Well done is better than well said.
• Mieux vaut plier que rompre.
• Idiomatic translation: Adapt and survive.
• Literal meaning: Better to bend than to break.
• Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir.
• Literal translation: Better to prevent than to cure.
• Idiomatic translation: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
• Mieux vaut rire que pleurer.
• Idiomatic translation: Laughter is the best medicine.
• Literal meaning: Better to laugh than to weep.
•  Mieux vaut tenir que courir.
• Idiomatic translation: A bird in hand is worth two in a bush.
• Literal meaning: Better to hold than to run.
•  Moineau à la main vaut mieux que grue qui vole.
• Idiomatic translation: A bird in hand is worth two in a bush.
• Literal meaning: Better a sparrow in hand than a crane in flight.
•  L'excès en tout est un défaut.
• Idiomatic translation: Too much is too much.
• Literal meaning: Excess in everything is a fault.
•  L'habit ne fait pas le moine.
• Idiomatic translation: Don't judge the book by its cover.
• Literal meaning: The cowl does not make the friar.
• La chance sourit aux audacieux.
• Idiomatic translation: Fortune favours the brave.
• Latin: Fortuna favet fortibus
• Literal meaning: Luck smiles at the bold.
•  L'argent ne fait pas le bonheur.
• Idiomatic translation: Money can't buy happiness.
• Literal meaning: Money doesn't make happiness.
•  L'argent ne se trouve pas sous le sabot / le pas    d'un cheval.
• Idiomatic translation: Money doesn't grow on trees.
• Literal meaning: Money is not found under a horse's hoof / step.
•  Impossible n'est pas français.
• Idiomatic translation: There is no such word as "can't".
• Literal meaning: Impossible is not a French word.
• Il n'y a pas de fumée sans feu.
• Literal translation: There's no smoke without fire.
• Idiomatic translation: Where there's smoke, there's fire.
• Il faut tourner sa langue sept fois dans sa bouche avant de parler.
• Idiomatic translation: Think before you speak.
• Literal meaning: One must turn the tongue seven times in the mouth before speaking.
• Il faut savoir obéir avant que de commander.
• Idiomatic translation: Obedience comes before leadership.
• Il faut manger pour vivre, et non pas vivre pour manger.
• Idiomatic translation: Eat to live, don't live to eat.
• Il faut battre le fer pendant qu'il est chaud.
• Translation 1: Strike while the iron is hot.
• Translation 2: Make hay while the sun shines.
• Literal Translation: It is necessary to strike the iron while it is hot.
• Fais ce que dois, advienne que pourra.
• Idiomatic translation: Do your duty, come what may.
• En tout pays, il y a une lieue de mauvais chemins.
• Idiomatic translation: There will be bumps on the smoothest roads.
• Chien qui aboie ne mord pas.
• Literal meaning: Dog that barks does not bite.
• Idiomatic translation: Barking dogs seldom bite.
• Translation 2: His bark is worse than his bite
• Chose promise, chose due.
• Literal meaning: Thing promised, thing owed.
• Idiomatic translation: Promises are made to be kept.
• Literal translation: In every country, there's a league of bad paths.
• C'est le ton qui fait la chanson.
• Literal meaning: It's the tone that makes the song.
• Idiomatic translation: It's not what you say but the way you say it.

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