France is a central European country that founded the current European community and whose origins take us back to ancient Gaul and the ancient people of the Franks, from whom it derives its name.

Because of its geographical location, France has been a meeting point for many different peoples over time, accumulating the cultural and material wealth that they possessed. In contemporary times, France is considered to be one of the most advanced countries in Europe, and it shines with its gastronomic culture and tourist attractions.

French Proverbs (and its translation)

Proverbs are a source of wisdom that the French have known how to use since ancient times , which is why we have made this selection of the 68 best French Proverbs that we should all know and perhaps you did not know.

1. Autre temps, autres mœurs.

Other times, other ways.

2. Water in wine

Put water in your wine.

3. Who sits morveux, gets mouche.

Whoever feels like a brat, sounds like a brat.

4. The price has been left out, the quality remains.

The price is forgotten, the quality remains.

5. Être comme un coq en pâté.

Be like a rooster in pate.

6. Ce n’est pas la vache qui crie le plus fort qui donne le plus de lait.

It’s not the cow that screams the loudest that gives the most milk.

7. Jeter l’argent par les fenêtres.

Throwing money out the windows.

8. L’eau va a la rivière.

Water goes to river

9. On ne peut pas avoir le lard et le cochon.

You can’t have the bacon and the pig.

10. Les cordonniers sont toujours les plus mal chaussés.

Shoemakers always wear worn-out shoes.

11. Il n’y a pas de plume tombée sans oiseau plumé.

There’s no feather drop without a plucked bird.

12. Un sou est un sou.

A tough guy is a tough guy.

13. On ne connaît pas le vin à l’étiquette.

You don’t know wine by the label.

14. A merles soul, cerises amères.

The fat merlo the sour cherries.

15. Chien qui aboie ne mord pas.

The barking dog doesn’t bite.

16. Maison ouverte, rend volleur l’homme honnête.

At the open house, the righteous sin.

Paris.

17. Sers selon le goût du maître, ou bien ne sers point du tout.

Go to your master to taste, if you want to be a servant.

18. L’homme sage tente tout avant de recourir aux armes.

The prudent man must prove everything before he can take up arms.

19. On ne mesure pas l’huile sans avoir les mains grasses.

Whoever measures the oil, smears his hands.

20. A bon marché, clientèle triplée.

Make it cheap, and you’ll sell for four.

21. Les plaisanteries fondées sont les pires.

Bad are the true mockeries.

22. ne crevé, la queue au râtelier.

The dead donkey, the barley on the tail.

23. Pour les flatteurs, il n’est riche sot, ni pauvre sage.

For flatterers, there is no rich fool, nor poor discreet one.

24. Le sot en sait plus chez lui, que l’habile homme chez autrui.

The fool in his own house knows better than the sane one in someone else’s.

25. A force de coiffeurs, la fiancée devient chauve.

A lot of sycophants lose their girlfriends.

26. La femme et la sardine, les plus petites sont les plus fines.

The woman and the sardine, the smaller the finer.

27. Bœuf dételé peut se lécher.

The ox on the loose, well lick it.

28. Chercher midi à quatorze heures.

(Search one hour in another)

29. Applying a chat, a chat.

Call the cat, cat.

30. Avoir une faim de loup.

Having a wolf’s hunger.

31. Aide-toi, le Ciel t’aidera.

The French equivalent of “A Dios rogando y con el mazo dando”.

32. Paris wasn’t built in a day.

París no cayó en una hora.

33. Not having a voice.

No tener vela en este entierro.

34. Love does a lot, but money does everything.

El amor hace mucho, pero el dinero lo hace todo.

35. Open house, make the honest man a thief.

En casa abierta, el justo peca.

36. Who sows thistles, gathers bites.

Quien abrojos siembra, espinas coge.

37. Good lawyer, bad neighbor.

Buen abogado, mal vecino.

38. Child love, water in a basket.

Amor de niño, agua en cestillo.

39. No absent person who is right, nor present who is wrong.

Neither ausente sin culpa, nor presente sin exonulpa.

40. In war, in hunt and in love, for a pleasure, a thousand pains.

Guerra, caza, y amores, por un placer, mil dolores.

41. Life without friends, death without witnesses.

Vida sin amigo, muerte sin testigo.

42. Many people under threat have their entire limbs.

Más son los amenazados que los heridos.

43. Do what your master wants, then sit at his table.

Haz lo que tu amo te manda, y siéntate con él a la mesa.

44. Not for laughs, not for real, don’t share the fruit with your boss.

Ne en burla ni en veras, con tu amo no partas peras.

45. Tell me who you’re dating, I’ll tell you who you are.

Dime con quién andas, y te diré quien eres.

Laon.

46. Cry if you have to to learn, later you’ll laugh.

Aprende llorando, reirás ganando.

47. Point of path, without a lot of trouble.

No hay atajo, sin trabajo.

48. Whoever doesn’t want to risk it, won’t cross the sea.

Quien no se aventura, no pasa la mar.

49. The game must be worth the candle.

En balde se quema el candil.

50. Bad seedlings, never good melons.

De mala berenjena, nunca buena calabaza.

51. The joke must stop when it is at its best.

A la burla, dejarla cuando más agrada.

52. To young horse, old rider.

A caballo nuevo, caballero viejo.

53. As for his eye, it was not much, and yet he carried it in his hand.

Lo del ojo no era nada,y lo llevaba en la mano.

54. Never absent is found innocent.

Nunca los ausentes se hallaron justos.

55. Affection impairs reason.

Afición ciega razón.

56. The devil takes care of us, and we take care of the others.

Nos por lo ajeno, y el diablo por lo nuestro.

57. Well liked, don’t forget.

Bien ama, quien nunca olvida.

58. Health and cheerfulness give beauty.

Salud y alegría, hermosura cría.

59. 59. Being friends with everyone or no one is the same.

Amistad de todos, y de ninguno, todo es uno.

60. Hang out with the good ones, and you’ll get good.

Júntate a los buenos, y serás de ellos.

61. Hand game, naughty hand game.

Burlas de manos, burlas de villanos.

62. Mute mouth, God doesn’t hear it.

Boca que no habla, Dios no la oye.

63. Gives to the grateful beyond his request.

Al agradecido, más de lo pedido.

64. It is not the quenching of weapons, but the quenching of the heart that gives victory.

Ánimo vence guerra, que no arma buena.

65. Who can’t walk, let him run!

Quien no puede andar, que corra.

66. Arrange for a bad master, lest you find a worse one.

Mal amo has de guardar, por miedo de empeorar.

67. I don’t care for a friend who bites his beak while covering his wing.

Re

68. Cats’ loves begin by showing their teeth.

Los amores del gato, riñendo entran.