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List of German proverbs

Here is a collection of German proverbs.

Literal translations are provided in italics for the benefit of non-German speakers. Where there are essentially equivalent proverbs in English, the English proverb is also given.

Otherwise, a literal translation is provided.

  • Es ist nicht alles Gold, was glänzt. Not all is gold, which gleams. -- "All that glitters is not gold."
  • Lieber den Spatz in der Hand als die Taube auf dem Dach. Rather the sparrow in the hand than the pigeon on the roof. -- "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
  • Kümmere dich nicht um ungelegte Eier. Don't worry about unlaid eggs. -- "Don't cross your bridges until you come to them."
  • Andere Länder, andere Sitten. -- Other countries, other customs. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
  • Taten sagen mehr als Worte. Actions say more than words. -- "Actions speak louder than words."
  • Hochmut kommt vor dem Fall. Arrogance comes before the fall. -- "Pride goeth before a fall." (paraphrase of Proverbs 16:18)
  • Ein Unglück kommt selten allein. One mishap rarely comes alone. -- "It never rains but it pours."
  • Gleich und gleich gesellt sich gern. Same and same like to convene. -- "Birds of a feather flock together."
  • Eile mit Weile. Haste with a rest. -- "More haste, less speed."
  • Das Eisen schmieden, solange es heiss ist. Forge the iron, as long as it is hot. -- "Strike while the iron is hot / Make hay while the sun shines."
  • Was nicht ist kann noch werden. That which isn't yet, could still be later. -- "'It hasn't' doesn't mean 'it won't'."
  • Die Suppe, die man sich eingebrockt hat, muss man auch auslöffeln. -- You've got to eat all the bread you poured into your soup. (roughly)

-- "You made your bed, now you'll have to sleep in it."

  • Ende gut, alles gut. Ending good, everything good. -- "All's well that ends well." (of course from the comedy of the same name by William Shakespeare)
  • Was Hänschen nicht lernt, lernt Hans nimmermehr. That which little Johnny doesn't learn, big John won't ever learn. -- "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."
  • Gebranntes Kind scheut das Feuer. Burned child shuns the fire. -- "Once bitten, twice shy."
  • Zu viele Köche verderben den Brei. -- "Too many cooks spoil the broth."
  • Wer zuletzt lacht, lacht am besten. -- Who last laughs, lasts the best. "He who laughs last, laughs longest."
  • Man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben. One shouldn't praise the day before the evening. -- "There's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip."
  • Wer wagt, gewinnt. Ehoever dares, wins. -- "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
  • Rom ist auch nicht an einem Tag erbaut worden. -- "Rome wasn't built in a day."
  • Kommt Zeit, kommt Rat. Time comes, counsel comes.
  • Alter schützt vor Torheit nicht. Old age doesn't save from folly. -- "There's no fool like an old fool."
  • Deutsche Sprache, schwere Sprache. German language, hard language.
  • Einmal ist keinmal. Once is never.
  • Eine Schwalbe macht noch keinen Sommer. One swallow doesn't a summer make.
  • Morgenstund' hat Gold im Mund. -- Morning hour has got gold in its mouth. "The early bird catches the worm."
  • Schuster, bleib bei Deinem Leisten. -- Shoemaker, stay with your business. -- "Every man to his craft."
  • Wer anderen eine Grube gräbt, fällt selbst hinein. -- "He who digs a hole for another, falls into it himself."
  • Wer zuerst kommt, mahlt zuerst. -- He who comes first, grinds (the grains) first. "First come, first served."
  • Wes' Brot ich ess, des' Lied ich sing. -- I sing the song of whose bread I eat.
  • Wer die Wahl hat, hat die Qual. -- Literally, "He who has the choice, has the distress."
  • Erst kommt das Fressen, dann kommt die Moral. -- First comes the feeding, then come morals. "A hungry man has no conscience."
  • Viel Feind', viel Ehr. -- Literally, Many an enemy, much honour."
  • Die Feder ist mächtiger als das Schwert. -- "The pen (literally: the quill) is mightier than the sword."
  • In der Kürze liegt die Würze. -- In brevity lies the spice. "Brevity is the soul of wit." (although the German Polonius doesn't say that.)
  • Der Ton macht die Musik. It's the melody that makes the song.
  • Unter Blinden ist der Einäugige König. Among the blind, the one-eyed is king.
  • Man soll das Fell des Bären nicht verteilen, bevor man ihn erlegt hat. One should not divide up the pelt of the bear [to be distributed] before one has shot it. -- "Don't count your chickens before they're hatched."
  • Man schlägt den Sack und meint den Esel. One hits the bag and means [to hit] the ass. ("Esel" in German can carry the same senses as the traditional usage of English "ass"; that is, it can mean the animal, or can be used figuratively to mean "idiot" or "fool".)
  • Neue Besen kehren gut. New brooms sweep well.

See also

Wikiquote also has a list of German proverbs .



Last updated: 10-24-2004 05:10:45