ENGLISH PROVERBS you must know!

You can't call yourself an advanced English speaker if you don't know at least basic idioms and proverbs. On my blog I plan to write about both but if you are impatient always fresh portion of idioms you may find here: IDIOMS. 
Let's talk about proverbs then! What are they?

 Proverbs are short, well-known and repeated statements that give practical advice about life. They are often metaphorical.

Today I've prepared for you a list of 10 English proverbs which are absolute MUST HAVE as they are the most popular and common. For each of these 10 I found a Polish equivalent. I wonder if the next 10 and another will go so easily ;)


To start with.... the title of our blog. Well, maybe not the exact title but nearly :)

• When in Rome (do as the Romans do) is used for saying that when you are in a foreign country you should follow the local customs and ways of behaving. But this proverb doesn't only refer to a foreign country but also someone's home, community etc. You need to follow the rules of behavior that govern the environment you are in.

          Polish : Kiedy wejdziesz miedzy wrony, musisz krakać jak i one.

• Practice makes perfect is used for saying that repeating an activity or doing it regularly makes you very good at it. Only thanks to your hard work you can achieve a success.

          Polish: Praktyka/trening czyni mistrza.

     Bruce Lee

• Too many cooks (spoil the broth) is used for saying that something may be done badly if too many people try to do it together. 

          Polish: Gdzie kucharek sześć, tam nie ma co jeść.

• Easy come, easy go is used for saying that someone has spent money quickly, after getting it easily; it also means that they shouldn't worry about this fact.

          Polish: Łatwo przyszlo, łatwo poszlo.

• Make hay while the sun shines  is used for saying that you should do something while a situation allows you to, because the situation may not last very long. Do what you need to do right away if the conditions are right.

          Polish: Kuj żelazo, póki gorące.

• The grass is (always) greener on the other side  is used for saying that life seems better somewhere else, or other people's situation seem better than ours.

          Polish: Wszędzie dobrze, gdzie nas nie ma.

• Two heads are better than one means that two people who work together and share ideas have a better chance to solve a problem.

          Polish: Co dwie glowy to nie jedna.

• Necesssity is the mother of invention is used for saying that people always find ways to do something when they really need it. Necessity makes us more creative.

          Polish: Potrzeba matką wynalazków.

• Don't bite the hand that feeds you is used for saying that you shouldn't be ungrateful to someone who has helped you in some way or someone who has provided you with money (boss, company you work for etc.)

          Polish: Nie gryz ręki, która cię karmi.

          If we want to understand it literally we might even transformate it a little :)

• All good things must come to an end   is used for saying that everything in life will eventually end, even the most enjoyable experience cannot last forever.

          Polish: Wszystko co dobre, szybko sie konczy.

          Usually when using this proverb we accept that something has just ended or is going to end soon (holiday or a party) - but when we look back we may interpret it deeper...

For me it's one of the saddest proverbs. Life goes on, we change, people around us change as well and sometimes leaving old things behind us is inevitable if we want it or not...  Nelly Furtado in her song 'All good things' sings about it:

Flames to dust

Lovers to friends 

Why do all good things come to an end?

Beacuse all good things must come to an end we've already done for today, so...
I'm leaving you with Bruno Mars and words 'easy come, easy go' in his song 'Grenade' :)

Ta-ra!