It can be used in many situations, particularly in the process of something not yet accomplished, as opposed to something that has been accomplished. “Petit a petit, l’oiseau fait son nid” is a charming little phrase that’s widely applied, and translated as, “Little by little, the bird makes its nest.” This proverb designates patience and perseverance. It is sens commun (common sense) in France, undoing the dictum, “Ignorance is bliss,” for the bliss in this case is to not be ignorant, but preventive. The sense of the proverb is such that it is better to take the necessary precautions to prevent a sickness, than to have to treat and heal this sickness. It is not surprising, however, since health is first priority – “ Et d’abord, ne pas nuire!” (First, do no harm!), they say. The French are very attached to this saying, dearly using it on a regular basis. It literally means, “It is better to prevent than to heal,” and interestingly, it’s the first principle of traditional Chinese healing practices. “ Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir” is another widely used proverb, understood by all French natives. Innumerable are the contexts in which this phrase may be used, and it would impress a French person to hear it from a foreigner. ![]() When such tenacity occurs, the French would say, “ Inutile de discuter,” it is “useless to argue,” since every man feels he is right. The literal translation goes, “Everyone sees noon at his doorstep.” It means that every individual is occupied, first and foremost, with his or her own personal interests, and each feels their subjective opinions as objective truths. “ Chacun voit midi à sa porte” is a beautiful expression which, while being somewhat unfortunate, is nevertheless quite true. It goes, “A beard does not make a philosopher,” which in French is translated as “La barbe ne fait pas le philosophe.” 3. The philosopher Plutarch came up with his own rendition of this phrase. The English equivalent would be, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” The sense of the phrase implies that appearances can sometimes mislead one’s better judgement. “L’habit ne fait pas le moine” translates to “The vestment does not make the monk.” Its significance, though, is that just because a monk is wearing a renunciate’s robe, it doesn’t mean that the monk is sincere in his intentions. “Qui vivra verra” is a widely used and understood proverb that literally means, “He/she who lives, shall see.” This phrase is usually used when an outcome is unpredictable or uncertain, like in the English “the future will tell.” Although it is a very short phrase, it still rolls smoothly off the tongue with elegance. This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that youĬlick here to get a copy. ![]() “Il n’y a pas plus sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre” “Quand on a pas ce que l’on aime, il faut aimer ce que l’on a” ![]() “Qui court deux lievres a la fois, n’en prend aucun”
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