Bonjour chers amis !
Welcome once again to your Friday French learning edition. Today, we’re exploring the beauty of French wisdom through 10 powerful proverbs — and matching each one with its English equivalent. Proverbs teach us life lessons, and learning them in French is a fun way to grow in both language and culture!
Let’s dive in!
1. “Petit à petit, l’oiseau fait son nid.”
(puh-tee ah puh-tee, lwah-zoh feh sohn nee)
English: “Little by little, the bird builds its nest.”
Meaning: Great things are achieved gradually, through steady effort.
2. “Quand on veut, on peut.”
(kahn on vuh, on puh)
English: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Meaning: Determination opens doors to success.
3. “Après la pluie, le beau temps.”
(ah-pray lah plwee, luh boh tahn)
English: “After the rain comes sunshine.”
Meaning: Hard times don’t last forever.
4. “L’habit ne fait pas le moine.”
(lah-bee nuh feh pah luh mwahn)
English: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Meaning: Appearances can be misleading.
5. “Mieux vaut tard que jamais.”
(myuh voh tahr kuh zha-meh)
English: “Better late than never.”
Meaning: It’s better to do something late than not at all.
6. “Il n’y a pas de fumée sans feu.”
(eel nyah pah duh fyoo-may sahn fuh)
English: “There’s no smoke without fire.”
Meaning: Rumors often have a source.
7. “Chacun voit midi à sa porte.”
(shah-kuhn vwah mee-dee ah sah port)
English: “Everyone sees noon at their doorstep.”
Meaning: People interpret things from their own perspective.
8. “Qui ne risque rien n’a rien.”
(kee nuh reesk ryen nah ryen)
English: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
Meaning: Success requires taking risks.
9. “Trop de cuisiniers gâtent la sauce.”
(troh duh kwee-zee-nyay gaht lah sohs)
English: “Too many cooks spoil the broth.”
Meaning: Too many people involved can ruin the outcome.
10. “Ce qui est fait est fait.”
(suh kee eh feh eh feh)
English: “What’s done is done.”
Meaning: You can’t change the past — move forward.
Conclusion:
French proverbs are not just charming expressions — they carry wisdom that transcends borders. Knowing both the French and English versions helps you communicate better, think deeper, and speak more naturally.
Your Exercise
Choose any 2 of the proverbs above and use them in a short story, dialogue, or personal reflection. Post it in the comments — I’d love to read what you come up with!