French Proverbs I

* À cheval donné on ne regarde pas les dents (French) / la bride (Canadian).
o Idiomatic translation: Don't look a gifthorse in the mouth.
o Literal translation: At a given horse one doesn't look at the teeth / bridle (the bit in the horse's mouth).

* A l'œuvre, on connaît l'ouvrier.
o Translation: A carpenter is known by his chips.

* À la Sainte-Luce, les jours accroissent du saut d'une puce.
o Literal translation: On Saint Lucia's Day, the days grow by the jump of a flea.
o Meaning: The days begin to get longer on Saint Lucia's Day, December 16 (which formerly coincided with the Winter Solstice).

* À Rome, fais comme les Romains.
o Translation: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

* Après la pluie, le beau temps.
o Translation: After troubles, calm comes back.

* Autre temps, autres mœurs.
o Translation: Other days, other ways.

* Avec des si, on mettrait Paris en bouteille
o Literal translation: With these ifs, we put Paris in a bottle.
o Idiomatic translation 2: If wishes were fishes we'd all cast nets.

B

* Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais.
o Idiomatic translation: Ill-gotten gains seldom prosper.
o Literal meaning: Goods badly acquired never profit.

* Bon repas doit commencer par la faim.
o Idiomatic translation: Hunger is the best spice.
o Literal meaning: A good meal must begin with hunger.

* Bon sang ne saurait mentir.
o Idiomatic translation: Blood will out.
o Literal meaning: Good blood wouldn't know how to lie.

* Bonne renommée vaut mieux que ceinture dorée.
o Idiomatic translation: A good name is better than riches.
o Literal meaning: A good name is worthier than a golden belt.

C

* C'est bonnet blanc et blanc bonnet.
o Literal translation: It's white hat and hat white.
o Idiomatic translation: It's six of one and half a dozen of the other.

* C'est dans le besoin qu'on reconnaît ses vrais amis.
o Literal translation: It's when in need that one recognises one's true friends.
o Idiomatic translation: A friend in need is a friend indeed.

* C'est dans les vieilles marmites qu'on fait les meilleures soupes.
o Literal Translation: It's in old kettles that one makes the best soup.
o Idiomatic Translation: The best broths are made in the oldest pots.

* C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron.
o Literal meaning: By dint of forging one becomes a blacksmith.
o Idiomatic translation: Practice makes perfect.

* C'est l'arroseur arrosé.
o Literal meaning: It's the waterer getting drenched.
o Idiomatic translation: It's the biter bit.

* C'est l'exception qui confirme la règle.
o Translation: It's the exception that proves the rule.

* C'est la goutte d'eau qui fait déborder le vase.
o Literal meaning: It's the drop of water that makes the jug overflow.
o Idiomatic translation: It's the straw that breaks the camel's back.

* C'est la paille et la poutre.
o Literal meaning: It's the straw and the beam.
o Idiomatic translation: It's the mote and the beam (or the pot calling the kettle black).

* C'est la Pitié / l'hôpital qui se moque de la Charité.
o Literal meaning: It's Pity / the hospital that mocks Charity.
o Idiomatic translation: It's the pot calling the kettle black.

* C'est la poule qui chante qui a fait l'œuf.
o Literal meaning: It is the hen which sings which has laid the egg.
o Idiomatic translation: The guilty dog barks the loudest.

* C'est la poêle qui se moque du chaudron.
o Literal meaning: It's the pan mocking the cauldron.
o Idiomatic translation: The pot that calls the kettle black.

* C'est le ton qui fait la chanson.
o Literal meaning: It's the tone that makes the song.
o Idiomatic translation: It's not what you say but the way you say it.

* C'est trop aimer quand on en meurt.
o Idiomatic translation: They love too much who die for love.
o Literal translation: It´s loving too much when one dies of it.

* C'est un prêté pour un rendu.
o Translation 1: Tit for tat.
o Translation 2: One good turn deserves another.
o Literal meaning: It is one loaned for one returned.

* Ce qui est fait n'est plus à faire.
o Idiomatic translation: Don´t leave till tomorrow what can be finished today.
o Literal translation: What is done no longer needs to be done.

* Ce n'est pas aux vieux singes qu'on apprend à faire des grimaces.
o Idiomatic translation: You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
o Literal meaning: You can't teach old monkeys how to make faces.

* Ce n'est pas la vache qui crie le plus fort qui donne le plus de lait.
o Idiomatic translation: Great cry, little milk.
o Literal meaning: It is not the cow who shouts the loudest who gives the most milk.

* Ce que femme veut, Dieu le veut.
o Idiomatic translation: A woman's will is God's will.
o Literal translation: That which a woman wishes, God wishes.

* Chacun pour soi et Dieu pour tous.
o Translation 1: Every man for himself, and God for us all.
o Translation 2: Every man for himself, and the Devil take the hindmost.

* Chacun son métier, les vaches seront bien gardées.
o Idiomatic translation: One should mind one's own business.
o Literal meaning: Each to his craft, and the cows will be well looked after.

* Chacun voit midi à sa porte.
o Idiomatic translation: To each his own.
o Literal meaning: Everyone sees noon at his door.

* Chantez à l'âne, il vous fera des pets.
o Literal translation: Sing to a donkey, he will fart to you.
o Idiomatic translation: Hold food in your hand, and the dog will bite it.

* Charbonnier est maître chez soi.
o Translation (British): An Englishman's home is his castle.
o Literal meaning: A coalman is master of his own house.

* Charité bien ordonnée commence par soi-même.
o Idiomatic translation: Charity begins at home.

* Chassez le naturel, il revient au galop.
o Idiomatic translation: A leopard cannot change its spots. or If you cast out nature with a fork, it will still return.
o Literal meaning: Chase away the natural and it returns at a gallop.

* Chat échaudé craint l'eau froide.
o Literal meaning: A scalded cat fears cold water.
o Translation 1: Once bitten, twice shy.
o Signification : If you ever have been hurt by something, you'll be over-cautious of anything that even looks the same.

* Cherchez la femme.
o Literal meaning: Look for the woman.
o Idiomatic translation: A woman is probably at the heart of the quarrel.

* Chien qui aboie ne mord pas.
o Literal meaning: Dog that barks does not bite.
o Idiomatic translation: Barking dogs seldom bite.
o Translation 2: His bark is worse than his bite

* Chose promise, chose due.
o Literal meaning: Thing promised, thing owed.
o Idiomatic translation: Promises are made to be kept.

* Cœur qui soupire n'a pas ce qu'il désire.
o Translation: The heart that sighs does not have what it desires.

* Comme on fait son lit on se couche.
o Literal meaning: As one makes one's bed, one lies in it.
o Idiomatic translation: As you make your bed, so you are going to lie in it.

* Comparaison n'est pas raison.
o Literal meaning: Comparison is no reason.
o Idiomatic translation: Comparisons are misleading.

* Contentement passe richesse.
o Idiomatic translation: Happiness is worth more than riches.

* Coucher de poule et lever de corbeau écartent l'homme du tombeau.
o Idiomatic translation 1: Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
o Literal meaning: Going to bed with the hen and waking with the crow keeps the man from the grave.

D

* Dans le doute, abstiens-toi.
o Literal translation: In doubt, abstain.
o Idiomatic translation: When in doubt, forbear.

* De la discussion jaillit la lumière. or Du choc des idées jaillit la lumière
o Idiomatic translation: Two heads are better than one.
o Literal meaning: Out of discussion springs forth the light.
o French signification: Good ideas emerge from discussion/argument.

* Demain il fera jour.
o Literal meaning: Tomorrow will be a day.
o Idiomatic translation: Tomorrow is another day.

* Deux avis valent mieux qu'un.
o Idiomatic translation: Two heads are better than one.
o Literal meaning: Two opinions are better than one.

* Dis-moi qui tu fréquentes, je te dirai qui tu es.
o Idiomatic translation: A man is known by the company he keeps.
o Literal meaning: Tell me whom you spend time with and I will tell you who you are.

* Douce parole n'écorche pas langue.
o Idiomatic translation: Good words break no bones.
o Literal meaning: Soft words don't scratch the tongue.