Portuguese Proverbs III

P

* "Padres, primos e pombos. Os dois primeiros, não servem para casar. Os dois últimos só servem para sujar a casa."
o Translation: "Priests, cousins and pigeons. The first two are not good to marry. The Last two, serve only to filth the house."

* "Paga o justo pelo pecador."
o Translation: The just pays for the sinner.
o Meaning: Said about the injustice of general measures that penalize everybody, regardless.

* "Palavra de rei não volta atrás."
o Translation: Kings don't come back on what they say.
o Meaning: I'll honor my word.

* "Palavras, leva-as o vento."
o Translation: "Words? The wind blow them"

* "Palavras loucas, ouvidos moucos."
o Translation: "Crazy words, closed ears."

* "Palavra puxa palavra."
o Translation: A word brings another word.
o Usage: Said about the situation in which someone gets caught in an interesting and apparently endless conversation.

* "Para baixo todos os santos ajudam, para cima é que as coisas mudam."
o Translation: Downhill all saints help, uphill things change.
o Meaning: So far things are going your way and everythings goes nicely, but soon things will change and you'll have to put effort in it and sweat it, you'll see.

* "Para grandes males, grandes remédios."
o Translation: "For big problems, big solutions."

* "Para lá do Marão mandam os que lá estão."
o Translation: Beyond the Marão (mountains), it's those who are there are in charge.
o Meaning: You must heed local rules.

* "Para morrer basta estar vivo."
o Translation: All you need to die is to be alive.
o Usage: Said to people worrying too much about death.

* "Para quem é, bacalhau basta."
o Translation: Considering who it is, codfish will be enough.
o Meaning: We don't have to give our best for that person, as he'll be happy with less.

* "Para quem sabe ler um pingo é letra."
o Translation: "For those who can read, a dot is a letter"

* "Para sacana, sacana e meio."
o Translation: For a sly bastard, a sly bastard and a half.
o Usage: About someone you intend to take revenge from, or not to trust at all, and serve him his own dish.
o Note: contains slang.

* "Para trás mija a burra."
o Translation: Back is the way the female donkey pees.
o Meaning: Going back is definitely not an option.
o Note: contains slang.

* "Parar é morrer."
o Translation: Stopping is dying.
o Meaning: it's not time to stop now.
o Meaning: Don't quit.

* "Passarinho que come pedra sabe o cu que tem."
o Translation: A bird that eats stones, knows his own asshole.
o Meaning: If you mess with something, be sure to deal with the consequences.
o Note: contains profanity.

* "Patrão fora, dia santo na loja."
o Translation: "When the boss is out, is a holliday at the shop."
o Meaning: unsupervised, people will not behave responsibly.

* "Pelos frutos conhece-se a árvore."
o Translation: By its fruits one knows the tree.

* "Peixe não puxa carroça."
o Translation: Fishes don't pull carts.
o Meaning: I'd prefer meat.

* "Pela aragem se vê quem vai na carruagem."
o Translation: By the air you can see who's in the wagon.
o Meaning: You can tell things by their looks.
o Meaning: In the worst possible form: you can tell the class by the smell, no matter how disguised.

* "Pela boca morre o peixe."
o Translation: The fish dies by it's mouth.
o Usage: To people saying things they shouldn't, and compromising themselves.

* "Perde-se o velho por não poder e o novo por não saber."
o Translation: The old man loses for not being able, the young man for not knowing how.

* "Perdido por cem, perdido por mil."
o Translation: lost by a hundred, lost by a thousand.
o Meaning: You already lost, it no longer matters by how much you'll lose any more.

* "Perdoa-se o mal que faz, pelo bem que sabe."
o Translation: We forgive the bad it is for our health due to how good it tastes.

* "Perguntar não ofende."
o Translation: Asking doesn't offend.

* "Pobrete, mas alegrete."
o Translation: Poor, but happy.

* "Pimenta nos olhos dos outros é colírio (ou refresco)." ou "Pimenta no cu dos outros é mel."
o Translation: "Pepper in someone else's eyes is eyedrops (or refreshment)." or "Pepper in someone else's ass is honey."
o As long as it's happening only to others, we're doing fine.
o One can't know how bad misfortune is until one has experienced it.

* "Pobreza não é vileza."
o Translation: Poverty is not evil.

* "Por morrer uma andorinha não acaba a primavera"
o Variant: Por falta de uma andorinha não acaba a primavera.
o Translation: The death of a swallow doesn't bring spring to and end
o Usage: about a mishap in an otherwise excellent situation

* "Por muito madrugar não amanhece mais cedo."
o Translation: However early you wake up, the sun won't rise earlier.
o Meaning: Everything on it's own time. Don't get too excited with anticipation.

* "Por pouca saúde, mais vale nenhuma."
o Translation: For bad health, I'd rather have none.
o Meaning: I'd rather die than being this sick.
o Meaning: You already lost, it no longer matters by how much you'll lose any more.

* "Presunção e água benta, cada um toma a que quer."
o Translation: each one helps himself of self-conceit and holy water.
o Usage: About a very self-conceited person.

* "Primeiro a obrigação, depois a devoção."
o Translation: First comes duty, then devotion.
o Meaning: First do your work, and only then what you best like.

[edit] Q

* "Quando a esmola é demais, até o santo desconfia"
o Translation: "When the alms is too large, even a saint will be suspicious."
o Equivalence: "When something seems too good to be true, usualy it is"
o Variation: "Quando a esmola é muita, o pobre desconfia." ("When the alms is too much, the poor will be suspicious.")
o Variant: "Quando a esmola é grande o santo desconfia."

* "Quando a maré é de azar, o urubu de baixo caga no de cima"
o Translation: "When it is in an unlucky phase, the vulture below, shits on the vulture above."
o Meaning: When things go wrong, even the impossible happens.

* "Quando Deus quer, água fria é remédio."
o Translation: God willing, [even] cold water is a medication.

* "Quando Deus queria do norte chovia."

* "Quando mija um português mijam sempre dois ou três."
o Translation: When a portuguese pees, two or three always do it.
o Meaning: Against imitation.
o Note: Contains profanity.

* "Quando o mar bate na rocha quem se lixa é o mexilhão."
o Translation: When the sea hits the rock it's the clam that gets scr*w*d.
o Meaning: About getting involved in a clash without the opponents even knowing or caring if you are there.

* "Quando se faz uma panela faz-se um testo para ela."
o Translation: When you make a pan you also make a cover for it.
o Meaning: About matching people.

* "Quando um burro fala, os outros baixam as orelhas."
o Translation: " When a donkey speaks, the others lower their ears."
o Variant: Quando um burro fala o outro abaixa as orelhas.
o Meaning: When a person is speaking he shoudn't be interrupted.
o Usage: When someone is interrupted while speaking.

* "Quando um cai todos o pisam."
o Translation: When someone falls everybody steps on him.
o Meaning: If you're down everybody will drive down even further.

* "Quanto maior a nau maior a tormenta."
o Translation: The bigger the ship, the bigger the storm.
o See: A grande nau grande tormenta.

* "Quanto mais alto se sobe de mais alto se cai."
o Translation: The higher you get, the bigger the fall is.

* "Quanto mais choras, menos mijas."
o Translation: The more you cry, the less you pee.
o Usage: When you no longer listen to someone who is crying.
o Note: Contains profanity.

* "Quanto mais depressa mais devagar."
o Translation: the faster, the slower.
o Variation: "Quantas mais pressas mais vagares"
o Usage: About things made fast (or in haste) that end up being done slower than usual.

* "Quanto mais se ganha, mais se gasta."
o Translation: The more you earn, the more you spend.

* "Que bem prega Frei Tomás: façam o que ele diz, e não o que ele faz."
o Translation: How well does Brother Thomas preach; do what he says, not what he does.
o Meaning: About people who give advice but don't follow it.

* "Quem acha guarda."
o Translation: Who finds keeps.
o Equivalence: Finder's keeper.

* "Quem anda de boca aberta, ou entra mosca ou sai asneira."
o Translation: [To] who goes about with open mouth, either a fly gets in or a silly thing gets out.
o Meaning: Close your mouth.

* "Quem ao mais alto quer subir, ao mais baixo vem cair."
o Translation: Who wants to climb to the highest will fall to the lowest.
o Variation: "Quanto mais alto se sobe, maior é a queda"

* "Quem avisa amigo é."
o Variant: Quem te avisa teu amigo é.
o Translation: He who warns you is a friend.

* "Quem ama o feio, bonito lhe parece."
o Translation: Who loves the ugly finds it beautiful.
o Meaning: Love makes ugly things beautiful.
o Meaning: Ugly things are loved by those who find them beautiful.
o Equivalence: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
+ Common derivation of the above in Portuguese: A beleza está nos olhos de quem a vê

* "Quem anda à chuva, molha-se."
o Translation: "Who walks in the rain gets wet"
* "Quem sai na chuva, é para se molhar." (Brazil)
o Translation: "Who is in the rain is supposed to get wet"
o Meaning: You took that risk, now you suffer a well know consequence, so don't complain.

* "Quem bem vive bem morre."
o Translation: Who lives well dies well.

* "Quem boa cama faz nela se deita"
o Translation: He who makes a good bed sleeps on it
o Meaning: You reap what you sow
o Alternative meaning: You did a good thing, now use it
o Equivalent: As you make your bed, so you must lie in it.
o Equivalent in French: Comme on fait son lit on se couche.

* "Quem brinca com o fogo queima-se."
o Translation: Who plays with fire gets burnt.
o Meaning: If you are going to do risky things you must expect damage.

* "Quem cabritos vende e cabras não tem, de algures lhe vem."
o Translation: [To] who sells kids and has no female goats, they're likely to come from somewhere.
o Usage: If you see someone sporting or doing something you know he can't possibly afford.

* "Quem cala consente."
o Translation: "Who remains silent agrees.”

* "Quem canta seus males espanta."
o Translation: Those who sing send their troubles away.

* "Quem casa quer casa."
o Translation: Those who marries want a home.

* "Quem chega primeiro é o primeiro a aviar-se."
o Translation: Who gest first is the first to help himself.
o Equivalence: First come, first served.

* "Quem conta um conto acrescenta um ponto."
o Translation: "He who tells a tale adds a tail."
o Meaning: When reporting to others things that have happened, people tend to add to it instead of telling it exactly like it happened (or they were told), or tell it their own way.

* "Quem come a carne que roa os ossos."
o Translation: "He who wants meat, has to eat also the bones."
o Variant: Quem lhe comeu a carne que lhe roa os ossos.
o Meaning: Who got the good part must have the bad part too now, not leave it to others.
o Usage: About someone who was in for the good times and prepares to flee the bad ones.

* "Quem com ferro mata, com ferro morre."
o Variant: "Quem com ferro fere, com ferro será ferido."
o Translation: "He who kills with iron, dies by iron"
o Meaning: Who acts violently will suffer violence.
o Equivalence: He who lives by the sword dies by the sword. (New Testament.)

* "Quem com porcos se mistura farelos come."
o Translation: Who goes around with pigs eats bran.
o Meaning: Wo goes about with some companies either is like them or will so become.

* "Quem corre por gosto, não cansa."
o Translation: Who runs for pleasure never gets tired.
o Usage: Of people who work (or something else) without ever getting tired because they like what they do.

* "Quem dá aos pobres empresta a Deus."
o Translation: Who gives to the poor lends to God.

* "Quem dá e torna a tirar, ao Inferno vai parar."
o Translation: Who gives and takes back goes to Hell.
o Meaning: Don't ask back what you gave.

* "Quem dá o que tem a mais não é obrigado."
o Translation: Who gives what he has can't be asked to give more.
o Usage: If after giving something you are asked to give more.

* "Quem dá o que tem a pedir vem."
o Translation: Who gives what he has ends up begging.
o Meaning: Too much generosity isn't good for you and can make you a burden to others.

* "Quem depressa foi depressa torna."
o Translation: Who went away fast comes back fast.

* "Quem desdenha quer comprar."
o Translation: Who disdains wants to buy.
o Usage: About haggling. About putting down something you want after all.

* "Quem é amigo de todos não o é de ninguém."
o Translation: Who is friends to everybody is a friend of nobody.

* "Quem é vivo sempre aparece."
o Translation: He who is alive always shows up.
o Variation: " Não morres tão cedo."(Brazil)
o Translation: "You won't die that soon".
o Usage: Said to those who show up a moment after their name comes up in a conversation.
o Usage: Said to someone you didn't see for a long time and pops up unexpectedly.

* "Quem empresta não melhora."
o Translation: Who lends doesn't improve.
o Meaning: You can't help people by lending them money or something else.

* "Quem escuta, de si ouve."
o Translation: Who listens hears about himself.
o Meaning: Don't go about listening, you are likely to hear about yourself.

* "Quem espera por sapatos de defunto toda a vida anda descalço."
o Translation: Who waits for the shoes of a dead man will go barefoot all his life.
o Meaning: Count only with what you have, not upon future gains.
o Equivalence: Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
o Equivalence in French: Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué.

* "Quem espera sempre alcança."
o Translation: "Who waits, always achieves"

* "Quem está no convento é que sabe o que lhe vai dentro."
o Translation: [Only] Who is in the convent knows what goes on inside.
o Meaning: Only people going though a problem know how it is.

* "Quem estiver mal que se mude."
o Translation: Who doesn't feel well [here] must move.

* "Quem faz o pino, vê o mundo mais direito."
o Translation: "Who handstands, sees the world straighter."

* "Quem gasta mais do que tem, mostra que siso não tem."
o Translation: "Who spends more than they have, shows lack of wisdom."

* "Quem guarda com fome, vem o rato e come."
o Translation: "He who stores (food), albeit being hungry, the rat will come and eat it(the food)."
o Meaning: Unused wealth is lost wealth

* "Quem mais jura mais mente."
o Translation: Who most swears lies the most.

* "Quem mais pode mais deve."
o Translation: Those who can more owe more.
o Meaning: If you can do a lot, then you have more serious obligations.

* "Quem mais tem mais quer."
o Translation: "Those who have more, want even more."

* "Quem mal ceia, toda a noite esperneia."
o Translation: Who doesn't have enough supper is restless all night.

* "Quem muito abarca pouco abraça."
o Translation: "He who grasps at too much loses everything."

* "Quem muito escolhe, ao mais ruim se apega."
o Translation: Who gets too picky ends up with the worst.

* "Quem muito espera desespera."
o Translation: Who waits too long despairs.

* "Quem muito fala pior ouve."
o Translation: Who talks a lot listens even worse.

* "Quem muito fala pouco acerta."
o Translation: Who talks a lot is seldom right.

* "Quem nada não se afoga."
o Translation: Who swims doesn't drown.
o Meaning: If you'e knowledgeable about the matter you will not suffer the consequences others would.

* "Quem não arrisca não petisca."
o Translation: "Who doesn't take a chance won't nibble."
o Meaning: If you don't try, or take the risk, you can't have any profit.
o Equivalent: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

* "Quem não chora não mama."
o Translation: "Who doesn't cry doesn't suckle."
o Equivalence: "The squeaky wheel gets the grease".

* "Quem não come por ter comido, o mal não é de perigo."
o Translation: It's no big problem if someone doesn't eat for having eaten before.

* "Quem não deve não teme."
o Translation: "Who owes nothing has nothing to fear."

* "Quem não pode andar a cavalo anda a pé."
o Translation: Who can't ride horseback goes on foot.
o See: "Quem não tem cão caça com gato."
o Meaning: I'll get there anyway, even if I take longer.
o Equivalent:
o Equivalent in French: Faute de grives, on mange des merles.

* "Quem não pode arreia."
o Translation: Who can't stand any more puts down the load.
o Usage: For people who keep saying they can't stand something.

* "Quem não quer ser lobo não lhe vista a pele."
o Translation: Who doesn't want to be a wolf shouldn't wear it's hide.
o Meaning: If you don't want to be treated like a [something], don't act like one.

* "Quem não sabe é como quem não vê."
o Translation: He who doesn't know is as if one who can't see.
o Meaning: Ignorance is like blindness
o Meaning: Some things are better not known.

* "Quem não sabe nada não tem dúvidas."
o Translation: Who doesn't know a thing has no doubts.

* "Quem não sabe nadar vai ao fundo."
o Translation: Who can't swim sinks.

* "Quem não se sente, não é filho de boa gente."
o Translation: Who doesn't feel isn't a good people's son.
o Usage: Mostly about a necessary reaction to insults and supposed insults you are expected to answer to.

* "Quem não tem cão caça com gato."
o Translation: If you don't have a dog, you hunt with a cat.
o Translation: Who has no dog hunts with a cat.
o Meaning: Make do with what you have at hand.

* "Quem não tem dinheiro não tem vícios."
o Translation: Who has no money has no bad habits.
o Meaning: If you want to keep your bad habits it's up to you to pay for them.

* "Quem não tem panos não arma tendas."
o Translation: Who has no cloth doesn't set up tents.

* "Quem não tem unhas não toca guitarra."
o Translation: Who doesn't have nails doesn't play the guitar.
o Variant: "Quem tem unhas é que toca guitarra."
o Translation: Only those who have nails play the guitar.
o Variant: "Quem tem unhas que toque guitarra."
o Translation: Let those who have nails play the guitar.
o Meaning: Who doesn't have what it takes [personal qualities and skills] can't do it.

* "Quem não trabalha não come."
o Variant: "Quem não trabuca não manduca."
o Translation: Who doesn't work doesn't eat.
o Origin: Biblical (Deuteronomy?)

* "Quem nasce para a merda nunca chega a cagalhão".
o Translation: "Those born to be small shit never make it to turd.".

* "Quem nasce para vintém, nunca chega a tostão".
o Translation: "Those who are born to pennies never makes it to pounds".

* "Quem nasce torto tarde ou nunca se endireita."
o Translation: Who is born crooked late or never straightens up.
o See: "O que nasce torto, tarde ou nunca se endireita."

* "Quem nasceu para a forca não morre afogado."
o Translation: Who is born for the gallows won't drown.

* "Quem nasceu para burro nunca chega a cavalo."
o Translation: Who was born to be a donkey never makes it to horse.
o Note: "Burro" in Portuguese means "donkey" as well as "stupid".

* "Quem nunca comeu melado, quando come, lambuza-se."
o Translation: "Who never ate honey, when eating it, soils himself."

* "Quem o alheio veste, na praça o despe."
o Translation: Who dresses other undresses them in the marketplace.
o Meaning: The people who help you are the first to talk badly about you in public.

* "Quem paga adiantado é mal servido."
o Translation: Who pays in advance is badly served.

* "Quem parte e reparte e não fica com a melhor parte, ou é tolo ou não tem arte."
o Translation: Who splits and distributes but doesn't keep the best share [for himself] is either dumb or has no craft.

* "Quem parte velho paga novo."
o Translation: Who breaks old pays new.
o Meaning: Who damages an old object pays for a new one.

* "Quem pensa, não casa; quem casa não pensa"
o Translation: "Who thinks doesn't marry; who marries does not think"

* "Quem primeiro se queixa foi quem atirou a ameixa."
o Translation: Who complains first it who threw the plum.
o Meaning: The first one to complain is frequently the author of the deed himself, trying to shift attention.
o Equivalence (Amer.): He who smelt it, dealt it.

* "Quem pode o mais pode o menos."
o Translation: Who can do big can do small.

* "Quem porfia mata a caça."
o Translation: Who doesn't quit gets game.
o Equivalence: All things come to those who can wait.
o Equivalence: Every dog has his day.

* "Quem procura sempre acha, se não um prego, uma tacha."
o Translation: Who searches always finds; if not a nail, a tack.
o Meaning: If you don't look for what you want you won't find it.
o Meaning: People looking for something will come up with a finding, even if it's not exactly what they were looking for.

* "Quem promete deve."
o Translation: Who makes a promise owes something.
o Equivalent in French: Chose promise, chose due.

* "Quem promete não cumpre."
o Translation: Who promises [too much] doesn't honor his promises.

* "Quem quer vai, quem não quer fica."
o Translation: Who wants to go, goes; who wants to stay, stays.
o Usage: When it's time to go and there are undecided people.

* "Quem quer vai, quem não quer manda."
o Translation: " Those who want to go, go themselves. Those who don't, send others instead."
o Variant: "Quem quer faz, quem não quer manda."
o Translation: Who wants [something] does it himself, those who don't have it done.
o Meaning: People with a real interest take care of the subject themselves; not so those who haven't.

* "Quem sabe faz, quem não sabe ensina."
o Translation: He who knows, does; he who doesn't, teaches.

* "Quem sabe, sabe. Quem não sabe, aprende."
o Translation: He who knows, knows. He who doesn't know, learns.

* "Quem sai aos seus não degenera."
o Translation: Who comes out similar to his own didn't degenerate.
o Meaning: from a given kind you should expect similar offspring.

* "Quem se mete em atalhos mete-se em trabalhos."
o Translation: Who gets into shortcuts gets into trouble.
o Meaning: Using supposedly faster ways of doing a something can give more work than the traditional way.

* "Quem semeia ventos colhe tempestades."
o Translation: He who plants winds harvests storms.
o Meaning: the wrong things you do/say will come back to you even worse. Usually about plots and intrigue.
o Approximate equivalent: What goes around comes around.

* "Quem te cobre que te descubra."
o Translation: Let he who covers you uncover/discover you.

* "Quem tem boca não manda soprar."
o Translation: Who has a mouth doesn't order to blow.

* "Quem tem boca vai a Roma."
o Translation: "If you have a mouth, you can go to Rome".
o Meaning: Ask for directions as you go (be it travel or a process lenghty to explain).

* "Quem tem calos não se mete em apertos."
o Translation: Who has corns doesn't get himself into tight/crowded places.
o Meaning: You knew you had that fragility, so you knew better than getting into a situation in which it hurt you.

* "Quem tem capa sempre escapa."
o Translation: Who has a cloak always gets away.
o Meaning: Who has a protection always evades punishment.
o Meaning: Who is lucky avoids the worst consequences of risky situations.

* "Quem tem cu tem medo."
o Translation: Who has an ass has fear.
o Meaning: Who, like everybody, has a fragile spot, is afraid.
o Meaning: Everybody feels fear, or can be afraid sometimes.
o Note: Contains profanity.

* "Quem tem filhos tem cadilhos."
o Translation: Who has sons has problems.

* "Quem tem pressa vai andando."
o Translation: Who is in a hurry should get going [by foot].
o Usage: To people complaining that "we're getting late" but won't leave either.

* "Quem tem telhado de vidro não joga pedra [no telhado do vizinho]."
o Variant: "Quem tem telhado de vidro não atira pedras [no do vizinho]."
o Translation: "Those with glass roof shouldn't throw stones [to their neihgbor's]."
o If you're vulnerable you shouldn't be attacking others.
o Equivalence: People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

* "Quem tenta um pouco de tudo consegue muito de nada".
o Translation: "He who tries a bit of everything accomplishes much of nothing".
o Equivalence: "Jack of all trades, master of none."

* "Quem tudo quer tudo perde."
o Translation: Who wants all, loses all.

* "Quem vai à guerra dá e leva."
o Translation: When somebody goes to war, he not only beats, but also is beaten.

* "Quem vai ao mar perde o lugar."
o Translation: Who goes out to sea loses his place.
o Variant: Quem foi ao mar perdeu o lugar.
o Variation: "Quem foi ao mar perdeu o lugar, quem foi ao rio perdeu o navio, quem foi ao vento perdeu o assento"
o Translation: Who goes out to sea loses his place, who goes out to the river loses the ship, who goes to the wind loses his sit"
o Variation: "Quem foi ao ar perdeu o lugar, quem foi ao vento perdeu o assento."
o Translation: He who goes out to the air (blown up) loses his place.
o Meaning: Your absence allows your privileges to be taken away.

* "Quem vê cara não vê coração."
o Translation: "He who looks at the face doesn't see the heart."
o Variant: Quem vê caras não vê corações. (Port.)
o Translation: Who sees faces doesn't see hearts.
o Meaning: You can't know what goes inside people by just looking.
o Equivalence: "You can't tell a book by its cover."

* "Quem viver verá."
o Translation: "He who lives shall see."

* "Quer queira quer não queira o burro há-de ir à feira."
o Translation: Willing or not, the donkey will go to the fair.
o Meaning: Come what comes, willing or not, I/he will do it.

* "Querer é poder."
o Translation: "To want is to be able/is power."
o Equivalent: "Where there is a will, there is a way."
o Equivalent (alt.): Might is right.

* "Queres um conselho, pede-o ao velho."
o Translation: If you want advice, ask it to the old man.

[edit] R

* "Rei morto, rei posto."
o Translation: Dead king, new king. (That's not really a good translation)
o Usage: When someone is replaced outrageously fast.

* "Roupa suja lava-se em casa."
o Translation: "Dirty clothes one washes it at home."
o Personal affairs are not to be discussed publicly.
o See also: "A roupa suja lava-se me casa."

* "Roma e Pavia não se fizeram num dia."
o Translation: "Rome and Pavia weren't built in one day"
o Meaning: Big projects take time and are made little by little.
o Equivalence: Rome wasn't built in a day.

* "Ri melhor quem ri por último."
o Translation: Laughs better he who laughs last.
o Equivalence: He who laughs last laughs best/longest.

* "Rompe-se o saco à força de querer enchê-lo."
o Translation: The sack tears open with the insistence in filling it.
o Meaning: Oversizing some aspects beyond reasonable compromises an entire project.

[edit] S

* "Saber é poder."
o Translation: "Knowledge is power."

* "Santo de casa não faz milagre."
o Variant: "Santos de casa não fazem milagres." (Port.)
o Translation: "Home saints don't make miracles."
o Equivalence: "Nobody is a saint in his own hometown".

* "São mais as vozes que as nozes."
o Translation: There's more voices than nuts.
o Meaning: Much is being said about it but little done.
o Meaning: There's more things said about he/she/it than real facts.

* "Sarampo sarampelo sete vezes vem ao pêlo."
o Translation: Measles, measleslets, seven times come to the skin.
o Meaning: An entire group of childhood diseases is similar to measles, so it is (wrongly) said here that measles occurs many times.

* "Se a vida lhe der um limão, faça dele uma caipirinha." (Brazil)
o Translation: "If life gives you a lemon, make a caipirinha out of it.
o Meaning: Turn bad things into good ones
o Equivalence: "If life gives you lemons, make a lemonade."

* "Se idade fosse igual a sabedoria, qualquer burro velho era Desembargador jubilado"
o Translation: "If old age was the same as wisdom, any old donkey would be a celebrated Justice"
o Equivalence: "Some people get older, but get no wiser".

* "Se não os podes vencer, junta-te a eles."
o Translation: "If you can't beat them, join them."

* "Se Maomé não vai à montanha, a montanha vai a Maomé."
o Translation: "If Mohammad won't go to the mountain, the mountain will go to Mohammad"

* "Se o casamento fosse bom, não precisava de testemunhas."
o Translation: "If marriage were a good thing, it wouldn't need witnesses."

* "Se o homem é a cabeça, a mulher é o pescoço"
o Translation: "If the husband is the head, the wife ought to be his neck"
o Meaning: The husband is the decision-maker, but his wife can change his mind/ turn his head

* "Se o trabalho dá saúde, que trabalhem os doentes."
o Translation: If work brings health, let the sick do it.
o Meaning: ironic elaboration upon "O trabalho dá saúde." (See.)

* "Se queres conhecer o vilão, põe-lhe uma vara na mão."
o Translation: If you want to know villain, give him a stick.

* "Se queres um grilo, vai pari-lo."
o Translation: If you want a cricket go give birth to it.
o Meaning: If you want it, work to get it.
o Note: Contains profanity.

* "Solta a franga !"
o Translation: Release the chicken.
o Equivalence: Loosen Up.
o Note: an (idiomatic) expression, not a proverb.

* "Só a morte não tem remédio."
o Translation: Only death has no cure.
o Variant: Há remédio para tudo menos para a morte.
o Translation: There's a remedy for everything but death.

* "Só comete erros quem trabalha"
o Translation: "Only people who work make mistakes"
o Variant: Só não se engana quem não faz nada.
o Translation: Only those who never do anything make no mistakes.
o Usage: Said to someone who criticises the mistakes done, but didn't join the doing of the job.
o Usage: The 2nd version, also to suggest that everyone makes mistakes.

* "Só lembra Santa Bárbara quando troveja."
o Translation: Saint Barbara is only remembered when there's a thunderstorm.
o Meaning: You only pay attention to some people when you want something from them.
o Note: Saint Barbara is the patron of and protector from thunderstorms.

* "Só se dá o devido valor, àquilo que se perdeu [para sempre]."
o Translation: "You only will know what something is really worth when you lose it [forever]."

* "Só trabalha quem não sabe fazer mais nada."
o Translation: Only those who can't do anything else work.
o Usage: Usually from a "working class" person, complaining that he has to do manual labor because he doesn't know better.

[edit] T

* "Tantas vezes vai o cântaro à fonte que um dia lá deixa a asa."
o Var.: "Tantas vezes vai o cântaro à fonte que um dia se quebra."
o Translation: The pot goes so many times to the fountain that one day it will break.
o Usage: About people taking repeatedly risks, like the risk of pregnancy.
o See: "O pote tanto vai à bica que um dia fica."

* "Tempo é dinheiro."
o Translation: "Time is money." (Henry Ford)

* "Tal pai, tal filho."
o Translation/Equivalence: Like father, like son

* "Tempo de guerra, mentira como terra."
o Translation: "In time of war, lies (are as plentiful) as earth"

* "Todo o burro come palha, a questão é saber-lha dar."
o Translation: Every donkey eats hay, the matter is knowing how to give it to him.
o Variant: "Todo o burro come palha, a questão é saber dar-lha."
o Meaning: You can push anything on anyone, provided you know how to do it.

* "Todo o homem tem o seu preço."
o Translation: Every man has his price.

* "Todos os caminhos vão dar a Roma."
o Translation: All paths lead to Rome.
o Equivalent: All roads lead to Rome.

* "Trabalhar para aquecer, é melhor morrer de frio."
o Translation: Work to get warm? It's better to die of cold.
o Meaning: It's better not to work, than do it for something that won't bring in nothing practical, namely payment.

* "Trabalho de menino é pouco, quem não o aproveita é louco."
o Translation: A boy's work is little, but who doesn't use it is a fool.
o Usage: About using children for light chores.

* "Tristezas não pagam dívidas."
o Translation: Sadnessess don't pay debts.
o Meaning: Your situation is no doubt terrible, but I still want my due. Stop crying and pay it.

* "Tudo o que entra é ganho."
o Translation: Everything that gets in is a gain.
o Alternative meaning: Everything that gets in was paid for.

* "Tudo o que vem à rede é peixe."
o Translation: All that comes to the net is a fish.
o Similar to "Tudo o que entra é ganho."
o Usage: In situations in which you can only have profit.
o Usage: In situations in which you are willing to accept that anything you get is to be considered as profit, no matter what.

[edit] U

* "Um abismo chama outro."
o Translation: An abyss calls another.
o From the Latin Abyssus abyssum invocat.
o Note: unusual usage, very learned (Port.)

* "Um dia não são dias."
o Translation: One day isn't [many] days.
o Meaning: To set apart a special occasion for a small pleasure you can't have many times.

* "Um doutor é um burro carregado de livros."
o Translation: A doctor is a book-loaded donkey.
o Note: "Burro" means "donkey" and "dumb".

* "Um, dois, três, foi a conta que Deus fez."
o Translation: One, two, three, was the count God made.
o Usage: Childish; when counting up to three.

* "Uma desgraça nunca vem só."
o Translation: a misfortune never comes alone.
o Usage: in bad luck streaks.

* "Uma mão lava a outra e as duas lavam o rosto."
o Variant: "Uma mão lava a outra e juntas lavam a cara."
o Translation: One hand washes the other and both of them wash the face.
o Usage: About recovering your social "face".

* "Uma ovelha má põe o rebanho a perder."
o Translation: A bad sheep puts the herd to waste.
o English equivalent: "one bad apple ruins the bunch."

* "Um homem prevenido vale por dois."
o Translation: A forewarned man is worth two (men).
o Equivalence: Forewarned is forearmed.
o See: Homem prevenido vale por dois.

* "Uns comem os figos, a outros rebenta a boca."
o Translation: Some eat the figs, others get cracks in mouth
o Meaning: Some do things, others talk about it
o Meaning: Some get all the gain, others all the damage or undeserved punishment
o Note: In some people, eating fresh figs makes their lips crack.

[edit] V

* "Vai muito do dizer ao fazer."
o Translation: There's a long way from saying to doing.
o Equivalence: It's easier said than done.

* "Vale mais passar de burro a cavalo, que de cavalo a burro."
o Translation: It's better to change from donkey to horse than from horse into donkey.
o Usage: Only the second half is used regularly in the expression "ir/passar de cavalo para burro", meaning going to a even worse situation.

* "Vale mais um burro que nos leve que cavalo que nos derrube."
o Translation: A donkey that carries you is better than a horse that throws you to the ground.
o Meaning: Modestly but safely.

* "Vão-se os anéis, fiquem os dedos."
o Translation: Let the rings go, let the fingers stay
o Equivalence: Health is better than wealth.

* "Velhos são os trapos!"
o Translation: Rags are old!
o Usage: A common sentence used when someone, say, a 95 years old lady says she's old, and you mean to tell her, No, you're still a young girl, only rags are old.

* "Vinte galinhas e um galo comem tanto como um cavalo!"
o Translation: " Twenty chickens and a rooster eat so much like a horse!

* "Voz do povo, voz de Deus."
o Translation: The people's voice is God's voice.
o Meaning: You had better heed when many people gather spontaneously about some cause.
o Meaning: The voices of gossipers in the marketplace are God's own
o Meaning: what you can hear here and there is unquestionable beacuse everybody is saying it
o Note: A meta-proverb: a proverb about proverbs, the people's wisdom.

* "Vozes de burro não chegam aos céus."
o See: "Zurros de burro não chegam ao céu."

[edit] Z

* "Zangam-se as comadres, sabem-se as verdades." (Port.)
o See: "Brigam as comadres, descobrem-se as verdades."

* ""Zangas de namorados, amores dobrados."
o Translation: Boyfriend and girlfriend tantrums, doubled loves."

* "Zurros de burro não chegam ao céu."
o Translation: A donkey's cries don't reach heaven.
o Variation: "Vozes de burro não chegam aos céus." (Port.)
o Translation: Donkey voices don't reach heaven.
o Meaning: say no more silly things, I'm not even listening.