Croatian proverbs
From Wikiquote
A selection of Croatian proverbs. Many are considered to be traditional so source cannot be determined.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
[edit] B
- Bez muke nema nauke.
- Translation: Without suffering, there is no learning.
- English equivalent: No pain, no gain.
- Bog je prvo sebi bradu stvorio.
- Translation: God first created a beard for himself.
- Bolje ikad nego nikad.
- Translation: Better ever than never.
- English equivalent: Better late than never.
- Bolje spriječiti nego liječiti.
- Translation: Better to prevent than to have to cure.
- English equivalent: Prevention is better than cure.
- Bolje vrabac u ruci, nego golub na grani.
- Translation: A sparrow in your hand is better than a pigeon on the branch.
- English equivalent: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
[edit] C
- Čovjek je čovjeku vuk.
- English equivalent: Man is man's wolf.
- Latin equivalent: Homo homini lupus est.
- Čovjek snuje, Bog određuje.
- Translation: Men wishes(dreams), but god decides.
- English equivalent: Man proposes, but God disposes.
[edit] G
- Glava u oblacima.
- Translation: (To have the) head in clouds.
- Gdje ima dima ima i vatre.
- Translation: Where there is smoke, there is fire too.
- English equivalent: Where there's smoke, there's fire.
[edit] I
- Il' kuj, il ne mrči gaćâ!
- English equivalent: Shit or get off the pot.
- Imati veće oči od želuca.
- Translation: To have bigger eyes than the stomach.
- English equivalent: Your eyes are bigger than your stomach.
- Ispalo vragu iz torbe.
- Translation: (Something that has) fallen out of a devil's pouch.
- English equivalent: untamed.
- Iver ne pada daleko od klade.
- Translation: A splinter doesn't land far from the trunk.
- English equivalent: The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
[edit] J
- Jabuka ne pada daleko od stabla.
- Translation: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
- Jedna lasta ne čini proljeće.
- Translation: One swallow does not make a spring.
- English equivalent: One swallow does not make a spring.
- Source of original proverb: Aristotle
- Jutro je pametnije od večeri.
- Translation: Morning is smarter than evening.
[edit] K
- Kad mačke nema, miševi kolo vode.
- Translation: When cat is absent, mice dance.
- English equivalent: When the cat's away the mice will play.
- Kad na vrbi rodi grožđe.
- Translation: When willows bear grapes.
- English equivalent: When pigs fly.
- Kako došlo, tako prošlo.
- Translation: The way it came is the way it will go.
- English equivalent: Easy come, easy go.
- Kao mačka oko vruće kaše.
- Translation: Like the cat around the hot meal.
- English equivalent: Beating around bush.
- Kruh bez motike.
- Translation: Bread without shovel.
- Krv nije voda.
- Translation: Blood is not water.
- English equivalent: Blood is thicker than water.
[edit] M
- Mi o vuku, a vuk na vrata.
- Translation: (speaking) of the wolf as the wolf (comes) to the door.
- English equivalent: Speak of the devil.
- Latin equivalent: Lupus in fabula.
[edit] N
- Na muci se poznaju junaci.
- Translation: In trouble you know a hero.
- Naći iglu u plastu sijena.
- English equivalent: Finding a needle in a haystack.
- Navika je dobar sluga, ali loš gospodar.
- Translation: Habit is a good servant, but a poor master.
- Ne gledaj poklonjenom konju u zube.
- Translation: Don't look a gift horse in the teeth.
- English equivalent: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
- Ne laje pas zbog sela.
- Translation: The dog doesn’t bark because of the village.
- Ne maljaj vraga na zid.
- Translation: To not paint the devil on the wall.
- Ne možeš imati i ovce i novce.
- Translation: You can’t have both money and sheeps.
- English equivalent: You can’t have a cake and eat it, too.
- Ne kupuj mačka u vreći.
- Translation: Don't buy a cat in a bag.
- English equivalent: Don't buy a pig in a poke.
- Ne stavljaj sva jaja u jednu košaru.
- Translation: Don't put all you're eggs in one basket.
- Ne trči pred rudo.
- Translation: Don't run in front of a carriage.
- English equivalent: Don't jump the gun.
- Nesreća nikad ne dolazi sama.
- Translation: A disaster never comes alone.
- English equivalent: When it rains, it pours.
- English equivalent: Bad luck comes in threes.
- German equivalent: Bad luck rarely comes alone. (Ein Unglück kommt selten allein.)
- Nije zlato sve što sja.
- Translation: Gold is not everything that shines.
- English equivalent: All that glistens is not gold.
- Novac se na novac lijepi.
- Translation: Money sticks to another money.
- English equivalent: Money hangs around money.
[edit] O
- Od Kulina bana i dobrijeh dana.
- Translation: Since Koohleen the prince and the good times.
- O mrtvima sve najbolje.
- Translation: Speak only the best of the dead.
- English equivalent: Don't speak ill of the dead.
- Latin equivalent: De mortuis nil nisi bonum.
- Odijelo ne čini čovjeka.
- Translation: A suit doesn't make a man.
- English equivalent: You can't tell a book by its cover.
- French equivalent: L'habit ne fait pas le moine.
- Odnijeti gaće na štapu.
- Translation: To end up with underpants on a stick. (i.e. be really poor)
- Ovca bleji, zalogaj gubi!
- Translation: The sheep that bleats - loses it's share in food.
[edit] P
- Papir trpi sve.
- Translation: Paper can withstand anything.
- Pas koji laje, ne grize.
- Translation: A dog that barks does not bite.
- English equivalent: His bark is worse than his bite.
- Latin equivalent: Canis timidus vehementius latrat quam mordet. (Curtius)
- Po jutru se dan poznaje.
- Translation: The morning shows how the day will be.
- Počisti prvo pred svojim vratima.
- Translation: First sweep the ground in front of your own door.
- Pomozi si sam pa će ti i Bog pomoći.
- Translation: First help yourself and then God will help you.
- English equivalent: God helps those who help themselves.
- Pomozi sirotu na svoju sramotu.
- Translation: Help the poor one for your own shame.
- Pored takvih prijatelja što će mi neprijatelji.
- Translation: With such friends, one doesn't need enemies anymore.
- English equivalent: With friends like those, who needs enemies?
- Poslije kiše dolazi sunce.
- Translation: After rain comes sun.
- Prodati rog pod svijeću.
- Translation: To sell a horn as if it was a candle.
- Prvo skoči pa reci: "hop"!
- Translation: First leap, then say: "jump"!
- English equivalent: Look before you leap.
- First do your task, then talk about it
- Puno baba, kilavo dijete.
- Translation: Many midwives, child will be lazy.
- English equivalent: Too many cooks spoil the broth.
[edit] R
- Raditi račun bez krčmara.
- Translation: To make the bill without the bartender.
- Rugala se sova sjenici.
- Translation: The owl mocked the tit.
- English equivalent: The pot calls the kettle black.
- Ruka ruku mije.
- Translation: One hand washes the other.
- English equivalent: You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.
- Latin equivalent: Manus manum lavat.
[edit] S
- Sit gladnom ne vjeruje.
- Translation: The well fed one does not believe the hungry one.
- Svakog gosta tri dana dosta.
- Translation: Three days of any guest is plenty.
- English equivalent: Fish and visitors stink after three days.
- Sve je dobro što se dobro svrši.
- English equivalent and translation: All's well that ends well.
- Sve što je dobro kratko traje.
- Translation: All that's well lasts short.
- English equivalent: All good things come to an end.
- Svi putevi vode u Rim.
- English equivalent and translation: All roads lead to Rome.
- Strpljen – spašen.
- Translation: Patient – saved.
- English equivalent: All things come to he who waits.
- Što bi gore sad je dolje, a što bi dolje sad je gore.
- Translation: What once was up now is down and what once was down now is up
- English equivalent: What goes around comes around.
- Što možeš danas, ne ostavljaj za sutra.
- Translation: Do not leave for tomorrow, things you can do today.
- English equivalent: Better now than later.
[edit] T
- Teško žabu u vodu natjerati.
- Translation: It is difficult to chase a frog into the water. (sarcasticaly)
- Tiha voda brege dere.
- Translation: Still water wears down mountains.
- English equivalent: Still waters run deep.
- Tko kupuje što mu ne treba, prodavat će što mu treba.
- Translation: He who buys what he does not need will (eventually have to) sell what he needs.
- Tko pita, ne skita.
- Translation: He who asks, need not wander.
- Tko pod drugim jamu kopa, sam u nju pada.
- Translation: He who digs a hole under someone else will fall into it himself.
- Tko rano rani, dvije sreće grabi.
- Translation: He who wakes up early, catches two fortunes.
- English equivalent: The early bird catches the worm.
- Tko s malom djecom liježe, popišan se budi.
- Translation: If one goes to bed with small kids, wakes up wet.
- Tko se zadnji smije, najslađe se smije.
- Translation: He who laughs last has the sweetest laugh.
- English equivalent: He who laughs last laughs best.
- Tko umije, njemu dvije.
- Translation: He who can, gets two.
- Tri loša ubiše Miloša.
- Translation: Three bad ones killed Milosh.
[edit] U
- U laži su kratke noge.
- Translation: In lies one has short legs.
- English equivalent: A lie has no legs.
- Umrijeti kumulativni zbir aligator.
- Translation: The donkey that returns home is never welcome.
- Uzdaj se u se i u svoje kljuse.
- Translation: Trust yourself and your horse.
[edit] V
- Vrijeme je novac.
- English equivalent and translation: Time is money.
- Vuk dlaku mijenja, ali ćud nikada.
- Translation: The wolf changes his hair, but never his temperament.
- English equivalent: A fox may change its skin, but never its character.
- Latin equivalent: Vulpes pilum mutat, non mores.
[edit] Z
- Željezo se kuje dok je vruće.
- English equivalent and translation: Forge while the iron is hot.
- Žuri polako.
- Translation: Hasten slowly.
- English equivalent: Slowly but carefully.
- Latin equivalent: Festina lente.
