Danish proverbs

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A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - R - S - T - U - V - X - Y - Æ - Ø - Å

[edit] A

[edit] B

• "Blind høne kan også finde korn."
  • Translation: "Blind hens can find grain too"

• "Børst ikke tænder før du har åbnet munden."
  • Translation: "Dont brush you teeth before you have opened your mouth."

[edit] C

[edit] D

• "Den der ler sidst ler bedst."
  • Translation: "He who laughs last, laughs the better."

• "Den man elsker tugter man."
  • Translation: "The one you love you punish."

[edit] E

• "En fugl i hånden er bedre end ti på taget."
  • Translation: "One bird in your hand is better than ten on the roof."
  • English equivalent: "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
  • Interpretation: A small amount that you have is worth more than a large amount that is uncertain.

• "Enhver er sin egen lykkes smed."
  • Translation: "Everybody is the smith of his own happiness"
  • Possible interpretation: Don't wait for luck. Create your own happiness.

[edit] F

• "For mange kokke fordærver maden."
  • Translation: "Too many cooks spoil the meal."

• "Fra børn og fulde folk skal man høre sandheden."
  • Translation: "From children and drunks will you hear the truth."
  • Possible Interpretation: Sometimes, ordinary people are too afraid or blind to see the truth.
  • Possible Interpretation: Believe in the words of children and drunk people, who are not afraid of the consequences of telling the truth.

[edit] G

• "Græsset er altid grønnere på den anden side af bjerget."
  • Translation: "The grass is always greener on the other side of the mountain."
  • Possible Interpretation: You will always envy others and you will always want more.
    • English equivalent: "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."

• "Gå ikke over åen efter vand."
  • Translation: "Don't cross the stream to get water."
  • Possible Interpretation: Easy does it
    • English equivalent: "Don't carry coal to Newcastle"

• "Græsset bliver ikke brændt i skyggen, om sommeren."
  • Translation: "The grass won't be burnt in the summer, in the shadows."

[edit] H

• "'Hvis og hvis min røv er spids og fyldt med marmelade'"
  • Translation: "If and if my ass is pointy and full of marmalade."
  • Possible Interpretation: If there are too many unknowns in a statement, the chance of it being true is the same as the chance of my ass being pointy and full of marmelade (i.e. zero).
• "Hvo intet vover intet vinder."
  • Translation: "He who takes no chances wins nothing."
  • English equivalent: "Nothing ventured nothing gained" or "Who dares wins."
  • Possible Interpretation: Sometimes you must run a risk, otherwise you will get nowhere.
• "Hvor der handles, der spildes."
  • Translation: "Where there is action, there is waste."
  • Possible Interpretation: You cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs.

[edit] I

• "Ingen roser uden torne"
  • Translation: "No roses without thorns"
  • Possible Interpretation: "You can't filter likes and dislikes - it's all part of the package"

[edit] J

[edit] K

• "Kast ikke med sten hvis du selv bor i et glashus."
  • Translation: "Don't throw rocks if you live in a glass house."
  • Possible Interpretation: Don't criticize people for something you are guilty of as well.

• "Kryds ikke vejen når du ikke kan finde ud af køkkenet"
  • Translation: "Don't cross the road when you can't find your way out of the kitchen."

[edit] L

• "Lige børn leger bedst."
  • Translation: "Equal children play best."
  • Possible Interpretation: You should stick to your own social class.
  • Possible Interpretation: Do not match uneven things
• "Lige ved og næsten slår ingen mand af hesten."
  • Translation: "'Almost' and 'nearly' do not throw a man from his horse."
  • Possible Interpretation: Sometimes 'almost' is not enough, eg. "He almost survived the car crash." goes both ways ("he almost died in the car crash")

• • English Equivalent: "Close only counts in horseshoes and handgrenades"
  • Possible Interpretation: Although nearly "not-X", was still "X" in the end... or the converse.

[edit] M

• "Man skal smede mens jernet er varmt"
  • Translation: "One should do the blacksmithing while the iron is hot"
  • English equivalent: "Strike while the iron is hot"
  • Possible interpretation: Seize the moment. Take the opportunity now; don't waste it.

• "Mange bække små gør en stor å."
  • Translation: "Many small brooks make the river strong."
  • English equivalent: "Every little bit helps."
  • Possible Interpretation: If You save a little here and a little there, You will eventually get rich.

[edit] N

• "Nød lærer nøgen kvinde at spinde."
  • Translation: "Necessity teaches the naked woman to spin (a yarn)."
  • Possible Interpretation: You can if you must.
  • English equivalent: Necessity is the mother of invention.

[edit] O

• Over skyerne er himlen altid blå
  • Translation: Above the clouds, the sky is always blue
  • Interpretation: Though you can't think of any good things at the moment, they're right behind the bad.

• Operationen var en succes, men patienten døde
  • Translation: The operation was a success but the patient died

[edit] P

• "Pels ikke bjørnen for den er skudt."
  • Translation: Don't skin the bear before it's been shot
  • English equivalent: "Don't count your chickens before they hatch"
  • Possible Interpretation: Don't think you have something, until you really got it

[edit] R

[edit] S

• "Sku ikke hunden på hårene."
  • Translation: "Don't judge the dog by its fur."
  • Danish version of "Don't judge a book by the cover."
  • Possible Interpretation: Although a beautiful exterior, it is the inside/mentality of the individual that matters.

• "Sælg ikke skindet før bjørnen er skudt."
  • Translation: "Don't sell the fur before shooting the bear."
  • Possible Interpretation: Don't be too ambitious. Having done something and planning to do it are two different things. Do things in the right order.

• "Sæt ikke dit lys under en skæppe."
  • Translation: "Do not hide your light under a bushel"
  • Possible Interpretation: Don't hide your talents.

[edit] T

• "Tale er sølv, tavshed er guld"
  • Translation: "Speaking is silver, silence is gold"
  • Possible interpretation: Speaking is fine, but being silent can be of more value.

• "Tomme tønder buldrer mest."
  • Translation: "Empty vessels make most noise/sound"
  • Possible Interpretation: "The ignorant make themselves known." (Empty head = loud mouth)

• "Tab og vind med samme sind."
  • Translation: "Lose and win in the same spirit"
  • Possible Interpretation: "Exercise Sportsmanship. Winning isn't everything"

• "Tyv tror hver mand stjæler."
  • Translation: "It is the thief who thinks that all men steal."
  • English equivalent: "The jaundiced eye sees all things yellow."

[edit] U

• "Uden mad og drikke duer helten ikke."
  • Translation: "Without eating and drinking the hero is no good."
  • Possible Interpretation: "To achieve greatness also requires attention to the basics/mundane".

• "Ude godt, men hjemme bedst."
  • Translation: "It's good to be out (and about), but at home is best."
  • Possible Interpretation: The uniquely danish word "hygge" (~cozy enjoyment of being at home) emphasizes that with the harsh Danish weather, a home is a Dane's main place of activity.

[edit] V

[edit] X

[edit] Y

[edit] Ø

• "Øvelse gør mester."
  • Translation:"Practice makes master"
  • English equivalent: "Practice makes perfect"

[edit] Å