Talk:Croatian proverbs

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This page originates from Croatian WikiQuotes page "Poslovice"

(Moved here from main page ~ MosheZadka (Talk) 12:15, 14 August 2005 (UTC))[reply]

Unsourced[edit]

B[edit]

  • Bog je prvo sebi bradu stvorio.
    • Translation: God first created a beard for himself.
    • English equivalent: before you help others, you must help yourself.
  • Bolje ikad nego nikad.
    • Translation: Better ever than never.
    • English equivalent: Better late than never.

C[edit]

  • Čovjek je čovjeku vuk.
    • English equivalent: Man is man's wolf.
    • Latin equivalent: Homo homini lupus est.

G[edit]

  • Glava u oblacima.
    • Translation: (To have the) head in clouds.

I[edit]

  • 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.

J[edit]

  • Jabuka ne pada daleko od stabla.
    • Translation: An apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
  • Jutro je pametnije od večeri.
    • Translation: Morning is smarter than evening.

K[edit]

  • 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.

M[edit]

  • 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.

N[edit]

  • 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 laje pas zbog sela.
    • Translation: The dog doesn’t bark because of the village.
  • Ne možeš imati i ovce i novce.
    • Translation: You can’t have both money and sheep.
    • 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.
  • Novac se na novac lijepi.
    • Translation: Money sticks to money.
    • English equivalent: Money hangs around money.

O[edit]

  • Od Kulina bana i dobrijeh dana.
    • Translation: Since Koohleen the prince and the good times.
  • Od zla oca, od gore matere!
    • Translation: From bad father, and worse mother"
  • 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.

P[edit]

  • Papir trpi sve.
    • Translation: Paper can withstand anything.
    • Latin equivalent: Epistula non erubescit.
  • 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.
    • Bilbo Baggins: Good morning.
      Gandalf: What do you mean? Do you wish me a good morning or do you mean that it is a good morning wheter I want it or not? Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning? Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be a good on? Hm?
      Bilbo Baggins: All of them at once, I suppose.
    • J.R.R Tolkien, The Hobbit (1937)
    • Živorad Kovačević (1991). Srpsko-engleski rečnik idioma, izraza i izreka. Filip Višnjić. p. 68. 
  • Počisti prvo pred svojim vratima.
    • Translation: First sweep the ground in front of your own door.
  • 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?
  • Prodati rog pod svijeću.
    • Translation: To sell a horn as if it was a candle.
  • Prodati mačka u vreći.
    • Translation: To sell a cat in a bag.
      • To succeed in selling something useless or of a very poor quality.
  • Prošla baba s kolačima.
    • Translation: The old lady with cakes has already passed by.
      • Now it is too late to act (you have missed the opportunity to do something).
  • Puno baba, kilavo dijete.
    • Translation: Many midwives, child will be lazy.
    • English equivalent: Too many cooks spoil the broth.

R[edit]

  • Raditi račun bez krčmara.
    • Translation: To make the bill without the bartender.
  • 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.

S[edit]

  • 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 je previše, ni s kruhom nije dobro.
    • Translation: What is too much is not good even with bread.

T[edit]

  • Teško žabu u vodu natjerati.
    • Translation: It is difficult to chase a frog into the water. (sarcastically)
  • 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 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.
  • Tko želi rata, bio mu u kući.
    • Translation: Who wishes war, may war be in his house.
  • Tri loša ubiše Miloša.
    • Translation: Three bad ones killed Milosh.

V[edit]

  • 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.