The 50 most important English proverbs http://www.phrasemix.

com/collections/the-50-mostimportant-english-proverbs
Every culture has a collection of wise sayings that offer advice about how to live your life. These sayings are called "proverbs". It's good to know the really common English proverbs because you hear them come up in conversation all the time. Sometimes people say the entire proverb to give advice to a friend. More often someone will say !ust part of a proverb like this" #ou know what they say" when the going gets tough... $%ead &' below to learn the rest of this proverb and what it means.( )earning proverbs can also help you to understand the way that people in English*speaking cultures think about the world. This is a list of some of the most important and well*known English proverbs. +elow each one there's a simple e,planation. -ote that some of the meanings of these phrases have shifted over the years so a proverb might have originally had a different meaning than the one I e,plain.

1. "Two wrongs don't ma e a right."

.hen someone has done something bad to you trying to get revenge will only make things worse.

!. "The pen is mightier than the sword."

Trying to convince people with ideas and words is more effective than trying to force people to do what you want.

". "#hen in $ome% do as the $omans."

/ct the way that the people around you are acting. This phrase might come in handy when you're traveling abroad notice that people do things differently than you're used to.

&. "The s'(ea ) wheel gets the grease."

#ou can get better service if you complain about something. If you wait patiently no one's going to help you.

5. "#hen the going gets to(gh% the to(gh get going."

Strong people don't give up when they come across challenges. They !ust work harder.

*. "+o man is an island."

#ou can't live completely independently. Everyone needs help from other people.

,. "-ort(ne .avors the bold."

0eople who bravely go after what they want are more successful than people who try to live safely.

/. "0eople who live in glass ho(ses sho(ld not throw stones."

1on't critici2e other people if you're not perfect yourself.

1. "2ope .or the best% b(t prepare .or the worst."

This seems pretty clear.

10."3etter late than never."

This one's clear too.

11."3irds o. a .eather .loc together."

0eople like to spend time with others who are similar to them.

1!."4eep )o(r .riends close and )o(r enemies closer."

If you have an enemy pretend to be friends with them instead of openly fighting with them. That way you can watch them carefully and figure out what they're planning.

1"."5 pict(re is worth a tho(sand words."

0ictures convey emotions and messages better than written or spoken e,planations. That's why 0hraseMi, has illustrations "(

1&."There's no s(ch thing as a .ree l(nch."

Things that are offered for free always have a hidden cost.

15."There's no place li e home."

#our own home is the most comfortable place to be.

1*."6iscretion is the greater part o. valor."

Sometimes it's important to know when to give up and run away instead of always acting brave and maybe getting hurt.

1,."The earl) bird catches the worm."

#ou should wake up and start work early if you want to succeed.

1/."+ever loo a gi.t horse in the mo(th."

If someone offers you a gift don't 3uestion it.

11."7o( can't ma e an omelet witho(t brea ing a .ew eggs."

.hen you try to do something great you'll probably make a few people annoyed or angry. 1on't worry about those people4 !ust focus on the good results.

!0."8od helps those who help themselves."

1on't !ust wait for good things to happen to you. .ork hard to achieve your goals.

!1."7o( can't alwa)s get what )o( want."

1on't whine and complain if you don't get what you wanted.

!!."9leanliness is next to godliness."

+e clean.

!"."5 watched pot never boils."

If something takes time to finish don't watch it too closely because it will seem like it's taking forever.

!&."3eggars can't be choosers."

If you're asking for a favor from someone else you have to take whatever they give you.

!5."5ctions spea lo(der than words."

5ust saying that you'll do something doesn't mean much. /ctually doing it is harder and more meaningful.

!*.":. it ain't bro e% don't .ix it."

1on't try to improve something that already works fairly well. #ou'll probably end up causing new problems.

!,."0ractice ma es per.ect."
#ou have to practice a skill a lot to become good at it.

!/."Too man) coo s spoil the broth."

.hen there are too many people trying to lead and give their opinions it's confusing and leads to bad results. 5obs and pro!ects should have one or two strong leaders.

!1."Eas) come% eas) go."

.hen you get money 3uickly like by winning it it's easy to spend it or lose it 3uickly as well.

"0."6on't bite the hand that .eeds )o(."

If someone's paying you or helping you out you have to be careful not to make them angry or say bad things about them.

"1."5ll good things m(st come to an end."

#ou can't keep having good luck or fun forever4 eventually it will stop.

"!.":. )o( can't beat 'em% ;oin 'em."

.hen you try to change someone's behavior and it doesn't work you might have to change instead. 6or e,ample if you're trying to get your classmates to focus on studying but they want to party maybe you should !ust party with them.

""."<ne man's trash is another man's treas(re."

1ifferent people have different ideas about what's valuable.

"&."There's no time li e the present."

If you need to do something don't wait until later. 1o it now.

"5."3ea(t) is in the e)e o. the beholder."

1ifferent people have different ideas about what's beautiful.

"*."+ecessit) is the mother o. invention."

.hen you're really in need you think of creative solutions to your problems.

",."5 penn) saved is a penn) earned."

Save your money.

"/."-amiliarit) breeds contempt."

.hen you're around someone for too long you get tired of them and annoyed by them.

"1."7o( can't ;(dge a boo b) its cover."

Things sometimes look different than they really are. / restaurant that looks old and small might have ama2ing food for e,ample.

&0."8ood things come to those who wait."

+e patient.

&1."6on't p(t all )o(r eggs in one bas et."

7ave a backup plan. 1on't risk all of your money or time in one plan.

&!."Two heads are better than one."

.hen two people cooperate with each other they come up with better ideas.

&"."The grass is alwa)s greener on the other side o. the hill."

0eople tend to want whatever they don't have.

&&."6o (nto others as )o( wo(ld have them do (nto )o(."

1on't do mean things to people.

&5."5 chain is onl) as strong as its wea est lin ."

If one member of a team doesn't perform well the whole team will fail.

&*."2onest) is the best polic)."

1on't lie.

&,."5bsence ma es the heart grow .onder."

Sometimes it's good to be away from your partner because it makes you want to see each other again.

&/."7o( can lead a horse to water% b(t )o( can't ma e him drin ."

If you try to help someone but they don't take your advice or offers give up. #ou can't force someone to accept your help.

&1."6on't co(nt )o(r chic ens be.ore the) hatch."

#our plans might not work out so don't start thinking about what you'll do after you succeed. .ait until you've already succeeded and then you can think about what to do ne,t.

50.":. )o( want something done right% )o( have to do it )o(rsel.."

1on't trust other people to do important things for you. #ou have to do things yourself to control the 3uality of the results.