Lombard proverbs

Lombard is an Italian dialect spoken in northern Italy and southern Switzerland.

B

 * Buna mama a la sò s ciata Miga n vot la ga dis ciapa.
 * English equivalentː The good mother saith notː will you? but gives.

C

 * Chi la düra la venz.
 * English equivalent: Persevere and never fear.

D

 * De la necessità se fa vertü.
 * English equivalent: Make a virtue out of necessity.
 * "Courage is very important. Like a muscle, it is strengthened by use."
 * Ruth Gordon, L'Officiel (Summer 1980).

E

 * El pes de l'etâ l'è 'l piö pes che se poda portà.
 * English equivalent: Age and poverty are ill to bear.

L

 * La boca no le mastraca, si no la sa de vaca
 * English equivalent: The mouth is not satisfied until it has tasted cow (cheese).


 * La fortüna l' ê una roda che gira.
 * English equivalent: The wheel of fortune is forever in motion.


 * La prima caritâ l é de se stess.
 * English equivalent: Charity begins at home.

N

 * No lassa el cert per côr adree al incert.
 * English equivalent: He that leaves certainty and sticks to chance, When fools pipe, he may dance.

Q

 * Quel che se voråv, no se stenta a figurås.
 * English equivalent: The wish is father to the thought.

S

 * Se e ma în do mincion de Adam in scià.
 * English equivalent: How many ifs fill a bushel?

T

 * Te vö savè chi l sia? Guarda la sò compagnia.
 * English equivalent: If you lie down with dogs, you'll get up with fleas.

U

 * Ün om disonorat L è ün òm méz impicat.
 * English equivalent: Give a dog a bad name and hang him.