Slovak proverbs

Proverbs from all Slovak speaking parts of the world.

A

 * Aká matka, taká Katka.
 * English equivalent: Like mother, like daughter.
 * "Daughters may look and behave like their mothers. This is due to inheritance and the example observed closely and daily."


 * Aký otec, taký syn.
 * English equivalent: Like father, like son.
 * "Sons may look and behave like their fathers. This is due to inheritance and the example observed closely and daily."


 * Ani strom naraz nezotnú.
 * English equivalent: Little strokes fell great oaks.
 * "A difficult task, e. g. removing a person/group from a strong position, or changing established ideas cannot be done quickly. It can be achieved gradually, by small steps, a little at a time."

C

 * Čím viac tým lepšie.
 * Translation: The more the merrier.

D

 * Darovanému koňovi na zuby nepozeraj.
 * Do not look at teeth of gifted horse.
 * English equivalent: Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
 * Meaning: "Don't criticize gifts.."


 * Dobrý počiatok - polovica práce.
 * English equivalent: Well begun, is half done.
 * "Starting properly ensures the speedy completion of a process. A – beginning is often blocked by one or more obstacles (potential barriers) the removal of which may ensure the smooth course of the process."


 * Dvakrát meraj a raz rež.
 * Measure twice, cut once.
 * English equivalent: Measure twice, cut once.
 * "Think longer than do something stupid quickly." or "Think before you speak out."

I

 * I z čítaného vlk berie.
 * English equivalent: Cats eat what hussies spare.
 * "What a person tries to keep back through meanness is just as likely to be wasted anyway."

J

 * Jablko nepadá ďaleko od stromu.
 * An apple does not fall far from the tree.
 * "Children observe daily and — in their behaviour — often follow the example of their parents."


 * Jedna lastovička leto nerobí.
 * One swallow creates no summer.
 * English equivalent: One swallow does not make a summer.
 * "Do not feel sure or rejoice noticing a favourable sign. The appearance of a single sign of a favourable event is not yet a definite indication of its coming. It may be an unrelated, sporadic appearance."

K

 * Každý si je strojcom svojho šťastia.
 * Everyone is creator of his own fortune.
 * English equivalent: Every man is the smith of his own fortune.


 * Kde sa nič nezaseje, tam sa nič nenaveje.
 * What you reap is what you sow.


 * Krátka správa lepšia ako dlhá pravda.
 * English equivalent: A bad compromise is better than a good lawsuit.


 * Kto chce jadro, musí orech prehryznúť.


 * Bez práce nie sú koláče.
 * There are no cakes without work.
 * English equivalent: No pain, no gain.


 * Kto sa hanbí, má prázdne gamby.
 * English equivalent: Fortune favours the bold.
 * "Come, pluck up a good heart; speak the truth and shame the devil."
 * Françoid RabelaisFifth Book (1564)


 * Kto druhému jamu kope, sám do nej spadne.
 * He who digs a pit for others, will fall in it himself.


 * Kto nepracuje, nech neje.
 * He who does not work is without food.
 * English equivalent: He that will not work, shall not eat.
 * "Without due effort one is not entitled to the fruits of the work."


 * Kto šetrí, má za tri.
 * He who saves has three times more.
 * English equivalent: A penny saved is a penny earned.


 * Kuj železo za horúca.
 * Translation: Forge iron while it is hot.
 * English equivalent: Make hay while the sun shines.
 * "Do before it is too late to act."

L

 * Lakomec je rovný svini, len po smrti činí.
 * English equivalent: A covetous man does nothing that he should till he dies.
 * "Few rich men own their property. The property owns them."
 * Robert Ingersoll, Address to the McKinley League, New York, 29th October 1896


 * Láska prechádza žalúdkom.
 * The love goes through the stomach.
 * English equivalent: The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.


 * Lepšie neskoro ako nikdy.
 * English equivalent: Better late than never.
 * "It is better that somebody arrives or something happens later than expected or desired, than not at all."


 * Lepší vrabec v hrsti ako holub na streche.
 * English equivalent: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
 * Better sparrow in the hand than pigeon on the roof.
 * "Something you have for certain now is of more value than something better you may get, especially if you risk losing what you have in order to get it."


 * Lož má krátke nohy.
 * English equivalent: A lie has short legs.

M

 * Mrcha vták, čo do vlastného hniezda nečistí.
 * English equivalent: It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest; Don't wash your dirty linen in public.
 * "Don't speak ill off yourself and the groups you belong to."

N

 * Nepľuj do pohára, z ktorého si pil.
 * English equivalent: Cast no dirt into the well that gives you water.
 * "People who can put themselves in the place of other people – who can understand the workings of their minds, need never worry about what the future has in store for them."
 * Dale Carnegie, How To Win Friends And Influence People (1934)


 * Nesúď knihu podľa jej obalu.
 * English equivalent: Don't judge a book by its cover.
 * Meaning: "Do not form an opinion about something or somebody based solely on outward appearance."


 * Nešťastie v hre, šťastie v láske.
 * English equivalent: Unlucky in game, lucky in love.

P

 * Pes, ktorý šteká, nehryzie.
 * Translation: Dog that barks does not bite.
 * English equivalent: Barking dogs seldom bite.
 * Meaning: "Someone who threatens too much does this to frighten his enemies but in fact doesn’t have enough courage to do anything about it."


 * Po boji je každý generál.
 * Translation: After a battle everyone is a general.
 * Meaning: "It is easy to say you know best after all the worst possibilities were tested and you know everything about the situation."


 * Po každej búrke príde slnko.
 * Translation: After every storm comes the sun.
 * Meaning: "After experiencing sad events, there is always the end to them."


 * Pomaly ďalej zájdeš.
 * English equivalent: Slow but sure wins the race.
 * Translation: You will slowly get further.


 * Prázdny sud najviac duní.
 * Translation: Empty barrel rumbles the most.
 * English equivalent: It is not the hen that cackles the most that lay the most eggs.
 * Meaning: He who advertises for himself the most can not achieve the greatest results.


 * Priateľa si drž blízko, nepriateľa ešte bližšie.
 * Translation: Keep your friend close, enemy even closer.
 * Meaning: "Have someone to back you up, but watch your enemy so you know his intentions sooner than your friend's."


 * Prísť k niečomu, ako slepá kura k zrnu.
 * English equivalent: Even a blind pig may occasionally pick up an acorn.
 * Meaning: "An incompetent person or an unsystematic approach is bound to succeed every now and then by chance."
 * Source for meaning of English equivalent:


 * Pýcha predchádza pád.
 * English equivalent: Pride comes before the fall.

R

 * Ráno múdrejšie večera.
 * Translation: Morning is wiser (compared) to evening.
 * English equivalent: Morning is wiser than the evening.
 * Meaning: "Good ideas may come after resting."


 * Ryba smrdí od hlavy.
 * English equivalent: A fish stinks from the head.
 * Meaning: "A corrupting influence often spreads from a leader to the rest of the organization group."


 * Rybu treba chytiť za hlavu, nie za chvost.
 * English equivalent: You might as well try to hold an eel by the tail.
 * Meaning: Don't take a man by his word.

S

 * Starý a nemá rozum!
 * Meaning: Age will not refrain people from acting foolish and imprudently.
 * English equivalent: ”Wisdom goes not always by years.”

Š

 * Šaty robia človeka.
 * English equivalent: Fine feathers make fine birds.
 * Translation: Clothing makes a man.


 * Šťastie praje pripraveným.
 * English equivalent: Fortune favors the bold.
 * Meaning: "Those who act boldly are most likely to succeed."

T

 * Tichá voda brehy myje.
 * Translation: Silent water washes the shores.
 * English equivalent: Still water runs deep.
 * Meaning: "Silent person hides many mysteries."


 * Trpezlivosť ruže prináša.
 * Translation: Patience brings roses.
 * English equivalent: Patience is a virtue, and a little will not hurt you.

V

 * Veľké ryby žerú malé.
 * Translation: Big fish eat little fish.
 * English equivalent: Men are like fish; the great ones devour the small.
 * Meaning: "Small organizations or insignificant people tend to be swallowed up or destroyed by those that are greater and more powerful."
 * Source for meaning:


 * Viac hláv, viac rozumu.
 * Translation: More heads, more wisdom.
 * English equivalent: Two heads is better than one.
 * Meaning: "More people can find solution easier."


 * V núdzi poznáš priateľa.
 * Translation: You will know a friend when in need.
 * English equivalent: A friend is known in adversity, like gold is known in fire.


 * Vo víne pravda prebýva.
 * Translation: There is truth in wine.
 * English equivalent: In wine there is truth.
 * Meaning: Alcohol consumed removes the inhibition against telling the truth that occasionally one would like to keep secret.
 * Source for meaning and proverbs:


 * Vrana k vrane sadá, rovný rovného si hľadá.
 * Translation: Crow sits to crow, the equal looks for equal.
 * English equivalent: Birds of the same feather flock together.


 * Všade dobre, doma najlepšie.
 * Translation: Good everywhere, the best at home.
 * Meaning: "No place feels as good as home."


 * Výnimka potvrdzuje pravidlo.
 * English equivalent: The exception proves the rule.

Z

 * ''Zakázané ovocie chutí najlepšie."
 * Translation: Forbidden fruit tastes best.
 * English equivalent: Forbidden fruit is sweet.
 * Meaning: "Things that you must not have or do are always the most desirable."


 * Zíde z očí, zíde z mysle. or Čo oči nevidia, srdce nebolí.
 * Translation: It fades from eyes, it fades from mind.
 * Translation: The heart does not hurt what eyes do not see.
 * English equivalent: Out of sight, out of mind.
 * Meaning: "Seeing somebody reinforces the memory while a long absence and the appearance of new impressions may result in a gradual fading of it."


 * Zlá zelina nevyhynie.
 * Translation: Bad weed never dies out.
 * Swedish equivalent: Bad gun powder doesn't go away easily.

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