Proverbs and sayings from Turkey, Spain, Greece, Estonia and France , partners of the Erasmus project Cultures on a Palette.

Cultures on a Palette- Proverbs and sayings

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noel au balcon, pâque aux tisons

L’herbe est toujours plus verte dans le pré d’à côté…

« Christmas on the porch, Easter by the fire »

The grass is always greener on the other side.

Explanation : This proverb is used when you imagine that the situation in another place is better than the one you are experiencing at the moment. We always think that others are better off, that we will find better elsewhere. And when we say that the grass is green, it means that the grass is very well maintained and that everything is going well. It is a sign of abundance and prosperity.&nbsp;

Explanation :if for Christmas the weather is good and it is possible to be outside, on the balcony, we must be wary, because in spring or at Easter, we could find ourselves with low temperatures and therefore have to make a fire. This is a French saying&nbsp;related to the weather.  Because most people were peasants, the weather was important so there are many sayings transmitted orally from generation to generation from the Middle Ages that give advice and lessons about the weather. 

Un "tiens" vaut mieux que deux "tu l'auras"

A bird in a hand is worth two in the bush

Translation: one “here you are” is better than two “you’ll get it” Explanation :This proverb says that a thing that one has in one's hands, that one is sure to possess, is preferable to multiplied&nbsp;promises. Because the thing is something concrete while the other two are just words.

Translation : An informed man is worth two Meaning: An informed man is worth 2 men that don’t pay attention to a situation or are ignorant. Being informed or warned about a situation makes him more watchful and able to manage it.

Των φρονίμων τα παιδιά πριν πεινάσουν μαγειρεύουν /ton fronimon ta pedia prin pinasoun maghirevoun/

TRANSLATION: The wise children cook before they are hungry. MEANING: Those who have the ability to anticipate a situation and prepare to deal with people do not risk being in a difficult position.

"No hay mal que por bien no venga"

&nbsp;“Every cloud has a silver lining”

«El que no corre, vuela».&nbsp;

&nbsp;“ Who does not run, just flies”

This short phrase is also a hymn to optimism. With this expression, we convey that it is always possible to obtain or learn something positive, even from the worst situations. Spanish also has set phrases that indicate the opposite. One of them is «Al perro flaco, todo son pulgas». This means that when things go wrong, everything tends to go even worse.

Possibly, this is one of the most used Spanish popular sayings, since it can be used in many situations. It is used to indicate that, when an opportunity arises, we must take advantage of it because, if not, someone else will do it in our place. The saying serves to motivate others and to encourage them to act quickly and enthusiastically.

Antique paper texture

Magavale kassile hiir suhu ei jookse.

Käbi ei kuku kännust kaugele

The cone doesn’t fall far from the stump.&nbsp; The apple will not fall far from the apple-tree. Like father, like son. Like mother, like daughter. Like parents, like children.

translation: The mouse does not run into the mouth of sleeping cat. It means if a cat is asleep it cannot do the work it is supposed to do - it can’t catch the rat. The idea can be transferred to people:&nbsp; if you do not work, you will miss your opportunities and achieve nothing.

Ära sülita vanasse kaevu, enne kui uus valmis.

&nbsp;Cast no dirt into the well that has given you water.

translation: The cone doesn’t fall far from the stump.&nbsp; This proverbial saying expresses the idea that a person inevitably shares traits with or resembles his or her parents or family.

&nbsp;Translation: Don't spit into the old well before the new one is ready. It means that you should always check whether a certain action may not have disadvantages for yourself. Think twice before doing anything.

Kingitud hobuse suhu ei vaadata.

Mida Juku ei õpi, seda Juhan ei tea.

Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

Translation: What Juku doesn't learn, Juhan won't know. It means that Juhan’s nickname as a child was Juku. If you do not learn at a young age, you will have no knowledge at an old age.

It means that when receiving a gift or favour, be grateful for what it is even if it is not exactly what you wanted; don't imply you wished for more by assessing its quality and value. This phrase alludes to the fact that the age, and therefore the usefulness, of a horse can be determined by looking at its teeth. As horses develop, they grow more teeth and their existing teeth begin to change shape and project further forward. Determining a horse's age from its teeth is a specialist task, but it can be done.

Μην λογαριάζεις χωρίς τον ξενοδόχο &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;/Min logariazis horis ton xenodoho /

Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched&nbsp;

Όποιος δεν έχει μυαλό έχει πόδια &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;/opios den ehi mialo ehi podia/

TRANSLATION: Don't make counts without the innkeeper MEANING: you can’t make decisions and reach to results without asking the referent person first

TRANSLATION: Anyone who does not have a mind has legs. MEANING: Reckless and foolish actions along with daydreaming lead us to suffering, resulting in double and triple fatigue.

Petit à petit, l’oiseau fait son nid&nbsp;

Translation: Little by little , the bird builds its nest Meaning: the bird makes several trips to bring back the twigs it needs for building its nest. The bird will therefore take a maximum of time to build its nest but by persevering in its work it will succeed.with patience and perseverance, time and effort you can achieve your goals. It is useless and not efficient to try to hurry.

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“Tots els camins van a Roma”

&nbsp;“All roads go to Rome”

It is a well-known phrase that is often used in the press, on the radio, in everyday life. Its origin is due to the fact that most Roman roads (about one hundred thousand kilometers) connected any point of the Roman Empire with the city of Rome. 

&nbsp;Zararın neresinden dönülürse kârdır.

Ne ekersen onu biçersin.

Better lose the saddle than the horse.&nbsp;

Dost kara günde belli olur.&nbsp;

Dereyi görmeden paçaları sıvama.

Tatlı söz yılanı deliğinden çıkarır.

It’s not over until the fat lady sings.&nbsp;

Good words are worth much, and cost little.

“Cuando el río suena, agua lleva”

“Mejor estar solo que mal acompañado”

“ When the river is listened to means that water flows”

&nbsp;“Better to be alone than in bad company”

This saying explains that rumours may have foundations and it is necessary to be vigilant. In other words, it tells us that a fact can be deduced from any indication; popularly it means that when someone is talked about specifically it is because something exists, not just because of invention or myth.

this sentence means that sometimes be alone is better than be with people that are bad influence

&nbsp;Κατά μάνα κατά κύρη κατά γιό και θυγατέρα

/Katà màna katà kyri katà yo ke thygatèra/

Όπου λαλούν πολλά κοκόρια, αργεί να ξημερώσει

&nbsp;/Opou laloun polla kokoria, argei na ximerosi/

TRANSLATION: Like mother, like father, like son and daughter MEANING: that one acts as he has learnt to do so by their mother, father or family

TRANSLATION: Where there are too many roosters singing, the dawn comes late. MEANING: where there are many people deciding, there is no solution found.

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