Every culture has a collection of wise sayings that offer advice about how to move through life. These sayings are called “proverbs”.
It’s helpful to know the common American proverbs because you hear them come up in conversation regularly. Sometimes people say the entire proverb to share some wisdom. More often, because these sayings are so well-known, people will only say the first half of the saying. For example,
You know what they say: keep your friends close…
(Read below to learn the rest of this proverb and what it means.)
Learning proverbs can also help you to understand part of the American way of viewing the world. Here we lay out some of the most common American proverbs and tell you a bit about what they mean.
Don’t add insult to injury – Don’t make a bad situation even worse
Absence makes the heart grow fonder – Being far away from a person you love makes you love them even more
A penny saved is a penny earned – It’s good to save money, rather than spending and wasting it
Actions speak louder than words – What you actually do is more important than what you say you’ll do
It’s all in your head – It’s imagined; it’s not real
A picture is worth a thousand words – For some complex ideas, a picture conveys its meaning better than a description can
People who live in glass houses should not throw stones – Don’t criticize someone when you’re not perfect yourself
Keep your friends close and your 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
Better the devil you know (than the one you don’t) – It is often better to deal with someone or something you are familiar with and know, even if they are not ideal, than take a risk with an unknown person or thing
There’s no such thing as a free lunch – Things that are offered for free always have a hidden cost
Never look a gift horse in the mouth – If someone offers you a gift, or something unexpectedly good happens, don’t question it.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush – Something you have secured is more valuable than something greater that isn’t guaranteed
No pain, no gain – One must be willing to endure some inconvenience or discomfort to achieve worthwhile goals
You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs – When you try to do something great, you’ll probably make a few people annoyed or angry. Don’t worry about those people; just focus on the good results.
