How to learn German fast - memorise famous sayings 3
Here on my site on How to Learn German Fast are more famous German sayings, important or common German phrases and proverbs that are worth learning. German language learning is easier if you can a lot of memorisation, which will definitely help your language learning because you can gain a lot of grammar, a lot of German vocabulary and therefore improve your command of the language. Some of these can also be memorised as part of your German language programme and can be even used in essays or speeches. At the same time, German is more fun and you can assimilate the German language and culture by these means... so have fun memorising the following German proverbs and German sayings:
German sayings that will help you learn German 3:
Kräht der Hahn auf dem Mist, ändert sich's Wetter oder 's bleibt wie's ist.
If the cock crows on the dung heap, the weather will change or stay the way it is. (Wikipedia takes this German phrase to mean that proverbs are not useful, but since I am preaching the use and learning of proverbs on my language blog, I'll not use that kind of translation!)
Kehre vor Deiner eigenen Tür.
Sweep the ground in front of your own door.
Don't bother to mess with others' business, better take care of your own.
Kleider machen Leute.
Clothes make the man.
Keine Antwort ist auch eine Antwort.
No answer is also an answer.
Kindermund tut Wahrheit kund.
The mouths of children proclaim the truth.
(Almost exactly: From the mouths of babes.)
Klug zu reden ist doch schwer, klug zu schweigen noch viel mehr.
It's indeed hard to talk cleverly, still harder to be silent cleverly.
Koste es was es wolle
To achieve something by whatever it will cost
Eine Leiche im Keller haben...
To have a corpse in the basement!
(English equivalent - Skeletons in the closet)
Leichter gesagt als getan.
Easier said than done.
Lügen haben kurze Beine.
Lies have short legs.
Lieber das Messer ablecken als den Löffel abgeben.
Better to lick the knife than to give up the spoon.
(It is preferable to face hardship and adversity than to die.)
Man soll das Fell des Bären nicht verkaufen, bevor man ihn erlegt hat.
One shouldn't sell the bear's fur before it has been killed.
(Well, doesn't this sound familiar? We have something like this in English, called Don't Count Your Chickens...)
Man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben.
One shouldn't praise the day before the evening.
Mit den Wölfen muss man heulen.
With the wolves one must howl.
Mit solchen Freunden braucht man keine Feinde mehr.
With such friends, one doesn't need enemies anymore.
(With friends like these, who needs enemies?)
Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund.
Morning hour has gold in the mouth.
Man schlägt den Sack und meint den Esel.
Hitting the bag, but actually aiming at the donkey.
Man ist, was man isst.
You are what you eat. (This is a pun in German, because of the ist and isst)
Morgen, morgen, nur nicht heute, sagen alle faulen Leute.
Tomorrow, tomorrow, just not today, all the lazy people say.
(Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.)
Neue Besen kehren gut...
New brooms clean well...
...aber der Alte kennt die Ecken.
...but the old one knows the corners.
Nur tote Fische schwimmen mit dem Strom.
Only dead fish swim with the stream.
Ohne Fleiß kein Preis.
No diligence, no prize.
Reden ist Silber, Schweigen ist Gold
Talking is Silver, Silence is Gold.
Rom ist auch nicht an einem Tag erbaut worden.
Rome wasn't built in a day.
Schadenfreude ist die beste Freude.
Joy from others' misfortune is the best joy.
Schnee von gestern
Snow from yesteryear. (or snow from yesterday, meaning that something has long passed)
Setz nicht alles auf eine Karte.
Don't bet on only one card.
Schlafende Hunde soll man nicht wecken.
One should not awaken sleeping dogs.
Steter Tropfen höhlt den Stein.
A steady drop will carve the stone.
(Continuous effort will eventually lead to success.)
Das kommt mir spanisch vor.
It seems Spanish to me.
(There's something strange.)
Träume sind Schäume.
Dreams are foam.
(A dream has nothing to do with reality.)
Übung macht den Meister!
Practice makes the master!
Vertrauen ist gut, Kontrolle ist besser!
(attributed to the famous communist Lenin)
Trust is good, but verification is better!
Viele Köche verderben den Brei.
Many cooks spoil the broth.
Viele Wege führen nach Rom.
Many roads lead to Rome.
There will be one last instalment on this series on memorising German proverbs and German sayings, here on my language learning and language resources site. Stay tuned!
HOW TO LEARN GERMAN FAST!
Learn how to learn a language!
