English is very figurative and accurate. In addition, there are many hints of various historical events, which over the years have become figurative expressions and sayings. The British love to chat about the weather, adore the queen, often engage in gardening and are not averse to a tasty snack. Therefore, many of their sayings are connected precisely with such topics.
Weather Expressions
Of course, to start acquaintance with English statements is from those related to the weather.
An Englishman is always ready to discuss rain or sun, and many phrases help him do this. For example, the English proverb "It never rains, it pours" resembles the meaning of the Russian "Trouble does not come alone." A more comforting meaning is hidden in the phrase âAll the clouds have silver linings,â meaning that each situation has its own advantages. Listing English proverbs about the weather, it is worth mentioning "A little rain must fall into every life". The most suitable Russian equivalent sounds like "Not all cats have Shrovetide." The proverb âNever mind - this is good for your gardenâ does not have a suitable expression for translation, which calls for stoic attitude to any troubles, because even in the rain there are pluses. In addition, this expression emphasizes the British love for gardening and growing roses, because it recalls that rain is good for plants.
Proverbs about the house
As in any country, in England a lot of attention is paid to home comfort. English sayings and proverbs are often associated with the house. Perhaps the most famous expression sounds like âOne's house is a castleâ. Translated, it means that a personâs house is his fortress. That the house is always more comfortable, says the English proverb "East or west, one's home is best." The Russian equivalent of saying that the walls help at home. The proverb âWalking the street of" By-and-by "you arrive at the house of" Never "is associated with the figurative understanding of the house, which means that without effort it is almost impossible to achieve much. Literally, this phrase can be translated as follows: on the street "a little bit" you can only get into the house "never."
Friendship phrases
Of course, the British are also worried about relationships with other people. English proverbs about friendship and relationships are very interesting and fairly accurate. For example, there is a saying, âBetter to be alone than to be in bad companyâ, which advises to prefer the loneliness of a bad company. The English proverb âEven reckonings make long friendsâ advises a wise approach to friendships. Translated, it sounds like "Frequent account prolongs friendship." Equivalents of English proverbs do not always exist in Russian. But the phrase "Before making friends eat a bushel of salt with them" fully corresponds to the saying about the need to eat a pound of salt with a friend. The differences are only in the indicated measure of weight, which seems necessary to test the friendship of the British and Russian.
A somewhat pessimistic view of friendship is demonstrated by the proverb âFriend is a thief of timeâ, according to which friends steal time. Of course, spending time with a friend can not always be called useful, but it brings positive emotions, which is also of great importance. The wise idea is the phrase âBetter open enemies than false friendsâ. Translation means that a clear enemy is better than a deceiving friend. Another English proverb about friendship reports that âCompany in distress makes your trouble lessâ - having friends allows you to make any problem less significant.
English sayings and proverbs about cats
Cats are very loved by the British and are found in their conversations very often. For example, the proverb âAll cats are gray in the darkâ is known almost literally in Russian: âIn the dark, any cat is gray.â This apt expression notes that at dusk it is almost impossible to distinguish between colors.
Indeed, almost every shade seems exceptionally gray. The unanimity of Russians and British regarding cats is also demonstrated by such an English proverb as âCats shut their eyes when stealing the creamâ, which in translation means that the cat knows who she stole the cream from. The phrase âCats in gloves catch no miceâ, which corresponds to the well-known saying about the need for labor to get fish, advises you to work harder. The English proverb âCuriosity kills a catâ is cruel to a cat, but the Russian analogue of this expression is written to the affected people, saying that a
curious Barbaraâs nose was torn off. Another well-known phrase sounds like âThe scalded cats fear cold waterâ, which literally means âscalded cats are afraid of cold water,â and the closest equivalent to the Russian proverbs is the saying âHaving burnt in milk, you blow into the water.â Even the nervous tension, because of which you sit on needles, the British associated with cats. The proverb sounds like âLike a cat on hot bricksâ. In addition, the British believe in a cat-like sense of humor. When the Russians say âchickens to laugh,â the people of foggy Albion will say, âIt's enough to make cats laugh.â
Proverbs about money
The money issue also did not pass over the British. On the subject of finance, there are a variety of proverbs and sayings of the English language. For example, âBetter be lucky than be richâ is a phrase that says happiness is better than wealth.
Another statement is a little sadder and sounds like âBeggars cannot chooseâ, that is, beggars cannot choose. There are other proverbs in English with translation and equivalents. For example, âSaved penny is gained pennyâ, that is, a saved penny - just like earned. And a proverb like "You are not poor if you have little, but if you desire much" advises you less to indulge in dreams of material things. Another saying coincides with this idea, âMoney can be a good servant but they are a bad masterâ. Do not put money at the forefront. And absolutely categorical citizens of
foggy Albion may even say that âMuck and money are going togetherâ, which means that the abomination is always next to the money. A small income, on the contrary, is not considered shameful for an Englishman.
Health sayings
When studying English proverbs on topics related to different aspects of life, it is worth paying attention to those associated with a healthy body and diseases. For example, everyone knows the phrase "In a sound body there's a sound mind." In Russian, she reports that a healthy body has a healthy mind, which is difficult to disagree with.
Citing proverbs in English with a translation, one cannot fail to mention "One apple a day is keeping the doctor away." This phrase notes that one apple a day is enough to forget about visits to the doctor. Another good piece of advice to keep you feeling good is âDisease is the interest of pleasures,â which literally means âhealth is in moderation.â The saying âGluttony killed more men than the swordâ, or âMore people die from immoderate appetite than from the sword,â expresses a similar idea. The dictum âGood health is more important than wealthâ, which rightly states that health is more important than money, advises to value what is gained through these principles. Refusal to drink is very reasonably recommended by the proverb âDrunken days will have their tomorrowâ, meaning that a drunkard always has a difficult tomorrow. The proverb âDrunkenness can reveal what soberness will concealâ has a similar meaning, which has the exact Russian equivalent: a drunk says what the sober has in mind.
Proverbs of Honesty
The British are no less concerned about the question of truth and lies. So, the British believe that honesty is best, as the proverb âHonesty is your best policyâ reports. Be careful with questions so as not to listen to the lies, advises a saying that sounds like âAsk no questions and you'll be told no liesâ. Less deception, so as not to lose the confidence of others - this is the meaning of the proverb, sounding like "Not that once deceived will always be suspected." But sometimes itâs worth believing in the most improbable, the proverb âTruth can be stranger than fictionâ prompts, which can be literally translated as âthe truth is more strange than fictionâ. To make sure that this is the case is quite difficult - the British propose not to believe the eyes and half of what is heard, also, according to the phrase "Do not believe all that you see and half what you hear." To beware of gossip, because they are not far from lies, the proverb âGossips and lies go hand in handâ advises. According to the British, slander goes with deception by the hand.
Sayings of love
There are a lot of proverbs about real feelings. The phrase âBeauty lies in lover's eyesâ advises wisdom of appearance, because beauty is really more noticeable in a loved one. To forget about narcissism offers the dictum âIf one is full of himself he is very emptyâ, which literally translates as follows: âOne who is too full of himself is very empty.â Do not judge others too harshly, say the British. At the very least, the saying âDo not hate at the first harmâ suggests that you donât record a person as an enemy from the first miss. The dictum âLonger absent, sooner forgottenâ, which has an analogue in Russian - âOut of sight, out of mindâ speaks about the hardships of long-distance relationships. Love is not a disease, and it is impossible to recover from it, folk wisdom notes. After all, âNo herb can cure loveâ, there is no cure for the senses. However, it is unlikely that such a situation seriously saddens even one Englishman.
Proverbs about work
Hardworking Englishmen are sure that it is better to do, than to speak. This is verbatim the proverb âBetter doing than sayingâ. But do not take yourself too strictly. This is evidenced by the dictum âNo living man can all thingsâ, which means that no one person can cope with all things in the world. The proverb âHe is lifeless if he is faultlessâ teaches us not to be afraid of mistakes, which means that only one who does nothing can remain perfect. Only this way guarantees a complete absence of errors and failures. The British consider it necessary to plan their affairs in advance and be lazy to a minimum, which is also confirmed by the proverb âNever put off till tomorrow something you can do todayâ, which encourages you to do everything today that you canât postpone for the next days. The proverb âNot everyone can be masterâ emphasizes that not everyone is given to be a leader. And the well-known Russian proverb about time for business and an hour for fun corresponds exactly to âAll work with no play makes Jack a dull boyâ.
Literally, this phrase means that a day full of work and devoid of a moment of rest, turns Jack into a boring boy.
Sayings about courage
A common theme of proverbs is courageous and decisive. The British are confident: "You won't win a fair lady with faint heart." This means that a cowardly man will not be able to conquer the beauty. In addition, the daredevil is lucky, as the proverb âFortune will favors the braveâ assures. The fact that cowardly people often try to do harm to those they do not like is quietly, said the popular wisdom in the proverb âNot that fears you present hates you absentâ: someone who is afraid of your presence hates you behind your back. Finally, the British also know that no-risk does not drink champagne, but they express this idea with the phrase âIf nothing was ventured, nothing will be gainedâ. It is worth mentioning the statement that has become a national idea: âKeep calm and carry on.â Be strong and do your job - this is the thought with which all the British live, starting with the queen and ending with a simple worker. This slogan is even used on souvenirs - posters, bags, cups, magnets and notebooks of all kinds of colors and shapes.