Some expressions stick around for centuries — and for good reason. This collection of around 728 common English proverbs pulls together the sayings you’ve probably heard in movies, conversations, and maybe even from your grandma.
Inside the interactive table, you’ll find each proverb with a clear meaning, a realistic example sentence, easy-to-read IPA pronunciation, and a play button so you can hear it spoken aloud. When you’re ready to take the list offline, just click the PDF download button sitting below the table — it’s completely free.
Proverbs are powerful because they pack a lot of meaning into few words. Knowing them helps you sound more natural and understand cultural references. Work through a few each day, or use the search and sort features to focus on ones that match your mood.
Want to move from knowing proverbs to speaking with confidence? Our free chunk-based English lessons teach you the phrases people actually use in real conversations — not just textbook lines. Start with Lesson 1 — First Greetings, or explore the full intro to lessons if you’re looking for a guided path.
English Proverbs Quiz
Before you dive in, try the quick quiz below to see how many proverbs you already have under your belt. It’s a fun way to warm up.
English Proverbs List with Meanings
| Expression | IPA | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Give a dog a bad name and hang him | gɪv ə dɔg ə bæd neɪm ænd hæŋ hɪm | Once someone is unfairly labeled, they are condemned. | After one mistake, everyone distrusted him; give a dog a bad name and hang him. |
| Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime | gɪv ə mæn ə fɪʃ ænd ju fid hɪm fɔr ə deɪ. titʃ ə mæn tu fɪʃ ænd ju fid hɪm fɔr ə ˈlaɪfˌtaɪm | It is better to teach someone a skill than to provide temporary help. | Instead of giving him money, I taught him budgeting; give a man a fish and you feed him for a day... |
| Give a man rope enough and he will hang himself | gɪv ə mæn roʊp ɪˈnʌf ænd hi wɪl hæŋ hɪmˈsɛlf | If you give someone enough freedom, they will eventually ruin themselves. | The manager let the employee make his own decisions, and soon he made a huge mistake; give a man rope enough... |
| Give credit where credit is due | /ɡɪv ˈkrɛdɪt wɛr ˈkrɛdɪt ɪz du/ | Acknowledge someone's contribution. | She did most of the work. Give credit where credit is due. |
| Give him an inch and he will take a mile | gɪv hɪm æn ɪntʃ ænd hi wɪl teɪk ə maɪl | If you give someone a little, they will demand much more. | I let him borrow one book, and now he wants my whole library; give him an inch and he will take a mile. |
| Give the devil his/her due | gɪv ðə ˈdɛvəl hɪz/hɜr du | Acknowledge the good qualities in someone you dislike. | I don't like him, but I have to give the devil his due—he did excellent work. |
| God helps those who help themselves | gɑd hɛlps ðoʊz hu hɛlp ðəmˈsɛlvz | You should make an effort to solve your own problems rather than relying on divine help. | He studied hard for the exam; God helps those who help themselves. |
| Good fences make good neighbours | gʊd ˈfɛnsəz meɪk gʊd ˈneɪbərz | Clear boundaries help maintain good relationships. | We agreed on property lines; good fences make good neighbours. |
| Good talk saves the food | gʊd tɔk seɪvz ðə fud | Pleasant conversation makes a meal more enjoyable. | Dinner was simple, but the conversation was great; good talk saves the food. |
| Good things come to those who wait | /ɡʊd θɪŋz kʌm tu ðoʊz hu weɪt/ | Patience is rewarded. | She waited years for a promotion, and finally got it. Good things come to those who wait. |
| Half a loaf is better than no bread | hæf ə loʊf ɪz ˈbɛtər ðæn noʊ brɛd | Something is better than nothing. | The salary was lower than expected, but half a loaf is better than no bread. |
| Handsome is as handsome does | ˈhænsəm ɪz æz ˈhænsəm dʌz | A person's actions define their attractiveness, not their looks. | He may be plain, but he's kind; handsome is as handsome does. |
| Hard cases make bad law | hɑrd ˈkeɪsɪz meɪk bæd lɔ | Difficult or extreme cases can lead to poor legal precedents. | The judge ruled narrowly to avoid setting a bad precedent; hard cases make bad law. |
| Hard work never did anyone any harm | hɑrd wɜrk ˈnɛvər dɪd ˈɛniˌwʌn ˈɛni hɑrm | Working hard is beneficial and not harmful. | Don't be afraid to put in extra effort; hard work never did anyone any harm. |
| Haste makes waste | /heɪst meɪks weɪst/ | Rushing leads to mistakes and wasted effort. | He rushed the report and had to redo it. Haste makes waste. |
| He that goes a-borrowing, goes a-sorrowing | hi ðæt goʊz ə-ˈbɑroʊɪŋ, goʊz ə-ˈsɑroʊɪŋ | Borrowing money leads to worry and sadness. | He took out many loans and now regrets it; he that goes a-borrowing, goes a-sorrowing. |
| He who can, does; he who cannot, teaches | hi hu kæn, dʌz; hi hu ˈkænɑt, ˈtitʃɪz | Those who are skilled do things; those who are not skilled teach others. | He couldn't succeed in business, so he became a professor; he who can, does; he who cannot, teaches. |
| He who hesitates is lost | hi hu ˈhɛzɪˌteɪts ɪz lɔst | If you delay, you may miss an opportunity. | She didn't apply for the job in time; he who hesitates is lost. |
| He who knows does not speak. He who speaks does not know – Laozi, Chinese philosopher (604 BC – c. 531 BC) | hi hu noʊz dʌz nɑt spik. hi hu spiks dʌz nɑt noʊ | Wise people are quiet; those who talk a lot are often ignorant. | The expert listened more than he talked; he who knows does not speak. |
| He who laughs last laughs longest | hi hu læfs læst læfs ˈlɔŋgɪst | The person who ultimately succeeds has the final satisfaction. | They mocked his idea, but it became a huge success; he who laughs last laughs longest. |
| He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword | hi hu lɪvz baɪ ðə sɔrd, daɪz baɪ ðə sɔrd | If you use violence, you will eventually suffer violence. | The gang leader was killed in a shootout; he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword. |
| He who loves the world as his body may be entrusted with the empire – Laozi, Chinese philosopher (604 BC – c. 531 BC) | hi hu lʌvz ðə wɜrld æz hɪz ˈbɑdi meɪ bi ɪnˈtrʌstɪd wɪð ði ˈɛmpaɪər | A person who cares for the world as they care for themselves is fit to lead. | The leader showed compassion for all; he who loves the world as his body may be entrusted with the empire. |
| He who makes a beast out of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man | hi hu meɪks ə bist aʊt ʌv hɪmˈsɛlf gɛts rɪd ʌv ðə peɪn ʌv ˈbiɪŋ ə mæn | By acting without reason or emotion, one avoids human suffering. | After the tragedy, he became cold and ruthless; he who makes a beast out of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man. |
| He who pays the piper calls the tune | hi hu peɪz ðə ˈpaɪpər kɔlz ðə tun | The person who provides the money has control. | The investor demanded changes; he who pays the piper calls the tune. |
| He who sups with the Devil should have a long spoon | hi hu sʌps wɪð ðə ˈdɛvəl ʃʊd hæv ə lɔŋ spun | When dealing with dangerous people, keep a safe distance. | He was cautious in the negotiation; he who sups with the Devil should have a long spoon. |
