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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| It never rains but it pours | /ɪt ˈnɛvər reɪnz bʌt ɪt pɔrz/ | Misfortunes often come together. | First I lost my keys, then my phone died. It never rains but it pours. |
| It takes a thief to catch a thief | ɪt teɪks ə θif tə kætʃ ə θif | Someone with similar experience can catch a wrongdoer. | The police used an ex-con to find the criminal. It takes a thief to catch a thief. |
| It takes a whole village to raise a child | ɪt teɪks ə hoʊl ˈvɪlɪdʒ tə reɪz ə tʃaɪld | Community is essential for a child's upbringing. | Teachers, neighbors, and family all helped. It takes a whole village to raise a child. |
| It takes all sorts to make a world | ɪt teɪks ɔl sɔrts tə meɪk ə wɜrld | Diversity is necessary. | Some people are quiet, others loud. It takes all sorts to make a world. |
| It takes one to know one | ɪt teɪks wʌn tə noʊ wʌn | You recognize similar traits in others. | Q: He's a liar. A: It takes one to know one. |
| It takes two to tango | ɪt teɪks tu tə ˈtæŋɡoʊ | Both parties are responsible for a situation. | Don't blame only him; it takes two to tango. |
| It will be the same a hundred years hence | ɪt wɪl bi ðə seɪm ə ˈhʌndrəd jɪrz hɛns | Current worries won't matter in the long run. | Don't stress over this mistake; it will be the same a hundred years hence. |
| It will come back and haunt you | ɪt wɪl kʌm bæk ənd hɔnt ju | Past actions will cause future problems. | If you cheat, it will come back and haunt you. |
| It's Greek to me | ɪts ɡrik tə mi | I don't understand it. | This manual is full of jargon. It's Greek to me. |
| It's the little things | ɪts ðə ˈlɪtəl θɪŋz | Small details matter most. | He remembered her favorite flower. It's the little things. |
| Jack of all trades, master of none/one/some | /dʒæk əv ɔːl treɪdz, ˈmæstər əv nʌn/wʌn/sʌm/ | A person who has many skills but is not an expert in any one; sometimes used positively to mean versatile. | He can fix cars, paint houses, and play guitar, but he's a jack of all trades, master of none. |
| Judge not, that ye be not judged | /dʒʌdʒ nɑt, ðæt jiː biː nɑt dʒʌdʒd/ | Do not criticize others, because you will be criticized in the same way. | Before you condemn her for being late, remember: judge not, that ye be not judged. |
| Keep your chin up | /kiːp jɔːr tʃɪn ʌp/ | Stay positive and confident in a difficult situation. | I know you failed the test, but keep your chin up—you'll do better next time. |
| Keep your friends close and your enemies closer | /kip jɔr frɛndz kloʊs ænd jɔr ˈɛnəmiz ˈkloʊsər/ | Watch your enemies closely to anticipate their moves. | He invited his rival to the meeting. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. |
| Keep your powder dry (Valentine Blacker, 1834 from _Oliver's Advice_) | /kiːp jɔːr ˈpaʊdər draɪ/ | Be prepared and ready for action. | We don't know when the opportunity will come, so keep your powder dry. |
| Kill the chicken to scare the monkey | /kɪl ðə ˈtʃɪkɪn tə skɛr ðə ˈmʌŋki/ | Punish someone as a warning to others. | The manager fired one employee to scare the rest into working harder—kill the chicken to scare the monkey. |
| Kill the goose that lays the golden egg(s) | /kɪl ðə ɡuːs ðæt leɪz ðə ˈɡoʊldən ɛɡ(z)/ | Destroy a valuable resource out of greed or short-sightedness. | By overfishing, we are killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. |
| Kill two birds with one stone. | /kɪl tuː bɜːrdz wɪð wʌn stoʊn/ | Achieve two goals with a single action. | I can drop off the package and pick up groceries on the same trip—kill two birds with one stone. |
| Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love (Laozi, Chinese philosopher, 604 BC – c. 531 BC) | Kindness expressed in different ways leads to confidence, depth, and love. | Remember Laozi's wisdom: kindness in words creates confidence, kindness in thinking creates profoundness, kindness in giving creates love. | |
| Knock on (or touch) wood | /nɑk ɑn (ɔr tʌtʃ) wʊd/ | An expression to avoid tempting fate after a boast or prediction of good luck. | I've never had a car accident, knock on wood. |
| Know which side (one's) bread is buttered (on) | /noʊ wɪtʃ saɪd (wʌnz) brɛd ɪz ˈbʌtərd (ɑn)/ | Know where one's advantage lies and act accordingly. | He always agrees with the boss because he knows which side his bread is buttered on. |
| Knowledge is power, guard it well | /ˈnɑlɪdʒ ɪz ˈpaʊər, ɡɑrd ɪt wɛl/ | Knowledge gives power, so protect it carefully. | In the digital age, knowledge is power, guard it well with strong passwords. |
| Late lunch makes day go faster | /leɪt lʌntʃ meɪks deɪ ɡoʊ ˈfæstər/ | Having lunch later can make the workday seem shorter. | I had lunch at 2 PM and the afternoon flew by—late lunch makes day go faster. |
| Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone | /læf ænd ðə wɜːrld læfs wɪð juː, wiːp ænd juː wiːp əˈloʊn/ | People enjoy sharing happiness but avoid sharing sorrow. | When she won the lottery, everyone celebrated with her, but when she lost her job, no one came—laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone. |
| Laugh before breakfast, cry before supper | /læf bɪˈfɔr ˈbrɛkfəst, kraɪ bɪˈfɔr ˈsʌpər/ | Excessive joy early in the day may be followed by sorrow later. | Don't celebrate too early; laugh before breakfast, cry before supper. |
