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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laughter is the best medicine | /ˈlæftər ɪz ðə bɛst ˈmɛdɪsɪn/ | Humor can help heal emotional pain. | After a tough day, watching a comedy helped. Laughter is the best medicine. |
| Learn a language, and you will avoid a war (Arab proverb) | /lɜːrn ə ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ, ænd juː wɪl əˈvɔɪd ə wɔːr/ | Communication through language learning prevents conflict. | Q: Why should I study Arabic? A: Learn a language, and you will avoid a war. |
| Least said, soonest mended | /liːst sɛd, ˈsuːnɪst ˈmɛndɪd/ | Saying less about a problem helps resolve it quickly. | After the argument, he apologized briefly and moved on—least said, soonest mended. |
| Less is more | /lɛs ɪz mɔːr/ | Simplicity and minimalism are often more effective. | The minimalist design of the app is elegant—less is more. |
| Let bygones be bygones | /lɛt ˈbaɪˌɡɔnz bi ˈbaɪˌɡɔnz/ | Forgive past offenses and move on. | We had a disagreement, but let's let bygones be bygones and work together. |
| Let not the sun go down on your wrath | /lɛt nɑt ðə sʌn ɡoʊ daʊn ɑn jɔːr ræθ/ | Resolve anger before the day ends. | They made up before bedtime, remembering to let not the sun go down on your wrath. |
| Let sleeping Aussies lie | /lɛt ˈsliːpɪŋ ˈɔːziz laɪ/ | Do not disturb a situation that is currently calm (variant of 'let sleeping dogs lie'). | He didn't bring up the old argument—better to let sleeping Aussies lie. |
| Let sleeping dogs lie | /lɛt ˈslipɪŋ dɔɡz laɪ/ | Don't disturb a situation that is currently calm. | I won't bring up the old argument. Let sleeping dogs lie. |
| Let the buyer beware | /lɛt ðə ˈbaɪər bɪˈwɛr/ | The buyer is responsible for checking the quality of goods before purchase. | The car had hidden defects, but the seller said 'let the buyer beware.' |
| Let the cat out of the bag | /lɛt ðə kæt aʊt əv ðə bæɡ/ | Reveal a secret unintentionally. | She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party. |
| Let the dead bury the dead (N.T.) | /lɛt ðə dɛd ˈbɛri ðə dɛd/ | Focus on the future and let the past be forgotten. | After the scandal, the company decided to let the dead bury the dead and move forward. |
| Let the punishment fit the crime | /lɛt ðə ˈpʌnɪʃmənt fɪt ðə kraɪm/ | Penalties should be proportional to the offense. | The judge gave him community service instead of jail—let the punishment fit the crime. |
| Let well alone | /lɛt wɛl əˈloʊn/ | Do not interfere with something that is already satisfactory. | The system works fine, so let well alone and don't change it. |
| Let your hair down | /lɛt jɔːr hɛr daʊn/ | Relax and behave informally. | After work, she let her hair down and went dancing with friends. |
| Lie back and think of England | /laɪ bæk ænd θɪŋk əv ˈɪŋɡlənd/ | Endure a duty or unpleasant situation passively (historically about marital sex). | She didn't enjoy the formal dinner, so she just lied back and thought of England. |
| Life begins at forty | /laɪf bɪˈɡɪnz æt ˈfɔːrti/ | Middle age is a time of new opportunities and vitality. | He started a new career at 45—life begins at forty! |
| Life is not all beer and skittles | /laɪf ɪz nɑt ɔːl bɪr ænd ˈskɪtəlz/ | Life is not just fun and pleasure; it has difficulties. | He thought college would be easy, but life is not all beer and skittles. |
| Life is too short not to do something that matters. | /laɪf ɪz tuː ʃɔːrt nɑt tə duː ˈsʌmθɪŋ ðæt ˈmætərz/ | Don't waste time on trivial pursuits; pursue meaningful goals. | She quit her job to volunteer abroad because life is too short not to do something that matters. |
| Life is what you make it | /laɪf ɪz wʌt juː meɪk ɪt/ | Your attitude and actions determine your life's quality. | Don't complain about your situation—life is what you make it. |
| Lightning never strikes twice in the same place | /ˈlaɪtnɪŋ ˈnɛvər straɪks twaɪs ɪn ðə seɪm pleɪs/ | An unusual event is unlikely to happen again in the same way. | He won the lottery once; don't expect it again. Lightning never strikes twice in the same place. |
| Like father, like son | /laɪk ˈfɑːðər, laɪk sʌn/ | Sons often resemble their fathers in behavior or character. | He's a great mechanic, just like his dad—like father, like son. |
| Like white on rice | /laɪk waɪt ɑn raɪs/ | Very close or attentive; inseparable. | The toddler stuck to his mother like white on rice. |
| Little pitchers have big ears | /ˈlɪtəl ˈpɪtʃərz hæv bɪɡ ɪrz/ | Children often hear and understand more than adults think. | Don't gossip in front of the kids—little pitchers have big ears. |
| Little strokes fell great oaks | /ˈlɪtəl stroʊks fɛl ɡreɪt oʊks/ | Persistent small efforts can achieve great results. | He saved a little each month and eventually bought a house—little strokes fell great oaks. |
| Little things please little minds | /ˈlɪtəl θɪŋz pliːz ˈlɪtəl maɪndz/ | Trivial things amuse people with simple tastes. | He was thrilled with a new pen—little things please little minds. |
