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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time goes by slowly when you are living intensely | /taɪm ɡoʊz baɪ ˈsloʊli wɛn ju ɑr ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪnˈtɛnsli/ | When you are fully engaged in life, each moment feels longer. | During the adventure, every second felt stretched—time goes by slowly when you are living intensely. |
| Time is a great healer | /taɪm ɪz ə greɪt ˈhilər/ | Emotional pain lessens over time. | After the breakup, she was devastated, but time is a great healer—she feels better now. |
| Time is money | /taɪm ɪz ˈmʌni/ | Time is valuable and should not be wasted. | Don't waste time on trivial tasks. Time is money. |
| Time is wasted without purpose | /taɪm ɪz ˈweɪstɪd wɪˈðaʊt ˈpɜrpəs/ | Spending time without a goal is wasteful. | He spent hours on social media with no aim—time is wasted without purpose. |
| To be worn out is to be renewed – Laozi, Chinese philosopher (604 BC – c. 531 BC) | /tu bi wɔrn aʊt ɪz tu bi rɪˈnud/ | Exhaustion can lead to a fresh start or renewal. | After the long project ended, he felt exhausted but also refreshed—to be worn out is to be renewed. |
| To each his own | /tu itʃ hɪz oʊn/ | Everyone has their own preferences; it's fine to differ. | Q: 'You like that weird music?' A: 'To each his own.' |
| To err is human; to forgive, divine | /tuː ɜːr ɪz ˈhjuːmən; tuː fərˈɡɪv dɪˈvaɪn/ | Everyone makes mistakes, but forgiving is a noble act. | Q: I can't believe I messed up. A: To err is human; to forgive, divine. Let it go. |
| To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world (Chinese proverb) | /tu lɜrn ə ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ ɪz tu hæv wʌn mɔr ˈwɪndoʊ frəm wɪtʃ tu lʊk æt ðə wɜrld/ | Learning a language gives you a new perspective on life. | Studying Arabic opened her eyes to a new culture—to learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world. |
| To the victor go the spoils | /tu ðə ˈvɪktər ɡoʊ ðə spɔɪlz/ | The winner gets all the rewards. | After winning the championship, they celebrated—to the victor go the spoils. |
| To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive | /tu ˈtrævəl ˈhoʊpfəli ɪz ə ˈbɛtər θɪŋ ðæn tu əˈraɪv/ | The anticipation of a journey is often more enjoyable than the destination. | She loved planning trips more than actually going—to travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive. |
| Tomorrow is another day | /təˈmɑroʊ ɪz əˈnʌðər deɪ/ | There is always hope for a fresh start tomorrow. | After a bad day, she said, 'Tomorrow is another day.' |
| Tomorrow never comes | /təˈmɑroʊ ˈnɛvər kʌmz/ | If you keep putting things off, they never get done. | He always says he'll start exercising tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes. |
| Too little, too late | /tu ˈlɪtəl, tu leɪt/ | An effort is insufficient and comes after the deadline. | The company's apology was too little, too late—customers had already left. |
| Too many cooks spoil the broth | /tu ˈmɛni kʊks spɔɪl ðə brɔθ/ | Too many people involved can ruin a project. | The committee had too many members and nothing got done. Too many cooks spoil the broth. |
| Too much rain makes a flood | /tu mʌtʃ reɪn meɪks ə flʌd/ | Excess of anything can be harmful. | He gave too many details in his speech—too much rain makes a flood. |
| Trust, but verify | /trʌst, bʌt ˈvɛrɪfaɪ/ | Have trust but also confirm facts independently. | The manager said, 'I trust you, but trust, but verify—show me the report.' |
| Truth is more valuable if it takes you a few years to find it – often attributed to French author Jules Renard | /truθ ɪz mɔr ˈvæljuəbəl ɪf ɪt teɪks ju ə fju jɪrz tu faɪnd ɪt/ | Knowledge gained through effort is more appreciated. | After years of research, he discovered the answer—truth is more valuable if it takes you a few years to find it. |
| Truth is stranger than fiction | /truːθ ɪz ˈstreɪndʒər ðæn ˈfɪkʃən/ | Real life can be more surprising than made-up stories. | Q: Did you hear about the man who won the lottery twice? A: Truth is stranger than fiction! |
| Turn your face toward the sun and the shadows fall behind you | /tɜrn jɔr feɪs təˈwɔrd ðə sʌn ənd ðə ˈʃædoʊz fɔl bɪˈhaɪnd ju/ | Focus on the positive and the negative will be behind you. | When feeling down, she remembered: turn your face toward the sun and the shadows fall behind you. |
| Two birds with one stone | /tu bɜrdz wɪð wʌn stoʊn/ | Achieve two goals with a single action. | By walking to work, I exercise and save money—two birds with one stone. |
| Two can play at that game | /tu kæn pleɪ æt ðæt ɡeɪm/ | I can retaliate with the same tactic. | He spread rumors about me, but two can play at that game. |
| Two heads are better than one | /tu hɛdz ɑr ˈbɛtər ðæn wʌn/ | Collaboration leads to better solutions. | We solved the puzzle together. Two heads are better than one. |
| Two is company, but three is a crowd | /tu ɪz ˈkʌmpəni, bʌt θri ɪz ə kraʊd/ | A pair enjoys intimacy, but a third person spoils it. | They wanted a romantic dinner alone—two is company, but three is a crowd. |
| Two wrongs (do not) make a right | /tu rɔŋz du nɑt meɪk ə raɪt/ | Revenge or repeating a wrong does not fix the original wrong. | He cheated you, but cheating him back won't help—two wrongs do not make a right. |
| Ugly is as ugly does | /ˈʌɡli ɪz æz ˈʌɡli dʌz/ | A person's character, not appearance, defines ugliness. | She may be plain, but she's kind—ugly is as ugly does. |
