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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| When in Rome, (do as the Romans do). St. Ambrose, 347 AD | /wɛn ɪn roʊm, duː æz ðə ˈroʊmənz duː/ | When visiting a foreign place, follow the local customs and behavior. | In Japan, it's polite to bow. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. |
| When it rains it pours | /wɛn ɪt reɪnz ɪt pɔːrz/ | When something bad happens, many bad things happen at once. | First my car broke down, then I lost my wallet. When it rains it pours. |
| When life gives you lemons, make lemonade | /wɛn laɪf ɡɪvz juː ˈlɛmənz, meɪk ˌlɛməˈneɪd/ | Turn a negative situation into a positive one. | He lost his job but started his own business. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. |
| When the cat is away, the mice will play | /wɛn ðə kæt ɪz əˈweɪ, ðə maɪs wɪl pleɪ/ | When the person in charge is absent, people will misbehave or take advantage. | As soon as the teacher left the room, the students started talking. When the cat is away, the mice will play. |
| When the going gets tough, the tough get going | /wɛn ðə ˈɡoʊɪŋ ɡɛts tʌf, ðə tʌf ɡɛt ˈɡoʊɪŋ/ | Strong people take action when faced with difficulties. | When the project hit a snag, she worked overtime to fix it. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. |
| When the oak is before the ash, then you will only get a splash; when the ash is before the oak, then you may expect a soak | /wɛn ði oʊk ɪz bɪˈfɔːr ði æʃ, ðɛn juː wɪl ˈoʊnli ɡɛt ə splæʃ; wɛn ði æʃ ɪz bɪˈfɔːr ði oʊk, ðɛn juː meɪ ɪkˈspɛkt ə soʊk/ | A weather proverb: if oak leaves appear before ash, the summer will be dry; if ash appears first, it will be wet. | The oak is leafing out before the ash this year, so we'll only get a splash of rain. |
| When you have seen one, you have seen them all | /wɛn juː hæv siːn wʌn, juː hæv siːn ðɛm ɔːl/ | Things of the same type are so similar that seeing one is enough to know what the others are like. | I don't need to visit every cathedral; when you have seen one, you have seen them all. |
| When you're in a hole, stop digging | /wɛn jʊr ɪn ə hoʊl, stɒp ˈdɪɡɪŋ/ | If you are in a bad situation, don't make it worse by continuing the same actions. | He kept lying to cover up his mistake. I told him, when you're in a hole, stop digging. |
| Where there is a will there is a way | /wɛr ðɛr ɪz ə wɪl ðɛr ɪz ə weɪ/ | If you are determined enough, you will find a way to achieve your goal. | She was determined to learn piano despite her age. Where there is a will there is a way. |
| Where there is life there is hope | /wɛr ðɛr ɪz laɪf ðɛr ɪz hoʊp/ | As long as someone is alive, there is a chance for improvement or recovery. | The doctors say he might recover. Where there is life there is hope. |
| Where there is muck there is brass | /wɛr ðɛr ɪz mʌk ðɛr ɪz bræs/ | Dirty or unpleasant work often brings money. | He made his fortune in waste management. Where there is muck there is brass. |
| Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right | /ˈwɛðər juː θɪŋk juː kæn, ɔːr juː θɪŋk juː kænt, jʊr raɪt/ | Your mindset determines your success; believing you can or cannot will make it true. | He was sure he would fail the exam, and he did. Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right. |
| While there is life there is hope | /waɪl ðɛr ɪz laɪf ðɛr ɪz hoʊp/ | As long as someone is alive, there is a chance for improvement or recovery. | The doctors say he might recover. While there is life there is hope. |
| Who will bell the cat? | /huː wɪl bɛl ðə kæt/ | Who will take on a dangerous or risky task for the common good? | Everyone wants the boss to know about the problem, but who will bell the cat? |
| Whom the Gods love die young | /huːm ðə ɡɑːdz lʌv daɪ jʌŋ/ | Good people often die young, implying that the gods take them early because they are favored. | He was so talented and kind, and he passed away at 25. Whom the Gods love die young. |
| Why keep a dog and bark yourself? | /waɪ kiːp ə dɔːɡ ænd bɑːrk jɔːrˈsɛlf/ | If you have someone to do a task for you, don't do it yourself. | You hired an assistant, but you're doing all the work yourself. Why keep a dog and bark yourself? |
| With great power comes great responsibility (often attributed to Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man) | /wɪθ ɡreɪt ˈpaʊər kʌmz ɡreɪt rɪˌspɒnsəˈbɪlɪti/ | Those who have power must use it wisely and be accountable for their actions. | As a manager, you have authority over your team. With great power comes great responsibility. |
| Woe to the vanquished | /woʊ tuː ðə ˈvæŋkwɪʃt/ | The losers in a conflict suffer harsh consequences. | After the war, the defeated nation had to pay heavy reparations. Woe to the vanquished. |
| Woman is the root of both good and evil | /ˈwʊmən ɪz ðə ruːt ɒv boʊθ ɡʊd ænd ˈiːvəl/ | Women can be the source of both positive and negative outcomes. | He blamed his troubles on his wife, but also credited her for his success. Woman is the root of both good and evil. |
| Wonders will never cease | /ˈwʌndərz wɪl ˈnɛvər siːs/ | An expression of surprise at something unexpected, often ironic. | He actually arrived on time! Wonders will never cease. |
| Work expands so as to fill the time available | /wɜːrk ɪkˈspændz soʊ æz tuː fɪl ðə taɪm əˈveɪləbəl/ | If you have more time to do a task, you will tend to use all of it, even if the task doesn't require it. | I gave myself a week to write the report, and it took the whole week. Work expands so as to fill the time available. |
| Worrying never did anyone any good | /ˈwɜːriɪŋ ˈnɛvər dɪd ˈɛniˌwʌn ˈɛni ɡʊd/ | Worrying is pointless and doesn't solve problems. | Stop stressing about the exam; worrying never did anyone any good. |
| You are never too old to learn | /juː ɑːr ˈnɛvər tuː oʊld tuː lɜːrn/ | Learning is possible at any age. | My grandmother started painting at 80. You are never too old to learn. |
| You are what you eat | /juː ɑːr wʌt juː iːt/ | Your health and well-being are directly affected by the food you consume. | If you eat junk food, you'll feel unhealthy. You are what you eat. |
| You can have too much of a good thing | /juː kæn hæv tuː mʌtʃ ʌv ə ɡʊd θɪŋ/ | Even pleasant things can become harmful or unpleasant in excess. | I love chocolate, but eating a whole cake made me sick. You can have too much of a good thing. |
