Talk:Bulgarian proverbs

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  • Всяка жаба да си знае гьола.
    • Every frog must know its pond.
    • Meaning: Every one must know his/her place. Or Everyone must know his/her origin.
  • И вълкът сит и агнето цяло.
    • It can't be, that the wolf is full, and the lamb is alive.
    • Meaning: In a dispute, both sides can't be satisfied.
    • Es kann nicht sein, dass der Wolf satt ist und das Schaf lebt.
  • Вълкът козината си мени, но нрава никога.
    • A wolf can shed his fur, but can't change his temperament.
    • A leopard cannot change its spots.
  • Гладна мечка хоро не играе.
    • Hungry bear doesn't dance.
    • Ein hungriger Bär tanzt nicht.
  • Глупостта не ходи по гората.
    • You can't find stupidity in the forest.
  • Гузен негонен бяга
    • The guilty one runs unchased.
  • Да бe мирно седяло, не би чудо видяло.
    • If you had been calm, you wouldn't have seen a miracle.
      • Meaning: If you you had been careful you would not have gotten into trouble.
  • Една лястовичка пролет не прави.
    • One swallow doesn't make a spring.
    • Une hirondelle ne fait pas le printemps.
    • Eine Schwalbe macht noch keinen Sommer.
    • Unu hirundo printempon ne alportas.

Жената може мъжа си и везир,може и на резил да го направи.

  • За вълка говорим, а той в кошарата.
    • Speaking of the devil.'
    • We're taking about the wolf and it turns out he's in the sheep pen.
    • Wenn man vom Teufel spricht, kommt er.
  • За някой сватба, за други брадва.
    • For some a wedding, for others an axe.
  • Кажи ми какви са приятелите ти, за да ти кажа какъв си ти.
    • Tell me who your friends are, so I can tell you who you are.
  • Кажи на вола си - никой няма да разбере, кажи на жена си - цяло село ще разбере.
    • Tell your ox and nobody will know, tell your wife and the whole village will know.
  • Когато цъфнат налъмите
    • Translation: When sabots begin to flower
      • Meaning: used to say that something will never happen
  • Който копае гроб другиму, сам пада в него.
    • Translation: Dig a grave for someone else, fall into it.
  • Който не работи, не трябва да яде.
    • The one who does not work, must not eat.
    • Der, der nicht arbeitet, darf nicht essen.
  • Който пее, зло не мисли.
    • The one who sings, evil does not think.
  • Който се смее последен, се смее най-добре.
    • He who laughs last, laughs best.
    • Rira bien qui rira le dernier.
    • Wer zuletzt lacht, lacht am besten.
  • Крушата не пада по-далеч от корена.
    • The pear doesn't fall far from the roots of the tree.
      • Meaning: (negative connotation) You are like your family circle.
    • Der Apfel fällt nicht weit vom Stamm.
  • Казали на лисицата, а тя си казала на опашката.
    • They said to the fox, the fox said to its tail.
    • Meaning: One is told to do something but will never do it.
  • Като се обърне каруцата, пътища много.
    • Translation: When the cart rolled over, there had been many roads.
    • Meaning: You can not change what already happened.
  • Не е луд този, който яде зелника, луд е този, който му го дава.
    • Translation: He's not crazy, he who eats the pastry, crazy is the one who gave it to him.
  • На чужд гръб и 100 тояги са малко
    • Translation: 100 lashesh are still not enough if administered on someone else's back.
  • Очи, които не се виждат, се забравят.
    • Out of sight, out of mind.
    • Aus den Augen, aus dem Sinn.


  • Отиде коня у реката.
    • The horse went into the river
    • Meaning: The situation gets out of hand.
  • Присмял се хърбел на щърбел.
    • Meaning: A pot calling a kettle black.
    • In Polish: Przyganiał kocioł garnkowi.
  • По дрехите посрещат, по ума изпращат.
    • First impression is from your dress, last impression from your brains/wits.
  • Пази Боже сляпо да прогледа.
    • "God forbid that a blind one should gain sight."
    • Usage: Used to express frustration over someone's frequent boasts after acquiring some insignificant skill or knowledge.
  • Приятелството си е приятелство, но сиренето е с пари.
    • "Friendship is friendship, but cheese costs money."
    • Meaning: Separate business relations from personal.
  • Парен от каша -- таратор духа.
    • Оnce burned by hot porridge, you blow on cold soup.
    • Meaning: If you have been through trouble, you are more careful next time and you know what to do.
  • Петима Петко не чакат.
    • Five people won't be waiting for Petko.
    • Meaning: the majority wins.
  • Роди ме мамо с късмет, па ме хвърли на смет.
    • Give me birth, mother, as a lucky one, then go ahead and throw me onto the garbage pile.
    • Meaning: Luck is all you need.
  • С един куршум - два заека.
    • With one bullet - two rabbits
      • Meaning: Kill two birds with one stone
    • Zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe schlagen.


  • Стадо без мърша не бива.
    • There's no flock without a carrion.
      • Meaning: There is a black sheep in every flock
  • Стара чанта, но лачена
    • Old bag, but patent leather
      • Meaning: Used to describes woman who is old but looks very good.


  • Стана тя каквато стана.
    • Became she became what she became.
      • Meaning: We got into an unpleasant situation
  • Те ти, булка, Спасов ден.
    • Here you are, madam - Ascencion day.
      • Meaning:Something bad and unexpected happened.
      • Meaning:The long waited occasion occurs unexpectedly.
  • Три пъти мери, веднъж режи.
    • Measure thrice, cut once.
    • Meaning: Plan carefully.
  • Трай коньо за зелена трева.
    • Wait horse for green grass.
    • Meaning: What you are hoping for will never happen.
  • Трай бабо за хубост.
    • Wait, grandma, for beauty.
    • Meaning: Nice things take time.
  • У старо село нов закон не бива.
    • A new law in an old village won't do.
      • Meaning: used to say that it is not good to impose new rules where there is a lot of tradition.
  • Ум царува, ум робува, ум патки пасе.
    • Mind reigns, mind obeys, mind feeds the ducks.
  • Хубавите ябълки прасетата ги ядат.
    • Die schönen Äpfel fressen die Schweine.
    • The nice apples are always eaten by the pigs.
  • Храни куче, да те лае.
    • Feed a dog so you're barked at.
      • In Polish: Wychować węża na własnej piersi.
  • Чуждата кокошка е патка.

Translation: The fowl of others is a duck.

    • The grass is always greener on the other side.
  • Я камилата, я камиларя.
    • Either the camel, or the camelman
      • Meaning: There's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip[1]
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