Filipino Proverbs

• Aanhin ang malaki na hahanapin pa, kung mayroong maliit na nasa kamay na?
• What would one do with a big one that needs to be searched for, if there is a small one that is already in one's hands?

• Aanhin pa ang damo, kung patay na ang kabayo?"
• What would you do with what you have if it has no use? ***Literally, "What good is the grass if the horse is dead."

• Aanhin mo ang palasyo, kung ang nakatira ay kuwago. Mabuti pa ang bahay kubo, ang nakatira ay tao.
• What good is a palace if it's inhabited by owls. Better a straw hut inhabited by humans.
• A shot at materialism, this proverb states that it is better to live in a shabby house and be humane than to live in a lavish house and act like a low-life or animal.

• Ang buhay ay parang gulong, minsang nasa ibabaw, minsang nasa ilalim.
• Life is like a wheel, sometimes (you're) at the top, sometimes (you're) at the bottom.

• Ang gawa sa pagkabata, dala hanggang pagtanda.
• What one learns in childhood he carries into adulthood.

• Kung gusto, maraming paraan; kung ayaw, maraming dahilan.
• Those who want (to do something) (find) many ways; Those who don't want (to do something) (find) many excuses.

• Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika, daig pa ang hayop at malansang isda.
• He who does not love his native language is worse than a beast or a putrid fish.

• Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.
• He who does not look back where he came from will never get to his destination.

• Ang katamaran ay kapatid ng kagutuman.
• Laziness is the sibling of starvation.

• Ang langaw na dumapo sa kalabaw, mataas pa sa kalabaw ang pakiramdam.
• A fly that lands on a carabao feels itself superior to the carabao.

• Ang lumalakad nang mabagal, kung matinik ay mababaw. Ang lumalakad nang matulin, kung matinik ay malalim.
• Thorns bury shallowly into one who walks slowly. Thorns bury deeply into one who walks fast.

• Ang maniwala sa sabi-sabi, walang bait na sarili.
• He who believes in hearsay has no sanity.

• Ang masamang damo, mahaba ang buhay .
• Bad grass does not die easily.

• Ang nagtanim ng hangin, bagyo ang aanihin.
• He who sows the wind, reaps a typhoon.

• Ang pagsasabi ng tapat ay pagsasamang maluwat.
• Truthfulness ensures a lasting relationship.
• Literally translated : Telling the truth is getting along well.

• Ang pili nang pili, natatapat sa bungi.
• One who spends too much time choosing ends up with cracked wares.
• Romantically: A choosy person ends up with someone lesser than she/he expected.

• Ang sinungaling ay kapatid ng magnanakaw.
• A person who lies is the sibling of a person who steals. ***Literally translated: A liar is the sibling of a thief.

• Ang taong nagigipit, sa patalim kumakapit.
• A desperate person will hold on to a knife edge.

• Ang taong walang kibo, tiyan ang kumukulo.
• A person who is outwardly calm has anger raging inside his stomach.

• Ang tunay na anyaya, sinasamahan ng hila.
• A sincere invitation is accompanied by a pull (of the hand).

• Ang umaayaw ay di nagwawagi, ang nagwawagi ay di umaayaw.
• He who quits does not succeed, he who succeeds does not quit.

• Anuman ang gagawin, makapitong isipin.
• Whatever you do, think about it seven times.

• Ang maghangad ng kagitna, Isang salop ang nawawala
• He who cannot do things on his own, loses a lot

• Batu-bato sa langit, ang tamaan, huwag magagalit.
• Stones hurled to the sky. Don't get angry if you get hit.
• Meaning: Don't be angry if you get criticized without naming names.
• Stones in the sky, he who gets hit, shouldn't get angry.
• Interpretation : If a criticism intended for somebody hits you, you should not be angry.

• "Basurang itinapon mo, babalik sa iyo"
• The garbage you throw away will return to you.
• Same as: you reap what you sow

• Daig ng maagap ang taong masipag.
• The prepared beats the hardworking person.

• Damitan mo man ang matsing, matsing pa rin.
• A monkey dressed up is still a monkey.

• Di lahat ng kagalingan ay may dalang katamisan.
• Not all goodness brings sweetness.

• Habang maikli ang kumot, matutong mamaluktot.
• While the blanket is short, one should learn to sleep in a fetal position

• Huli man daw at magaling, naihahabol din.
• It is never too late to offer anything that is good.

• Habang may buhay, may pag-asa.
• If there's life, there's hope.

• Kung ano ang puno, siya ang bunga.
• Whatever the tree, so is the fruit.

• Kung may isinuksok, may madudukot.
• If you stash, you have something to withdraw.
• If something was saved, there is something to withdraw.

• Kung may tinanim, may aanihin.
• If you plant, you harvest.

• Kung nasaan ang asukal, naruon ang langgam.
• Wherever you find sugar, you'll find ants.

• Kung sino ang masalita ay siyang kulang sa gawa.
• He who speaks too much works too little.

• Kung may tiyaga, may nilaga.
• If you persevere, you'll have stew.
• If you don't persevere, you can expect no reward.
• Interpretation : He who works, gets compensated.

• Kung sino ang pumutak, siya ang nanganak.
• He who cackles lays the eggs.
• He who blabs is the guilty party.

• Kunwaring matapang bagkus duwag naman.
• One who acts tough is really a coward.

• Madali ang maging tao, mahirap magpakatao.
• It is easy to be human. It is hard to be humane.

• Maingay ang latang walang laman.
• Noisy is the can that contains nothing.

• Matalino man ang matsing, napaglalamangan din.
• An intelligent monkey can still be outsmarted.

• Matibay ang walis, palibhasa'y magkabigkis.
• A broom is sturdy because its strands are tightly bound.

• May tainga ang lupa, may pakpak ang balita.
• The earth has ears, news (gossip) has wings.

• Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa.
• Mercy resides in God; deeds are in men.

• Pagkahaba-haba man daw ng prusisyon, sa simbahan din ang tuloy.
• No matter how long the procession, it still ends up in church.

• "Pag-ibig, Pag-asa, at Pananampalataya sa Diyos, tatlong katangiang dapat nating kamtan, nang sa buhay sa mundo, tayo ay magtagumpay"
• We should always keep in mind that Love, Hope, and Faith in God,will bring us success in life.

• Pag may isinuksok, may maidudukot
• When you insert something, you can pull it

• Punong mabunga madalas binabato.
• A tree that bears fruit is often hurled at.
• people who succeed are the subject of jealousy and injury.