Selection of Calabrian proverbs, sayings and idioms most used in Calabria, including translation into Italian, as testimony to the wisdom of its people.
Calabrian idioms
- Cu vaci cu zoppu, lameness. (Those who go with the lame learn to limp)
- Cunfidenza is the patron of malacrity. (Too much confidence is the result of bad education)
- Whoever goes to ru mulinu, if he learns. (Those who go to the mill, get floured)
- If you do not do business so ca lanterna goes looking for trouble. (Who does not do his business, with the lantern goes looking for trouble)
- Sulu who makes sbagghja (Only those who do things, risk having problems)
- Chiù allisciu u gattu, chiù arrizza u pilu. (The better you treat a person, the more they turn against you)
- Spagnati du riccu mpovirutu and du poviru arriccutu. (Never trust the impoverished rich and the poor enriched)
- To flesh supra, the uossu bella seems. (The flesh above the beautiful bone seems)
- Who arrives late, malu stays. (Who arrives late, stays badly)
- Criscianu the years and criscianu the ailments (The years increase and the diseases increase)
Recommended readings- Hebrew proverbs: sayings and idioms
- Eskimo proverbs: sayings and idioms
- Romanian proverbs: sayings and idioms
- Proverbs about happiness: popular sayings
- Calabrian proverbs: sayings and idioms
- Who loves you makes you cry, who loves you makes you laugh. (Who loves you makes you cry, who loves you makes you laugh)
- Megghju aviri a chi fari cu centu briganti, ca cu nu stortu gnuranti. (It is better to deal with a hundred brigands rather than one, but stupid)
- De matina water is medicine. (In the morning water is medicine)
- Whoever is standing in front of you or horns you. (Who is inside your house or horns or takes something away from you)
- Habitu 'un fa monacu and chirica' un fa prievite. (The dress does not make the monk and the cleric does not make a priest)
- Fimmana senz’ arduri is comu rosa without hiavru. (Woman without heat is like pink without smell)
- Chiru chi fazzu eu, facia u ciucciu meu. (What I do, make my ass)
- Diu closes the door and kidnaps the window. (God closes a door and opens a window)
- Chirica 'un fa monacu (The dress does not make the monk)
Calabrian sayings
- Ah chimmu crisp you in the house grass. (May the grass grow inside your house!)
- Who pocu tene, caru ‘u tene. (Those who have little pay close attention to what they have)
- Cu hoe mbivi to water, cu futti mbivi to gutti. (Those who work drink water, while those who steal drink wine)
- The agiallu intra a caggia does not always sing for love, but for ray. (The bird in a cage does not always sing out of love, but out of anger)
- Those who piecure if they do, 'u lupu will eat itself. (Who sheep is made, the wolf eats it)
- Water passed 'a millstone. (Past water does not grind mill)
- Cu pucu you live and cu nenti you die. (With little you live and with nothing you die)
- Chine holds books, holds lips. (Who owns (reads) books, can speak)
- Water, fuacu and bread 'un se neganu mancu a ri cani. (Water, fire and bread are not denied even to dogs)
- Chini chianta patati, pluck potatoes. (Who plants potatoes, collects potatoes)
- Cu friends and relatives no cattari and no vindiri nenti. (With friends and relatives do not buy or sell anything)
- Get a stinky inchie. (Dew does not fill the well)
- Chine has health has dinars. (Who is healthy, is rich)
- Agiallu va duve truva granu. (The bird goes where the wheat is found)
- Chine campa sperannu, affrittu more. (Who lives of hope, desperate dies)
- Dulure de mole, dulure de core. (Toothache is like heartache; strong and long lasting)
- Chine tene robba, has parianti. (Who owns, has relatives)
- In jumi cittau a ji a piscà. (Don't go fishing at the silent river)
- Canjanu i sonaturi, but 'to music is always' to itself. (The players change, but the music is always the same)
Calabrian proverbs
- Amara chira casa cu l'erva a ru scalune. (Sad the house with the grass on the step)
- Good married, without woman and canata. (Anyone who has neither mother-in-law nor sister-in-law contracts a good marriage)
- Amaru cu u porcu no 'mmazza, to their beams it does not attack satiety. (Bitter is someone who does not kill the pig because sausages do not hang from the beams)
- Needs, presumptuous. (Who needs, no scruples to ask)
- Amaru u picciulu who vacates ncio’randa (Amaro the small that goes into the big)
- Beautiful and ugly, to death 'ngliutta (Beautiful and ugly, death swallows them)
- Amaru a chini mora. (Amara is the fate of those who die)
- In Santu Martinu si iaprunu i throw and try lu vinu. (In San martino the barrels are opened and the wine is tasted)
- A zirra d’a sira stipala per ra matina. (The rage of the evening keep it for the morning)
- Amaru who has to give and who has to have. (Unhappy is who must give and who must have)
- A vurpe quannu 'a grape junge says it is bitter. (The fox, when he cannot take the grapes, says he is immature)
- Dassa stari lu dogs who sleep. (Don't tease the sleeping dog)
- In vogghia mu ndi you make curls and cannola, ca u santu chè de marmuru don't sweat. (You want to make curls and cannoli, the saint who is made of marble does not sweat)
- In a word, it is chilla ca 'un if it says. (The best word is the untold one)
- Having napa at ra capu. (Having a bee in the head)
- Amicu de 'u bon tiempu, if it changes cu ru vientu. (Friend of happy weather, change according to the wind)
- A strata longa rumpe 'u carru (The long road breaks the cart)
- A ru cavallu jestimatu light ru pilu. (The horse that receives curses shines the fur)
- Keep your mind first to whom you say and then to whom you say yourself. (First think about who is talking to you and then what he tells you)
