Selection of Friulian proverbs, sayings and idioms most used in Friuli, including translation into Italian, as testimony to the wisdom of its people.
Friulian idioms
- La femine a ten su tre cjantons de cjase or a ju sdrume duc ’quatri! (The woman holds three corners of the house or demolishes all four)
- Ancje il diaul al 'ere un àgnul tal imprin. (The devil was also an angel at the beginning)
- Ancje the mus disgose to make a cjant a la morose! (Even the donkey scrapes himself to make a song to his girlfriend)
- Une biele femine 'and jè the paradîs from you, the infiâr from the anime and the purgatory from the tacuin. (A beautiful woman is the paradise of the eyes, the hell of the soul and the purgatory of the wallet.
- As long as ciape fuc ciase, no need to warm up. (When the house takes fire it's not time to warm up)
- Cul eats si vif, cul dizuna goes into paradîs. (By eating you live, by fasting you go to heaven)
- El lotus is in the brass. (The lot is in the arms, or luck is in working)
- Cui ch’al nol crot ai Sants, chrai al meracui. (Whoever does not believe in the Saints, at least believe in miracles)
- You can forgive yourself, but don't forget! (You can forgive, but don't forget)
- Vin al gives fuarce ae lenghe and la cjol aes gjambis. (The wine strengthens the tongue and removes it from the legs)
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- Cuant che polente e je pizzule, ten la to fete in man. (When the polenta is small, hold your slice in your hand)
- Love without barufe and fas le muffè. (Love without arguing makes mold)
- O fasarai al è fradi di nò fa mai. (I'll do it's brother to never do)
- If Mr. al mande il frut al mande ancje il pagnut. (If the Lord sends the child he also sends the loaf)
- Vin and amis, a paradis. (Wine and friends, I'm a paradise)
- Pan di paron al à siet crostis. (The master's bread has seven crusts)
- Every month the moon fas, every day you learn one. (Every month the new moon is made, every day you learn something)
- The cjase dai contèns' a is anciemò di fa. (The house of content is still to be done)
- If the cur dul you play in Friul. (If your heart hurts, go back to Friuli)
- Cui che nol à vois, ul dî che s'a lis à gjavadis. (The one who has no vices means that he has removed them)
- A ’vuelin siet umign a fa un ciase,‘ and a femine a sdrumale is enough. (It takes seven men to make a house, but one woman is enough to destroy it)
- Cui ch’al nàs sfortunat, ancje s’al cole par daur si romp el nas. (The one who is born unfortunate, even if he falls backwards breaks his nose)
- Remember well the nuvizze that if you want to is brut, tomorrow is to sue! (Remember the bride that if today she is daughter-in-law, tomorrow she is mother-in-law)
Friulian sayings
- Nissun al à tant cefa like bon a nuie. (Nobody's as busy as the wimp)
- A ve moros ‘e jè una cros, a no velu a’ son dos. (Having a boyfriend is a cross, but not having it are two crosses)
- The bolp no fas mai damps there that is à la tane. (The fox never does damage near its lair)
- Marriages: at the age of a bon sacrament at the tignivin i prèdis. (Marriage: if it was a good sacrament, priests kept it)
- Each cjan lauds the sò tails. (Every dog praises its tail)
- Al fàle àncje il predi sul altar. (The priest on the altar is also wrong)
- Val plui un amì che cent parinc '. (Worth a friend of a hundred relatives)
- Prime di dì di nò, viot se tu pus dì yes, prime di di yes, pense sore one day. (Before saying no, see if you can say yes, before saying yes, think about it one day)
- Chel ch’al fâs un pas viàrs l'infir al à ‘za fate miege streets. (Those who have taken a step into hell have already made halfway)
- Une buine mari e val plui di cent maestris! (A good mother is worth more than a hundred teachers)
- The gjat al is a leon pe surìs. (The cat is a lion for the mouse)
- Al is lari tant cui ch’al robe, that cui ch’al ten the sac. (He who steals as much as he who holds the sack is a thief)
- A ridade lay a claut from speakers. (Laughter takes a nail off the dead chest)
- Given the stuff of the world, there is the ponta de la lengua. (All the things in the world are on the tip of the tongue)
- Water and el savon xe do boni dotori. (Water and soap are two good doctors)
- A l'è inutil teaches the mus, si piart tiemp, in plui, annoyed the beasts. (It is useless to teach the donkey, time is wasted and the beast gets more nervous)
- Ancje Dio al is furlan; sa nol pae vuei, al pae doman. (God is also Friulian; if he doesn't pay today, he pays tomorrow)
- Ten su i amis in public and coregju in privat! (Defend your friends in public and correct them in private)
- Val plui un amì che cent parinc '. (Worth a friend of a hundred relatives)
- The avar no si picje par no spindi the becs da cuarde. (The miser does not hang himself for not spending the rope money)
- I parinc ’si cognossin a fassis, gnòcis and cassis. (Relatives know each other at births, weddings and funerals)
- La tristèrie si impare cence mèstris. (Badness is learned without teachers)
- Tres robis impussibilis: makes sta férs i fruts, cori i viei and fa tasé lis feminis. (Three impossible things: make the children stand still, make the old run and silence the women)
Friulian proverbs
- The sbalios a ’son granc’ quant that love al is pìzzul! (Mistakes are big when love is small)
- The prin pecjàt al prepares the secont. (The first sin prepares the second)
- Lis feridis d'amor al po 'vuarilis dome chel che lis à fàtis! (Love wounds can only be healed by those who made them)
- Chel ch’al ul la fie ch’al cjareci la mari! (Who wants daughter caress mother)
- Which ch'al fas on the cjase in place, the fas or high masses or low masses. (Who makes the house in the square, or makes it too high or makes it too low)
- Every mat in par wise as much as al. (Every madman seems wise when he is silent)
- Tu estaras to pari cuanche tu saras pari! (You will esteem your father when you are father in turn)
- If you cìris the equality you cjatis tal simitieri. (If you look for equality you can find it at the cemetery)
- Cui sudors de furlanie vin, polente and ligrie! (With the efforts of the Friulians, wine, polenta and joy)
- Nol is a ver amî chel al dîs affirm yes. (It is not a true friend who always says yes)
- A che che al bute vie cu lis mans i tocje di la a cirî cui pis. (He who throws away with his hands must go looking with his feet)
- The aghe ruvine i puinz and vin the cjaf. (Water ruins the bridges and wine ruins the head)
- In maridasi you are well mes, in copa the purcit you are well an. (Getting married is good for a month, killing pig is good for a year)
- Tal pais dai zuète, duc ’a’ crodin by cjaminà drets. (In the land of the lame everyone thinks they are walking straight)
- The prin pecjat al prepare il secont. (The first sin prepares the second)
- Al è mior envies that no pietat. (Better envy than pity)
- Chel che nol a nemîs nol a nancje amîs! (Who has no enemies doesn't even have friends)
- A pecjat al is tant; cent prejeris a ’son poc. (A sin is a lot; a hundred prayers are few)
- I siors an il paradis in chest mont. (The rich have heaven in this world)
- Nol is nissun weddings that nol jentri the demons. (There is no marriage where the devil does not enter)
- Three times bon three times mona. (Three times good, three times stupid)
- The pas in cjase nol is aur che le pae! (Peace at home is priceless)
- Nancje in paradis no si ben bessoi. (Even in heaven you don't feel good alone)
