Common 80 English Proverbs with Meanings and Pictures -

English proverbs are simple and wise sayings that teach us life lessons in just a few words. People use them in daily conversations to give advice, share experiences, or express ideas in a smart way. Proverbs help us speak better English and understand the culture behind the language. In this article, you will learn 80 useful English proverbs with easy meanings and clear pictures for revision. These will make learning fun and help you remember them easily, especially if you are a beginner or a student.

Table of Contents

Most Useful English Proverbs for Daily Life

Proverb	Meaning
A stitch in time saves nine	Fixing a small problem early prevents it from growing.
Better late than never	It’s okay to be late if you still get the job done.
Actions speak louder than words	What you do matters more than what you say.
Every cloud has a silver lining	Bad times usually lead to something good.
Don’t judge a book by its cover	Don’t decide based on looks alone.
Look before you leap	Think before you act.
A friend in need is a friend indeed	True friends help during hard times.
Practice makes perfect	Repeating something helps you get better at it.
Too many cooks spoil the broth	Too many people can ruin a task.
Time and tide wait for no man	Don’t waste time because it won’t wait.
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you	Don’t hurt those who help you.
Honesty is the best policy	Telling the truth is always good.
No pain, no gain	You must work hard to succeed.
Old is gold	Something old can still be valuable.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way	If you want it, you’ll find a way.
You reap what you sow	Your actions decide your future.
The early bird catches the worm	Being early gives you an advantage.
Rome wasn’t built in a day	Big goals take time.
Don’t cry over spilled milk	Don’t waste time on what’s already done.
One step at a time	Go slowly and steadily to succeed.

Most Useful English Proverbs for Daily Life

Popular English Proverbs Everyone Should Know

Proverb	Meaning
Money doesn’t grow on trees	Don’t waste money—it’s hard to earn.
What goes around comes around	Your actions will return to you.
Two heads are better than one	Working together is better.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch	Don’t assume something too early.
You can’t have your cake and eat it too	You can’t enjoy two opposite things at once.
Beggars can’t be choosers	Accept what you get when you have no options.
Birds of a feather flock together	People with similar interests stay together.
Jack of all trades, master of none	Doing many things may stop you from mastering one.
Beauty is only skin deep	Looks don’t show true worth.
The grass is always greener on the other side	Others’ lives often seem better than yours.
Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill	Don’t make small issues big.
A penny saved is a penny earned	Saving money is as good as earning it.
Curiosity killed the cat	Asking too much can lead to trouble.
All that glitters is not gold	Not everything shiny is valuable.
Still waters run deep	Quiet people often have deep thoughts.
Haste makes waste	Doing things too quickly leads to mistakes.
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks	It’s hard to change old habits.
Out of sight, out of mind	We forget what we don’t see.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do	Follow local customs when you travel.
Strike while the iron is hot	Take action at the right time.

Popular English Proverbs Everyone Should Know

Best English Proverbs with Clear Meanings

Proverb	Meaning
Silence is golden	Staying quiet is often wise.
Knowledge is power	Learning gives you strength.
Easier said than done	Saying something is easier than doing it.
All’s well that ends well	If it ends okay, all is okay.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket	Don’t risk everything on one thing.
Great minds think alike	Smart people often have similar ideas.
Let sleeping dogs lie	Don’t bring up old problems.
A watched pot never boils	Time feels longer when you wait.
The pen is mightier than the sword	Words are more powerful than violence.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure	Different people value different things.
You can’t please everyone	Not everyone will agree with you.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it	Don’t change something that works fine.
You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours	Help me and I’ll help you.
Don’t burn your bridges	Don’t destroy your past connections.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder	Being apart can make you miss someone more.
Every dog has its day	Everyone gets a chance someday.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew	Don’t try to do too much.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day	Everyone can be right sometimes.
If you play with fire, you’ll get burned	Taking risks can hurt you.
Experience is the best teacher	Learning from life is most powerful.

Proverbs with Meanings

Famous Proverbs with Meanings Used in Conversations

Proverb	Meaning
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush	It’s better to keep what you have.
Don’t put the cart before the horse	Do things in the correct order.
You can’t judge a book by its movie	Appearances and stories are often different.
Actions show who you really are	What you do defines you.
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link	One weak part can break the whole.
One good turn deserves another	If someone helps you, return the favor.
No news is good news	If you haven’t heard anything bad, all is fine.
It takes two to tango	Problems often involve more than one person.
Life is not a bed of roses	Life has both good and bad times.
Many hands make light work	Working together makes things easier.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing	Knowing too little can be risky.
Where there is smoke, there is fire	Rumors may have truth in them.
You can’t always get what you want	We must accept some disappointments.
What’s done is done	You can’t change the past.
Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater	Don’t lose the good while removing the bad.
If you can’t beat them, join them	Sometimes it’s better to agree than fight.
People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones	Don’t blame others if you’re not perfect.
Fortune favors the bold	Brave people often succeed.
Don’t run before you can walk	Learn the basics before going too far.
The more, the merrier	More people make something more fun.