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Folk Sayings on Family
Italy - Pre 1969 or Around the World, Click here

Piedmont, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Family -- Relatives & Friends -- by Region -- Piedmont
     
      o in Italian: (Dialect) Chi casca n' pocerta a perd ij amis e'l parenta.
      o in English: Who falls into poverty loses his friends and relatives.
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Puglia, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Italian Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Family -- Friendship -- by Region -- Puglia
     
      o in Italian: Se vuoi conoscere le persone, ci sono tre modi: la sfortuna, il vino e i soldi.
      o in English: (Literally) If you want to know a person, it's through bad luck, wine and money. (Equivalent) If you want to know what a person is really like, check out how he handles bad luck, his wine and his money.
     
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Puglia, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Proverb or Folk Saying on Family -- by Region -- Puglia
     
      o in Italian: (Dialect) L'omu e comu l'alburu: bruttu nudusu stortu ma tie nu te na futtire basta cva e fruttifuru.
      o in English: A man is like an olive tree -- he can be knobbly and ugly but it does not matter as long as he is fruitful. (Meaning) The worth of a man does not come from his looks, but rather from how productive he is.
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Puglia, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Easter and Christmas holidays -- by Region -- Puglia
     
      o in Italian: (Dialect) Natale a casta, e Pasqua a 'ndo t'acchie!
      o in English: Christmas at your own house, Easter wherever you are.
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Puglia, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Family -- Home-Sweet-Home -- by Region -- Puglia
     
     
      o in Italian: Dove c'e il letto c'e l'affetto.
      - in English: (Literally) Where there is a bed, there's affection. (Equivalent) Home sweet home.
     
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Sardinia, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Italian Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Friendship (Positive) -- by Region -- Sardinia
     
     
      o in Italian (Dialect): Mellusu unu bonu amigu chi non unu mau parenti.
      o in English: Better to have a good friend than a nasty relative.
     
      o in Italian (Dialect): Po connosci un'amigu de precisu, pappai deppisi unu saccu de sabi impari.
      o in English: (Literally) To know a friend you must have eaten with him a bag of salt. (Meaning) To know a friend really well you have to have had many experiences together over many years.
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Sardinia, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Italian Proverbs and Folk Sayings on Friendship (Negative) -- by Region -- Sardinia
     
      o in Italian (Dialect): De milli amigos, non sinde incontrac unu fidele.
      o in English: Out of a thousand friends, not one that is faithful.
     
      o in Italian (Dialect): Chini tenit dinai tenit amigus.
      o in English Who has money has friends.
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Sardinia, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Italian Proverbs and Folk Sayings on Family -- Relatives -- by Region -- Sardinia
     
      o in Italian (Dialect): Mellusu unu bonu amigu chi non unu mau parenti.
      o in English: Better to have a good friend than a nasty relative.
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Sardinia, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Italian Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Family -- Home Sweet Home -- by Region -- Sardinia
     
      o in Italian: (Dialect) Menzus chivarzu in domo sua chi non biancu in domo anzena.
      o in English: (Literally) Better to eat black bread at home than white bread in someone else's. P.S. Prior to World War II white bread had more status than black bread. So, the folk saying is saying that "There is no place like home."
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Sardinia, Italy
Date: Centuries-old
Notes: Italian Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Family -- Fathers -- by Region -- Sardinia
     
      o in Italian (Dialect): Homine in domu, pani fattu.
      o in English: (Literally) Man at home, bread made. (Meaning) If there is a man who is heading the household, then one can be certain that there is a provider for that family who will see to it that there is enough food to eat.
     
      o in Italian (Dialect): Fizzu 'e attu, sorighe tenede.
      o in English: (Literally) The son of a cat, catches mice. Equivalent: Like father, like son.
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