 |
|
English speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Folk Sayings, Famous Quotes and Proverbs on Love
A
o Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
o All is fair in love and war. Or, All's fair in love and war. (Meaning: In the pursuit of love, rules are made to be broken.).
o All the world loves a lover.
o Anyone who thinks the way to a man's heart is through his stomach is aiming ten inches too high.
o As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. [Old Testament]
o As the best wine makes the sharpest vinegar, the truest lover may turn into the worst enemy.
B
o Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
o Beauty is only skin-deep. Or, Beauty is but skin-deep.
o Beauty draws more than oxen.
o Beauty lies in a lover's eyes.
o Beauty won't make the kettle boil.
o Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
o The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.
o The best things in life are free.
o Better be quarreling than lonesome.
o Better good manners than good looks.
o Better wear out shoes than sheets.
o Boys will be boys.
o Building relationships is like fermenting wine. You may crush the grapes with ample efforts and give them enough warmth at the inception. Yet the wine will age at its own leisurely pace.
C
o Charity begins at home.
o Cold hands, warm heart.
D
o Distance lends enchantment to the view.
o Don't dare kiss an ugly girl, she'll tell the world about it.
o Don't show your skin to a person who won't cover it.
o The drunken mouth reveals the heart's secrets.
E
o Every Jack has his Jill (Meaning: There's someone for everyone somewhere.).
o Every Jack has his Jill; if only they can find each other.
F
o Faint of heart never won fair lady. Or, Faint heart never won fair lady. (Meaning: Cowards don't get pretty women. And/or those who don't have courage don't get ahead).
o Familiarity breads contempt (Meaning: The longer one lives with an individual, the easier it is to dislike him/her).
o A fair face may hide a foul heart.
o The falling out of lovers is the renewing of love.
o Faults are thick where love is thin.
o Fear is stronger than love.
o The female of the species is more deadly than the male.
o For every bow there is an arrow.
G
o A good Jack makes a good Jill.
o Good men are hard to find.
o Goodness is better than beauty.
o The greatest hate springs from the greatest love.
H
o He that falls in love with himself will find no rival.
o Head over heels in love.
o The heart that once truly loves never forgets.
o Heaven had no rage like love to hatred turned, nor Hell a fury like a woman scorned.
o A heavy purse makes a light heart.
o Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned (which is merely a spark compared to the Sun as a measure of the power of God's wrath)
o Home is where the heart is.
I
o If loving her would be a sin, I wish to sin for the rest of my life.
o If passion drives, let reason hold the reins.
o Infatuations are aplenty. Love is rare.
o It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
o It's easy to halve the potato where there's love.
o It takes two to make a quarrel.
o It takes two to tango.
o If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don't, they never were.
J
Jealousy is a disease for the weak.
K
o Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.
L
o Like draws to like.
o Long absent, soon forgotten.
o Love at first sight.
o Love cannot be forced.
o Love conquers all.
o Love does much, money does everything.
o Love grows by giving. The love we give away is the only love we keep. The only way to retain love is to give it away.
o Love is a bridge between two hearts.
o Love is blind.
o Love is blind, as well as hatred.
o Love is friendship set on fire.
o Love is like war -- easy to begin but hard to end.
o Love is loving what your lover loves.
o Love is not finding someone to live with, it's finding someone whom you can't live without.
o Love is the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired. [Mark Twain]
o "Love keeps the cold out better than a cloak." [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet]
o Love laughs at locksmiths.
o Love makes the world go round.
o Love sees no faults.
o Love will creep where it may not go.
o Love will find a way.
o Lovers' quarrels are soon mended.
o Loving someone to bits. (Meaning) Loving a lot.
o Loving someone to death. (Meaning) Loving a lot.
o Lucky in cards, unlucky in love.
M
o A man in a passion, rides a mad horse.
o A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.
N
o Never love with all your heart, it only ends in breaking.
O
o Of all the pains, the greatest pain is to love, but love in vain.
o Out of sight... Out of mind.
P
o Parting is such sweet sorrow.
o Peace is an expression of love. Let's make love.
o Perfect love cannot be without equality.
o Puppy love. (Meaning) Love between very young people, that may not last.
o Put the light out and all women are alike.
S
o Salt water and absence wash away love.
o Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.
T
o Tell me whom you love and I'll tell you who you are.
o There are fish in the sea better than have ever been caught.
o There's life in the old dog yet.
o There's no place like home.
o There's plenty more fish in the sea.Or, There are plenty more fish in the sea. (Meaning: The sentence is often used to console women when they have been dumped.)
o Those who love deeply never grow old; they may die of old age but they die young.
o They who love most are least valued.
o They who love too much who die for love.
o Those who love most are least valued.
o To be head over heels in love.
o To give and not expect in return, that is what lies at the heart of love.
o "To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose, the next best." [William M. Thackeray]
o To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world. Or, You may only be one person to the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
o To wear one's heart upon one's sleeve.
o "Thou are to me a delicious moment." [Ralph Waldo Emerson]
o True love is like ghosts which everyone talks about but few have seen.
o A true friend laughs at your stories even when they're not so good, an sympathizes with your troubles evenw hen they're not so bad.
o True love never grows old.
W
o The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
o The way to a man's heart is through the ribcage.
o What the heart thinks the tongue speaks.
o Whoredom and grace ne'er dwelt in one place.
o When the heart is full, the tongue will speak.
o Where love fails we espy all faults.
o Where there is love there is life.
o Where there is no trust there is no love.
o Witches and harlots come out at night.
o A woman is like a cup of tea; you'll never know how strong she is until she boils.
o A woman's will is God's will (Meaning: that which a woman wishes, God wishes.)
o Women are like different brews of Coffee. Each one of them has her own Aroma and her own way of tantalizing the taste buds. Yet neither is better or worst than either of them, but the one that stands out for you is only a matter of acquired taste.
o Women are mysteries to men, but are wise to each other.
o A worthy woman is far more precious than jewels, strength and dignity are her clothing. [Old Testament]
o Write down the advice of him who loves you, though you like it not at present.
Y
o You can't buy love.
o You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her.
o You have to kiss a lot of toads before you find a handsome prince.
o You may only be one person to the world, but you may also be the world to one person. Or, To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1255996
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Spanish speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Spanish Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Love
A
o English equivalent: Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
- Spanish original: La ausencia es al amor lo que al fuego el aire: que apaga el pequeno y aviva el grande.
o Actions show love, not fine words.
B
o Beautiful women and good horses are lost by stupid people.
- Spanish original: A las mujeres bonitas y a los buenos caballos los echan a perder los pendejos.
o Beware of a woman with a bad reputation, but don't go putting your trust in a good woman either.
o A boy's love is water in a sieve.
D
o A determined heart will not be counseled.
o Desire turns an ugly woman into a pretty one.
E
o Every woman has something of a witch about her.
F
o Four things put a man beside himself -- women, tobacco, cards and wine.
G
o in English translation: God makes them and they meet each other.
- Spanish original: Dios los cria y elos se juntan.
o A good heart breaks bad fortune.
o A good-looking man is not quite poor.
o A good-looking woman is either vain or foolish.
o English equivalent: The greatest hate springs from the greatest love.
- Spanish original: El mayor aborrecimiento, en el amor tiene su cimiento.
H
o A handsome man is not quite poor.
o He who loves me loves my dog too.
o in English translation: He/She who loves you a lot can make you cry.
- Spanish original: Quien bien te quiere, te hara llorar.
o He who loves well is slow to forget.
o He who loves well, obeys well.
o Health and cheerfulness make beauty; finery and cosmetics cost money and lie.
o The heart is no traitor.
I
o If love be timid it is not true.
o If the eyes don't see, the heart won't break.
o In the dark and quiet, all women are smart.
- Spanish original: A oscuras y en silencio, no hay mujer sin ingenio.
L
o English equivalent: Love does much, money does everything.
- Spanish original: Amor con amor se paga; y lo demas con dinero.
o Love, grief and money cannot be kept secret.
o Love is like war; begin when you lie and leave off when you can.
o Love, pain and money cannot be kept secret; they soon betray themselves.
o English equivalent: Lovers' quarrels are soon mended.
- Spanish original: Rinen a menudo los amtes, por el gusto de hacer las paces.
o Lovers think that others have no eyes.
o in English translation: Lucky in cards, unlucky in love.
- Spanish original: Afortunado en el juego, desafortunado en al amor.
M
o Mad love -- I for you, and you for another.
o The man who does not love a horse cannot love a woman.
o A melon and a woman are both hard to know.
o A mistress in a high place is not a bad thing.
o in English translation: Much as I like you, puppy, but not enough to give you bread.
- Meaning: You're not that attractive and I'm not that desperate.
- Spanish original: Tanto te quiero perrito, pero pa' pan muy poquito.
o in English translation: A mule and a woman must be conquered with blows from sticks.
- Spanish original: A la mula y a la mujer, a palos se ha de vencer.
N
o Never advise anyone to go to war or to marry.
o New loves drive out the old.
o No fate is worse than a life without a love.
o No woman can make a wise man out of a fool, but every woman can change a wise man into a fool.
o No woman is ugly when she is dressed.
O
o The oaths of one who loves a woman are not to be believed.
o in English equivalent: Of all pains, the greatest pain is to love but love in vain.
- Spanish original: Amar, horas perdidas, sino correspondidas.
o Of soups and loves the first are the best.
o One loves drives out another.
o The only chaste woman is the one who has not been chased.
P
o Please your eye and plague your heart.
R
o in English translation: A rose too often smelled loses its fragrance.
- Meaning: A loose woman loses her charm.
S
o She is fond of greens who kisses the gardener.
o She who loves an ugly man thinks him handsome.
o Shut your door, and you will mkae your neighbour a good woman.
o Soft and fair goes far.
T
o Take hold lightly; let go lightly. This is one of the great secrets of felicity in love.
o Tell her she is handsome and you will turn her head.
o There is little use in watching a bad woman.
o in English translation (literally): They lived happily and ate partridge (and didn't give me any).
- English equivalent: And they lived happily ever after.
- Spanish original: Vivieron felices y comieron perdices (y a mi no me dieron).
o Those who have friends are rich.
o To give honor is to love grief.
o To love and be wise is impossible.
o True love suffers no concealment.
o in English translation (literally): Two breasts pull more than two wagons.
- Meaning: The ability of women to get things in their favor due to their beauty and sexuality.
- Spanish original: Dos tetas tiran mas que dos carretas.
W
o With lightning and with love, the clothes sound, the heart burns.
o English equivalent: What the eye sees not, the heart craves not.
- Spanish original: Ojos que no ven corazon que no siente.
o When love is not madness, it is not love.
o Where there is love, there is pain.
o Whoredom and thieving are never long concealed.
o in English translation (literally): A woman's pubic hair pulls more than a tractor.
- Meaning: The ability of women to get things in their favor due to their beauty and sexuality.
- Spanish original: Pelo de cuca jala mas que un tractor.
o Women, wind and fortune soon change.
Y
o You will not be loved if you care for none but yourself. | Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #827743
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
French speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: French Proverbs, Folk Sayings and Famous Quotes on Love
A
o in English translation: After the love, the repentance.
- French original:Apres l'amour, le repentir.
o "All that you are, all that I owe to you, justifies my love." [Marquis de Lafayette]
o in English translation: At night all cats are gray.
- Meaning: When the lights are out (i.e., in bed) women all look the same.
- French original: La nuit tous les chats sont gris.
B
o in English translation: Beautiful minds recognize eacho ther.
Equivalent: Great minds think alike.
French original: Les beaux esprits se rencontrient.
o Beauty without virtue is a flower without perfume.
o Better be an old man's darling than a young man's slave.
o in English translation: Big Corvette, small willie.
- Meaning: A French-Canadian saying that pokes fun of men who drive big cars, suggesting they are compensating for having a short penis.
- French original: Grosse Corvette, petite quequette.
o A big nose never spoiled a handsome face.
C
o in English translation: Cold hands, warm heart.
- French original: Mains froids, coeur chaud.
o A covetous woman deserves a swindling gallant.
E
o The ear is the road to the heart.
o "Even a very small degree of hope is enough to cause the birth of love." [Stendhal]
F
o Fair, good, rich and wise is a woman four stories high.
Meaning: If a woman is not only rich and wise but is good-looking and nice to boot she is a true giant among women.
o in English translation: Far from the eyes, far from the heart.
- Meaning: Out of sight, out of mind.
- French original: Loin des yeux, loin du coeur.
o A fence makes love more keen.
o A fool's heart dances on his lips.
o Fortune is a woman; if you neglect her today do not expect to regain her tomorrow.
G
o The greatest hate springs from the greatest love.
H
o The handsomest woman can only give what she has.
o in English translation: Happy at play, unhappy in love.
Equivalent: Lucky in cards, unlucky in love.
French original: Heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour.
o The heart leads whither it goes.
o in English translation (literally) The heart that sighs does not have what it desires.
- French original: Coeur qui soupire n'a pas ce qu'il desire.
I
o in English translation (literally): It's loving too much when one dies of it.
- Meaning: They love too much who die for love.
- French original: C'est trop aimer quand on en meurt.
o In love, there is always one who kisses and one who offers the cheek.
L
o Life is never long enough for a coquette.
o in English translation (literally): Look for the woman.
- Meaning: A woman is probably at the heart of the quarrel.
- French original: Cherchez la femme.
o Love, a cough, smoke and money cannot long be hid.
o Love teaches even asses to dance.
o in English translation: Lucky in cards, unlucky in love.
- French original: Heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour.
o in English translation: Love and poverty do bad housework together.
- French original: L'amour et la pouvrer font ensemble mauvais manage.
o Love can be a violent emotion for some.
o Love does much, but money does all.
o Love makes the time pass. Time makes love pass.
o Love me, love my dog.
M
o The maxims of men disclose their hearts.
o in French translation: The most beautiful girl in the world can only give as much as she has.
- French original: La plus belle fille du monde ne peut donner que ce qu'elle a.
N
o Never choose your women or lien by candlelight.
o in English translation: Never coward shall have fair lady for a friend.
- Meaning: Faint heart never won fair lady.
- French original: Jamais couard n'aura belle amie.
O
o in English translation: Often women change.
- Equivalent: Women are fickle.
- French original: Souvent femme varie.
o in English translation: One always returns to his first love.
- French original: On revient toujours a ses premieres amours.
P
o Pity is akin to love.
o The pleasure of love lasts but a moment. The pain of love lasts a lifetime.
o The prettiest girl in the world can only give what she has.
S
o The sole victory over love is flight.
o in English translation: Stolen fruit is sweet.
- English Equivalent: Forbidden fruit is the sweetest.
T
o in English translation (literally). That which a woman wishes, God wishes.
- Meaning: A woman's will is God's will.
- French original: Ce que femme veut, Dieu le veut.
o in English translation (literally) There is more than one donkey at the fair called Martin.
- English equivalent: There's plenty more fish in the sea.
- French original: Il y a plus d'un ane a la foire qui s'appellent Martin or Tous les anes ne s'appellent pas Martin.
o in English translation: There is no Jenny who does not find her donkey.
- Meaning: every Jack has his Jill.
- French original: Il n'y a pas d'anesse que ne trouve son ane.
o There is one who kisses, and the other who offers a cheek.
o "There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved." [George Sands]
o There never was a mirror that old a woman she was ugly.
o in English translation: Those who look alike will get together.
- English equivalent: Birds of a feather flock together.
- French original: Qui se ressemble, s'assemble.
o To love and to be wise are two different things.
o To love is to choose.
o Try to reason about love and you will lose your reason.
W
o Where there's music there can be love.
o When we cannot get what we love, we must love what is within our reach.
o With blows, love decays.
o Without bread and wine even love will pine.
o Who loves well is slow to forget.
o in English translation: Who loves well, suffers well.
- Meaning: If you love, you're bound to get hurt.
- French original: Qui aim bien, chatie bien.
o in English translation (literally) A woman laughs when she can and weeps when she wants.
- French original: Femme rit quand elle peut et pleure quand elle veut.
o Women, money and wine have their balm and their harm. | Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #812046
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
German speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: German Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Love
A
o in English translation: All cats are gray in the dark.
- Meaning: At night all women are similar in the sack.
F
o A fence makes love more keen.
o Fire in the heart sends smoke into the head.
H
o A hug a day keeps the demons at bay.
I
o in English translation (literally): If you want to score, you have to know how to smile.
- Meaning: If you keep this bad mood, you'll never find a girlfriend.
- German original: Wer poppen will, mub lacheln konnen.
o in English translation: In the night all cats are gray.
- Meanings: Polite version: Used when explaining why you could not discern one thing from the other.
- Impolite version: If it is late enough and I am drunk enough I don't care what my one-night-stand looks like.
- German original: Bei nacht sind alle katzen grau.*
* Note from Wikepedia
L
o "Love consists in this, that two solitudes protect and touch and greet each other." [Rainer Maria Rilke]
o Love sees roses without thorns.
O
o in English translation: Old love does not rust.
- English equivalent: Old flames never die.
- German original: Alte liebe roster nicht.
o in English translation: On old pots you learn cooking.
- Meaning: Older women can teach you a lot in bed.
o in English translation: Out of the eyes, out of the mind.
- Meaning: Out of sight, out of mind.
T
o "There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness." [Nietzsche]
o in English translation: Two souls, one thought. Two hearts, one beat.
- German original: Zqei seelen und ein gedank, zwei herzen, und ein schlag.
W
o A woman has the form of an angel, the heart of a serpent, and the mind of an ass. | Contributed by: Image Courtesy of The New York Library, Digital Gallery #832624
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Corsica | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Italian Proverb or Folk Saying on Love -- Corsica
o in Italian: (Dialect) Bellezza un si ne magna.
o in English: (Literally) Beauty can't be eaten. (Meaning) Good looks won't do you any good when you're hungry.
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1146962
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Corsica | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Italian Proverb or Folk Saying on Love -- Corsica
o in Italian: (Dialect) Ne spaziale ne uttore [dottore] po guari u mal d'amore.
o in English: (Literally) Neither space nor a doctor can help you recover from a bad love affair. (Meaning) There's no cure for heartache -- neither a doctor nor time and distance will do you any good.
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1220773
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
Corsica | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Italian Proverb or Folk Saying on Love -- Corsica
o in Italian: (Dialect) Ogni scarpu trova u su pede.
o in English: (Literally) Every shoe finds its foot. (Meaning) There's a partner for every individual. Or, Every individual can be matched up.
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Galery #1159823
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
The East | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Proverb or Folk Saying on Love
o "When four eyes met, then love came into the heart."
| Contributed by: Image courtesty of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1524835
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
The East | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Proverb or Folk Saying on Love (Women)
o A man thinks he knows, but a woman knows better.
| Contributed by: Image courtesty of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery # 1524793
| | View full size image |
|
 |
|
The East | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Proverb or Folk Saying on Love
o Look the other way when the girl at the tea house smiles."
| Contributed by: Image courtesty of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1524819
| | View full size image |
|
Page: 1 / Next >> |
