The best-known Brazilian sayings
The top 3 according to 0 votes from people: Soft water on hard stone hits until it bores a hole. · Who has no dog hunts with a cat. · Grain by grain, the hen fills her crop.. (Updated Sep 27, 2026.)
The sayings every Brazilian has heard from their grandma, with what each one means. Chosen from Wiktionary, Ciberdúvidas and lists of the most used proverbs in Brazil.
Automatically translated (original in Português). See the original
Top 15
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1
Soft water on hard stone hits until it bores a hole.
Persistence beats any obstacle; it comes from Ovid's line about the drop that bores through stone.
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2
Who has no dog hunts with a cat.
If you don't have the ideal tool, make do with what you have.
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3
Grain by grain, the hen fills her crop.
Little by little you get there.
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4
Don't look at the teeth of a gift horse.
Accept gifts without complaining.
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5
No mosquito gets into a closed mouth.
Sometimes it's better to keep quiet.
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6
Whoever has a mouth gets to Rome.
By asking, you can get anywhere.
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7
Each monkey on its own branch.
Everyone should mind their own business.
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8
A fish's child is a little fish.
Children take after their parents.
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9
Who sees the face doesn't see the heart.
Appearances can be deceiving.
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10
Pepper in other people's eyes is a refreshment.
It's easy not to care about someone else's suffering.
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11
The cautious man died of old age.
You can never be too careful. English: better safe than sorry.
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12
In the blacksmith's house, a wooden skewer.
Things are often missing where you'd expect them most. English: the cobbler's children have no shoes.
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13
Whoever wounds with iron will be wounded with iron.
Whoever does harm gets the same in return.
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14
After the storm comes the calm.
Hard times pass. Same in English.
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15
God helps those who rise early.
Those who start early and work hard are rewarded. English: the early bird catches the worm.
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16
A bird in the hand is worth more than two flying.
Better what's certain than the promise of something bigger.
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