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Seychellois Proverbs- A selection of the  most common proverbs

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Most of our Seychellois proverbs are French based and the main contributors were settlers from the North-West region of France, who were for the most part illiterate peasants but who were also vectors of a rich oral culture comprising songs, tales, proverbs, and so on.  Most of these proverbs are almost identical to their original form but have been creolised.

What are Proverbs

Proverbs are phrases or sayings that state a general truth based on common sense, often used to make a suggestion or to offer a piece of advice.

Tell me Some Proverbs -Photo Courtesy Michael Denousse

Proverbs represent the accumulated wisdom of a people, providing an insight into their customs and beliefs. This means that proverbs can help you gain a deeper understanding of the Seychellois  culture and mentality. Every language has its own proverbs which are used liberally in conversations. The Creole language is no exception.

If you wish to acquire more in-depth knowledge on the Seychellois proverbs, I suggest that you access Penda Theresia Choppy’s thesis ‘ATTITUDES TO SLAVERY AND RACE IN SEYCHELLOIS CREOLE ORAL LITERATURE’ which she submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of Master of Arts (by research). Her thesis is found here.

The structure of the list of proverbs

Now let’s jump in and have a look at some of the most popular Seychellois proverbs. This list is structured as follows:

  1. The proverbs are in alphabetical order and are all in creole (with one or two in French)
  2. Because we are a trilingual nation, I have taken the liberty  to describe and or translate the proverbs either in  English or in French.
  3. The literal French translation (Fr. Lit.) comes next , followed by the literal English translation (Eng. Lit). They are both in italic and inverted commas.
  4. The ‘meaning’ comes last, and this will be either in English or French, or in both.

Proverbs in Alphabetical Order

Afors al larivier kalbas i kase

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Tant va la cruche à l’eau qu’enfin elle se brise’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘So often does the jug go to water that in the end it breaks’.
  • Meaning 1 : Do not strain your luck.
  • Meaning 2: Anyone can only take so much.

Aide-toi et le ciel t’aidera.

  • Eng. Lit. ‘Heaven helps those who help themselves’.
  • Meaning: When in trouble first of all every one should do their best to improve their condition

An atendan, kabri i manz salad.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘En attendant, la chèvre mange la salade’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Meanwhile, the goat eats the lettuce‘.
  • Meaning: Without solution, a problem persists.

Ant de brans ki pe frote pa met ledwa

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Entre l’arbre et l’écorce il ne faut pas mettre le doigt’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Between the tree and the bark one shouldn’t put a finger’.
  • Meaning: Don’t meddle in other people’s business, you may get hurt 

Apre lafet grat latet/ Apre lakontantman depler

  • Fr. Lit. ‘ Après la fête, on se gratte la tête’.
  • Eng. Lit.  ‘After the feast, one scratches one’s head’.
  • Signification 1: Les difficultés financières surviennent après la fête.
  • Signification 2: Il faut savoir épargner avant les grosses dépenses.

Apre lanmor, la tizann.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Après la mort la tisane’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘ Administer the medecine  after death’.
  • Meaning: To bring solution when everything has been sorted out.

Apre lapli bo tan

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Après la pluie le beau temps’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘After the rain, the nice weather’ /’Every cloud has a silver lining’.
  • Signification: Il faut savoir être patient, les moments difficiles ne durent pas.
  • Meaning: Just keep looking at the brighter side and remain positive all throughout.

Aswar sat I manz son piti

  • Fr. Lit. ‘ Pendant la  nuit les chats mangent leurs petits.’
  • Eng. Lit.  ‘At night the cats eat their young’ .
  • Meaning: There is often a sexual connotation to this proveb. It suggests the perpetration of illicit or secret love affairs. For example, if someone is complimented on the fidelity of his or her partner, he/she may use this proverb jokingly, but the clear message is that what happens in his/her absence cannot be guaranteed.

Au royaume des aveugles les borgnes sont rois

  • Eng. Lit. ‘ In the kingdom of the blind the on-eye man is king’.
  • Meaning: In  a difficult situation in which someone with only a few skills is in a better position and more successful than those people who have none’.
  • Signification: Entouré de personnes ignorantes ou stupides, un individu doué d’un maigre savoir ou d’une maigre intelligence fait figure de génie

Balye nef, balye prop

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Balai neuf, balaye propre/ Il n’est rien tel qui balai neuf’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘A new broom sweeps clean’.
  • Meaning: We should never use an old tool when the extra labor in consequence costs more than a new one.
  • Note: We often apply it to exchanges among servants, clerks, or any persons employed, whose service, at first, in any new place, is very good, both efficient and faithful; but very soon, when all the new circumstances have lost their novelty, and all their curiosity has ceased.

Balye devan ou laport avan regard salte devan laport ou kanmarad

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Balaye devant ta porte avant de regarder la saleté qui traîne devant celle de ton voisin’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Before cleaning up your neighbor’s door, you must start by cleaning your own’.
  • Signification:  Il faut s’occuper de ses propres affaires avant d’essayer de régler les problèmes des autres.
  • Note: Il faut donc s’occuper de ce qui nous regarde avant d’essayer de s’immiscer dans la vie des autres.

Banmarse I kout ser

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Le bon marché coûte toujours plus cher’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Inexpensive things always end up costing more’.
  • Meaning: Buying something cheap may cost you more to repair or have to replace.

Barik vid i fer tapaz

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Ce sont les tonneaux vides qui font le plus de bruit’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Empty vessels/barrels make the most noise’.
  • Meaning: Those with the least knowledge and least talent are the ones who often speak the loudest and the most.

Bat feray kan i ankor so

  • Fr. Lit. Il faut battre le fer pendant qu’il est chaud’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Strike while the iron’s hot, or make hay while the sun shines’.
  • Meaning: It’s better to act right away to take advantage of an opportunity.

Bate ran pa fer mal.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Les coups rendus ne font jamais mal’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Returning a hit does not hurt’.
  • Signification: On a que ce que l’on mérite.
  • Meaning: What goes around comes around/ Vengeance is sweet.

Bef dan disab sakenn vey son lizye

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Boeuf dans le sable protège ses yeux’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘When the cows are in the sand, each should watch out for their own eyes’.
  • Meaning 1: People often act according to their own values and beliefs, even if they differ from others. It emphasizes that what is considered “right” is subjective and that perspectives can vary widely.
  • Meaning 2: To live for the moment and for oneself

Bezwen protez son pye diri

  • Fr. Lit. Protéger ses moyens de subsistance’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘To protect one’s rice field  / One has to protect one’s livelihood.’
  • Meaning: Protecting your livelihood is your means of securing the necessities for life.
  • Note: rice is an essential staple in Seychelles. Protecting your source of rice means survival.

Byen malaki pa prospere

  • Fr. Lit. Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘A thing dishonorably obtained never truly enriches’.‘ Ill gotten, ill spent’.
  • Meaning: Dishonestly acquired wealth is never profitable.
  • Signification:  On ne tire aucun avantage d’une possession ou d’un privilège obtenu par malhonnêteté.

Bon kont I fer bon zanmi

  • Fr. Lit. Les bons comptes font les bons amis’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Settling accounts breeds good friends’.
  •  Meaning: Good accounts make good friends /A debt paid is a friend kept. 

Bondye i gran

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Le Bon Dieu est grand’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘God is great’,/ Dieu peut tout faire
  • Meaning: God sees, punishes and rewards

Bondye pa dormi vent enler

  • Fr. Lit. Le Bon Dieu ne dort pas ventre en l’aire’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘God does not sleep face up’.
  • Signification:  Toujours avoir foi dans la justice divine

Bonzour pa rempli vant

  • Fr. Lit. “Bonjour” ne remplit pas le ventre’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Hello! does not fill the stomach’.
  • Signification:  Qu’il faut saluer par politesse les personnes que l’on croise, cela ne coûte rien.

Boulwar pa kapab dir marmit i nwanr

  • Fr. Lit. ‘ C’est l’hôpital qui se moque de la charité/    le chaudron mâchure la poêle’’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The kettle cannot call the pot black’.
  • Meaning: Evidently, the universal message is that one should not point a finger at others when one has the same flaw.

Dan bal kafe napa tryaz

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Dans un sac de café on ne trie pas’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘In a coffee bean bag there is no sorting’.
  • Meaning: Everybody getting punished despite only one person committing the offence.

Dan maler ki ou konn ou zanmi

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Amitié dans la peine, amitié certaine’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed’.
  • Signification:  C’est dans le besoin qu’on reconnaît ses vrais amis.  

Dan en sren ki annan pour sale?

  • Fr. Lit. ‘On ne peut pas saler un petit serin’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘What is there to salt in a robin?’.
  • Meaning: When a family shares the little they have with a neighbour.
  • Note: It is important to note also, that the Seychellois are generally known for their generosity and hospitality.
  • Also this proverb has a sexual connotation refering to ‘how do you make love to a thin /petite woman?’

Delo trankil i profon

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Les eaux calmes sont les plus profondes’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Still waters run very deep’.
  • Signification:  Ce proverbe incite à la méfiance face aux éléments ou aux personne les plus calmes.

Delo lo fey  sonz.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Comme l’eau sur le dos d’un canard’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Water on the taro plant leaf/Like water on a duck’s back’.
  • Meaning: Something has no effect on someone.
  • Note: This proverb comes from the way water slides off a duck’s feathers or the leaves of the taro plant of instead of soaking in. 

De boyo kat fes

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Deux boyaus quatre fesses/ C’est un visage à deux faces’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Two sets of intestine and four buttocks / two-faced person’.
  • Meaning : A hypochrite

Dibri lanmer pa anpes pti pwason dormi

  • Fr. Lit. ‘ Le bruit de la mer n’empêche pas les poissons de dormir’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The noise of the sea does not stop the fish from sleeping’.
  • Meaning:  The ability of living beings to adapt to their natural environment

Disan i pli epe ki delo

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Le sang est plus épais que l’eau/ La voix du sang parle toujours plus fort que les autres’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Blood is thicker than water’. 
  • Meaning: The family bonds will always be stronger than other relationships

Dizef poul pa kapab eklo kannar

  • Fr. Lit. ‘D’un œuf de poule ne peut sortir un petit canard’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Children carry the traits  or characteristics of their parents’.
  • Signification:  Exprime la fatalité de certaine filiation

Dizef kok pa eklo

  • Fr. Lit. ‘L’oeuf d’un coq n’éclos pas’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The cockerel’s egg does not hatch’.
  • Meaning: This proverb expresses the creole man’s scepticism about his paternity: This suggests that since he does not give birth to the child, he cannot be certain that it is actually his.

Donn ek lanmen drwat, repran ek lanmen gos

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Donner avec la main droite et reprend avec la main gauche’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Give with the right hand and take back with the left hand’.
  • Meaning: To help someone in one way, but also do something that has the opposite effect. For example, harming them or preventing them from achieving what they want.

Dormi zis en kote zorey

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Dormir d’un côté de l’oreille/ avoir le sommeil léger’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Sleep on only one ear’.
  • Meaning: Being always on the alert
  • Note: As opposed to ‘Dormir sur ses deux oreilles ( Eng. Lit. ‘to sleep on one’s two ears’), meaning  ‘to sleep soundly’.

Ek move zerb ou kapab fer bon latizann

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Avec de la mauvaise herbe, on fait de la bonne tisane’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘One can make medicine out of weeds’.
  • Meaning 1: There is so much good in the worst of us
  • Meaning 2: There is good even in bad people
  • Signification:  Tout peu servir sur cette terre

En move zouvrye i touzour blanm son zouti

  • Fr. Lit. ‘À mauvais ouvrier point de bons outils/ Le mauvais ouvrier a toujours de mauvais outils’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘A bad workman/craftsman always blames his tools’.
  • Meaning: One should take responsibility for whatever one has done wrong.

En promes se en det

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La promesse est une dette’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘A promise made is a debt unpaid’.
  • Signification 1:  Examine si ce que tu promets est juste et possible, car la promesse est une dette.
  • Signification 2:  On doit tenir ses promesses, du moment qu’on les a formulées.

Esper trouv bouden dan vant Koson

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Trouver du boudin noir dans le ventre du cochon’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Hoping to see black pudding in a pig’s belly’.
  • Meaning: Hoping to find something ready-made without putting in a lot of effort.
  • Signification:  Espérer trouver quelque chose de tout fait sans se donner beaucoup d’efforts.

Ere parey pwason dan delo

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Heureux comme un poisson dans l’eau’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Happy like a fish in water’.
  • Meaning: Someone who is comfortable in life.

Fer kwar lizour pour aswar

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Fais croire que le jour est la nuit’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Make believe day is night’.
  • Meaning: To try and convince people with false information.

Fer pak avan karenm

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Célébrer la Pâques avant le carèmes’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Celebrate Easter before Lent’.
  • Meaning: Get pregnant before marriage.

Fodre kas dizef pou fer lonmnet

  • Fr. Lit. ‘On ne fait pas d’omelettes sans casser les œufs /Il faut casser le noyau pour avoir l’amande’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘You cannot make an omelette without breaking the eggs/ You have to break the shell to get the almond’.
  • Meaning 1: Nothing can be done without putting efforts.
  • Meaning 2: No pain no gain.

Fordre an forzan ki ou vin forzron

  • Fr. Lit. ‘C’est en forgeant qu’on devient forgeron’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘It’s by forging that one becomes a blacksmith’.
  • Meaning: Practice makes perfect.

Gard lalang pou manz diri

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Garder la langue pour manger le riz’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Keep the tongue to eat rice with’.
  • Meaning: People who are unable to keep a secret or who tend to spread rumours.
  • Note: The significance of rice here is that it is the staple food of the Seychellois people, thus symbolic of basic survival.

Get ek ou lizye e fini ek leker

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Regarder avec les yeux and finisser avec le coeur’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Enjoy what you see but you cannot have it’.
  • Meaning: Do not touch or take what is not yours.
  • Signification:  Trouver du plaisir en tout mais se régaler seulement en souvenir.

Golan pa fer serman pye bodanmyen

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Le goéland ne fait jamais serment le badanier’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The fairy tern never forsakes the Indian almond tree’.
  • Signification:  La  gygis à bec fin n’abandonne jamais l’amandier indien.
  • Note: The fairy terns abandon the Indian almond tree seasonally when it sheds its leaves. However, as soon as it has sprouted new green leaves, they return to their nesting places.
  • This proverb is used as a metaphor for different situations in Seychellois society: an erring husband who always comes back to his wife, friends who cannot forsake each other in spite of difficulties that may arise in their relationship, or members of the same family who return to the family fold in spite of differences.

Goni vid pa tenir debout

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Estomac affamé rend faible’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Hungry stomach makes you weak’.
  • Meaning: Hunger can impact your ability to make decisions, as it can make it difficult for your brain to communicate effectively. 

Gran prometer, ti doner

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Grand prometteur, petit donneur’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Promises a lot and gives little’.
  • Signification:  Se dit des hommes politiques en général.

Gros pwason manz ti pwason

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Les gros poissons mangent les petits’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The big fish eat the small fish’.
  • Les faibles sont souvent opprimés par les forts
  • Meaning: It is the survival of the fittest.

Gro pwason in mord lo tar

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Le gros poisson mord sur le tard’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Big fish bite late’.
  • Signification:  Une bonne affaire se fait parfois attendre/Etre patient, et toujours garder espoir

I En kouto koup dekote.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il est un couteau a deux tranchants’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘One is like a  double-edged knife’.
  • Meaning: Somemone who operates like a double agent/spy
  • Note: A comparable proverb in this context is ‘I zwe de kote’ Eng. Lit. ‘Plays both sides’

I annan vye per, napa vye legliz,

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il y a des vieux prêtres mais pas de vieilles églises’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘There are old priests, but there are no old churches’.
  • Meaning: In Seychelles, the priest in this proverb is a figurative for the male and the church the female. When people use it, especially women, they mean that men’s sexuality can wane with age, but not women’s.

Inosan i pey pou koupab

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Les innocents paient pour les coupables’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The innocent pays for the sins the  guilty’.
  • Meaning: Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent.

Inn ganny kas fes

  • Fr. Lit. ‘On lui a cassé les fesses’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘He has been swindled’.
  • Meaning: Someone has been deceived or cheated out of money or property.

Kaka anmontan, kraz andesandan

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Chier en montant, marcher dedans en descendant’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Shitting on the way up, stepping in it on the way down’.
  • Meaning: This proverb’s intent is to warn against undesirable acts that might be revisited upon you

Kankrela pa ganny rezon devan poul

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La blatte n’a aucun espoir devant le poulet’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The cockroach has no hope in front of the chicken’.
  • Meaning: 
  • Note: Chicken like eating cockroaches.

Konseyer pa lepeyer

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Les conseilleurs ne sont pas les payeurs’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Givers of advice don’t pay the price’.
  • Signification:  Les personnes qui donnent les conseils ne sont pas celles qui auront à faire face aux conséquences de leurs dires.

Kont dizef dan vant poul

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Do not count your chicken before they are hatched’.
  • Meaning: You shouldn’t make plans based on something that hasn’t happened yet. It’s a warning not to assume that something you hope for will definitely happen, and to wait to see the actual results before getting excited.

Kot ou kaka kouver

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Couvre bien ta merde’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Cover well your shit’.
  • Meaning: Do not leave a track or I will find you. Implies revenge.

Kot ou trouv mous pe antoure i  bezwen annan pwason sale

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Poisson salé attire les mouches’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Salted fish always attracts flies’.
  • Meaning: Where there are young girls boys will always float around.

Kourpa i annan zorey

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Les escargots ont des oreilles’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Snails have ears’.
  • Meaning: Even the least menacing and slowest looking person may pose a barrier to you if the wrong news gets into their ears.

Kras anler tomb lo nennen

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Si tu craches en l’air, ça retombera sur ton nez’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘If you spit in the air, it will fall back on your nose’.
  • Signification:  Il a fait une chose dans le dessein de nuire à autrui et s’est nui à lui-même.

Labitid i en segonn natir

  • Fr. Lit. ‘l’habitude est une seconde nature’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Habit is second nature’.
  • Meaning: Repeating something frequently makes it seem natural or inborn.

Labou pa kapab riy lanmar .

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La boue ne rit pas la mare’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The mud cannot laugh at the marsh/ The pot cannot call the kettle black’.
  • Meaning: A situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.

Lake lisyen zanmen pou vinn drwat.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La queue d’un chien ne deviendra jamais droite’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘You can nwever straighten a dog’s tail’.
  • Meaning: One cannot change the impossible.

Lalang napa lezo

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La langue n’a pas d’os’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The tongue has no bone’.
  • Signification:  Il faut se méfier du bavardage de la langue ‘sans os’, qui bouge beaucoup.
  • Note: Les paroles, symbolisées par la langue, ne restent pas, n’ont pas de valeur, car à l’intérieur il n’y a rien de dur et de substantiel comme un os. Lorsqu’on dit cela de quelqu’un, cela signifie qu’on n’accorde pas de crédit à ses propos.

Lanmen drwat in lav lanmen gos

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La main droite lave la main gauche’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The right hand washes the left hand’.
    Signification:  S’aider mutuellement, la solidarité/ il faut se rendre service mutuellement.
  • Note: A comparable proverb in this context is ‘En lanmen i lav lot’.

La pares i manman tou vis

  • Fr. Lit. ‘L’oisiveté est mère de tous les vices’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Idleness is the mother of all vices’.
  • Meaning: An idle mind is the devil’s workshop/ the devil finds work for idle hands

Lapeti i vin an manzan

  • Fr. Lit. ‘ L’appétit vient en mangeant’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Appetite grows as one eats’.
  • Meaning: The more one has, the more one wants

Lannwit I port konsey

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La nuit porte conseil’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Night brings counsel/advice/wisdom’.
  • Meaning: This proverb  advises you to sleep on a problem to try to find a solution (i.e.: a time to reflect, think, ponder, rest, and often gain new ideas while sleeping)
  • But it could also be taken to mean that you shouldn’t act in haste.

Larivyer i sivre kolin

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La rivière suit la vallée’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The river follows the valley’.
  • Meaning: Everything follows a trend/ sequence.
  • Note: This proverb comments on the ability of the wealthy to accumulate more wealth because they have the means and the facilities, inclusive of the labour force.

Larzan pa fer boner me boner i fer larzan

  • Fr. Lit. ‘L’argent ne fait pas le bonheur, mais le bonheur fait l’argent’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Money does not create happiness but the reverse’.
  • Meaning: While money can make life more comfortable and offer more opportunities, but happiness is in fact the source of wealth
  • Signification:  Signifie que l’argent n’est pas source de bonheur, mais que le bonheur est lui, source de richesse.

Larzan i en bon serviter me en move met

  • Fr. Lit. ‘L’argent est un bon serviteur et un mauvais maître’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Money makes a good servant but a poor master’.
  • Meaning: Money can contribute to happiness for those who use it well but creates misery for those who are controlled by greed.

Lasans lisyen pas lasans sat

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La chance d’un chien n’est pas celle d’un chat/ A chacun sa chance’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The luck of a dog is not that of a cat’.
  • Meaning: Every one a fair chance or opportunity

Latwal nwar zanmen pou aret vann laboutik-

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Le tissu noir sera toujours vendu dans les magasins’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Black cloth will always be sold in the shops’.
  • Meaning: As long as nasty people exist there will always be crime and conflict

Laverite i ofans son met.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La vérité offence son maître/ Il n’y a que la vérité qui blesse’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Truth hurts’. 
  • Signification 1:  Les seuls mots qui pourraient nous faire du mal sont ceux qui révèlent quelque chose de nous, qui mettent à jour ce qu’on ne voudrait pas voir.
  • Signification 2:  On se sent d’autant plus offensé ou blessé que les remarques désobligeantes ou reproches qui nous sont faits sont justes et mérités.

Lenz sal i lav antre fanmir!!

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il faut laver son linge sale en famille’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Don’t wash your dirty linen in public’.
  • Meaning: One should never defy the rule of solidarity by revealing facts harmful to the group one belongs.

Ler sat pa la lera i danse.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Quand le chat n’est pas la le rat danse’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘When the cat’s away the mice/rat will play’.
  • Signification:  Lorsque le supérieur est absent, les subalternes profitent de leur liberté.
  • Note: En l’absence de l’autorité à laquelle on est normalement soumis, on fait preuve d’euphorie insouciante. Celle-ci peut d’ailleurs nous amener à transgresser les règles. Ce proverbe est souvent utilisé pour qualifier le comportement des enfants quand ils échappent à la surveillance des adultes.

Linyon i fer lafors

  • Fr. Lit. ‘L’union fait la force’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Unity makes strength’.
  • Meaning: Many hands make light work; united we stand, divided we fall; there is strength in numbers.

Lisyen zape pa morde

  • Fr. Lit. ‘ Le chien qui aboie  ne mord pas’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Barking dogs seldom bite’.
  • Meaning: People who make the most or the loudest threats are the least likely to take action.

Lizye dimoun pwazon!

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Les yeux des gens sont un poison’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘People’s eyes are poison’.
  • Meaning: Be  fearful of envious eyes.

Lonm propoz, Dye dispoz,

  • Fr. Lit. ‘L’homme propose, et Dieu dispose’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Man proposes, God disposes/Everything in its season’.
  • Meaning: Man may have his intentions but it is God who decides whether these will be realized or not.

Maler napa balizaz

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Le malheur n’a pas de frontières’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Misfortune has no boundaries/ Misfortune does not discriminate’.
  • Signification:  Le malheur ne distingue pas et, dans sa course errante, il se pose aujourd’hui sur l’un et demain sur l’autre.

Maler pa averti/ maler napa loder

  • Fr. Lit. ‘ Le malheur ne choisit pas toujours la porte où il frappe’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Misfortune does not annonce itself’.
  • Meaning: Accidents will happen 

Maler I vin lo seval al lo torti

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Le malheur vient à cheval et s’en retourne à pied./Le mal vient à cheval et le bonheur à pied’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Misfortune arrives astride a horse, and leaves on foot’.
  • Signification:  Le malheur s’abat plus vite sur l’homme que le bonheur lui vient.

Malediksyon bef pa pran lo bouse,

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Ça ne sert à rien que la vache maudisse le boucher’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘It is useless for the cow to curse the butcher’.
  • Meaning: The poor can be as bitter as they want because this is the order of things.

Manze so i donn dizesyon

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Manger des aliments chauds peut provoquer une indigestion’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Eating hot food may give indigestion’.
  • Meaning: Do not rush to get things done and then regret it.

Manz margoz anmer

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Manger melon amer ou margose’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Eat bitter melon’.
  • Meaning: Being unhappy in your marriage or relationship, inclusive of mental and physical abuse.
  • Note: The Seychellois refers to the period of slavery as ‘tan margoz’ meaning bitter period.

Maryaz pa badinaz.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Qui se marie à la hâte se repent à loisir’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Marriage is not a game’.
  • Meaning: He who marries in haste repents at leisure.
  • Signification:  Faute de réfléchir et de prendre le temps de connaître l’autre avant de se marier, on a toute une vie à passer avec lui pour le regretter.

Mefye ou lo ki dor

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il faut se méfier de l’eau qui dort’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘You should be afraid of still water /there is no worse water than the water that sleeps’.
  • Meaning: It carries the warning that silent people are dangerous
  • Signification 1:  Il faut se méfier d’une personne aux apparences sournoises et taciturnes.
  • Signification 2:  Il faut se méfier des personnes faussement calmes, doucereuses.

Mefye ou bann fo profet!!

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Gardez-vous des faux prophètes’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Beware of the false prophets, people who come  you in sheep’s clothing, and inwardly are ravening wolves’.
  • Meaning 1: A warning to be cautious of people who claim to be prophets or speak for God, but are actually spreading falsehoods.
  • Meaning 2: Don’t ever expose your mind to the influence of a false prophet. Don’t pay attention  to fake people.

Met delwil dan dife

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Jeter de l’huile sur le feu’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘To add fuel to the fire’.
  • Signification:  Aggraver, envenimer une situation, une tension, une hostilité.

Miray anan zorey.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Les murs ont des oreilles’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Walls have ears’.
  • Meaning: What you say may be overheard; used as a warning.

Mieux vaut tard que jamais

  • Eng. Lit. ‘Late is worth more than never /Better late than never’.
  • Signification:  Il est préférable de faire quelque chose en retard plutôt que de ne jamais le faire.

Mizer pa en vis me en klou byen rive

  •  Fr. Lit. ‘La pauvreté n’est pas vice mais un clou bien rivé’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Poverty is not a vice/screw, but it is a well-driven nail’.
    Meaning: Poverty is not a sin / it is not shameful to be poor.
  • Signification:  Il ne faut pas blâmer les pauvres. 

Montany pas zwenn dimuon in zwenn-

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il n’y a que les montagnes qui ne se rencontrent jamais’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘There are only mountains that never meet’.
  • Meaning: There are none so distant that fate cannot bring together.

Montre zako fer grimas.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Ce n’est pas à un vieux singe qu’on apprend à faire des grimaces’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘It’s not to an old monkey that one can teach to pull faces/ You can’t teach an old dog new tricks’.
  • Meaning: There’s no substitute for experience.
  • Note: It’s unclear why this proverb talks about monkeys since they’re no monkeys in Seychelles.

Napa bay ki pa touv son bay

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Chaque tyran a un tyran’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Every bully has a bully’.
  • Meaning: Everyone has his/her match.

Napa dife san lafimen

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il n’y a pas de fumée sans feu’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘There’s no smoke without fire’.
  • Meaning: If there are rumours or signs that something is true so it must be at least partly true.

Napa ni devan, ni deryer

  • Fr. Lit. ‘N’a ni devant ni derrière’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Somebody has neither front nor back’.
  • Meaning: People  who always contradict themselves and keep on changing their stories.

Nécessité est mère d’invention. 

  • Eng. Lit. ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’.
  • Meaning: When the need for something becomes essential, you are forced to find ways of getting or achieving it.

Ou a donn li lakonminyon san konfese

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Donner à quelqu’un la sainte communion sans confession’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Giving somebody holy communion without confession’.
  • Meaning: Someone  appears saintly,  yet has nasty habits. 
  • Note: The Catholic Church teaches that a person who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must confess it before receiving Holy Communion.

Ou kouto, mwan lavyann

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Tu es le couteau and je suis la viande’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘I am the meat and you are the knife’.
  • Meaning:  “I am at your mercy”. It can also imply a sense of violation.

Ou lalang pou fer lansonmwar ou fes.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Ta langue sera ton piège’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Your tongue will be your trap’.
  • Meaning: Refers to the idea that the tongue can be a blessing or a curse.
  • Note: Lansonmwar is a bamboo rat trap.

Ou pa kapab pres en keksoz apre ou fer lekontrer

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Prêcher par l’exemple/ mettre en pratique ce que l’on prêche’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Practise what you preach’.
  • Meaning: Behave in the way that you encourage other people to behave in.

Ou rekolte sa ki ou senmen!!

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Qui sème le vent récolte la tempête’. 
  • Eng. Lit. ‘As you sow, so shall you reap /He who sows the wind reaps the storm’.
  • Meaning: Your actions all have consequences. eventually you will always have to face the consequences of your actions.

Pa aste kabri da sak

  • Fr. Lit. ‘N’achetez pas un cochon dans un sac / Acheter chat en poche’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘ Not to buy a pig in poke’.
  • Meaning: This proverb is used to describe something that’s been purchased without knowing its true value or nature.
  • Signification 1:  Ne pas s’engager dans une affaire qui n’est pas claire.
  • Signification 2:  Toujours regarder à deux fois avant d’acheter quelque chose.

Pa bon tir loulou dan trou

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il ne faut pas faire sortir le crabe de son troue’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Do not remove a crab from its hole’.
  • Meaning: Always be careful when assisting someone in difficulty because they could ultimately harm you.

Pa dezabiy Sen Pyer pour abiy Sen Pol

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il ne sert à rien de déshabiller Pierre pour habiller Paul’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Robbing Peter to pay Paul/It’s useless to undress Peter to dress Paul’.
  • Meaning: To take money that was meant for one person or thing and use it to pay someone else or to pay for something else.

Pa kont pti poul avan i eklo

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué’. 
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. / You mustn’t sell the bear’s skin before you have killed it’.
  • Meaning: Don’t expect too much or count on something before it happens for you might end up disappointed.

Pa met ledwa ent de brans qui pe frote

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Entre l’arbre et l’écorce il ne faut pas mettre le doigt’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Do not put your finger between a tree and its bark’.
  • Meaning: Do not interfere when two parts are having an argument/Do not meddle in other people’s business.

Pa met tou ou dizef dan menm panye

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il ne faut pas mettre tous ses œufs dans le même panier’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket’.
  • Meaning: Spread your risks or investments so that if one enterprise fails you will not lose everything.

Pa kriy ipipip avan ou ver I plen

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Ne faites pas la fête tant que votre verre n’est pas plein’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Do not celebrate until your glass is full/ until the job is done’. 
  • Meaning: Celebrating too much can be a habit that prevents growth. It’s important to remember that while small victories are good, winning the bigger war is more important.

Pa ouver vye boubou

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Ne touchez pas aux blessures guéries’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘It is not wise to open old wounds’.
  • Meaning: It is not advisable to cause people to reminisce about past experiences that are unpleasant or embarrassing, and which they would rather forget.

Pa pe promet lesyel

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Ne prometez pas le ciel’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Not promising heaven’.
  • Meaning: I cannot promise anything, but I will try my best to assist.

Pa poul ki kakaye ki ponn plis dizef

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Ce n’est pas la poule qui fait le plus de bruit qui pond plus d’œuf’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘It is not the hen which cackles the loudest that has laid the most eggs’.
  • Meaning 1: People who speak a lot or are boastful are not always the most skilled or best at doing something.
  • Meaning 2: Those who make the most noise or talk the most are not necessarily the ones who produce the best results or accomplish the most.

Pa pran pitye pour kannar bwate

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Pas de pitié pour les canards boiteux’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘No mercy for lame ducks’.
  • Meaning: Too bad for the guys who don’t care to keep up.”

Pa rod lagal si ou napa zong pou grate

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Ne cherchez pas la gale si vous n’avez pas d’ongles à gratter’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Do not look for scabies if you have no nails to scratch its itchiness’.
  • Meaning: Keep away from troubles that you will not be able to cope with.

Pa tou sa ki briye ki lor

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Tout ce qui brille n’est pas d’or’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘All that glitters is not gold: this is the literal translation’.
  • Signification:  Ça veut dire attention, il ne faut pas seulement se fier aux apparences, seulement se fier à ce qu’on voit, puisque les choses ne sont pas toujours ce qu’elles semblent être.

Pa tou sa ki kriy Senyer ki rantre dan rwayonm Bondye

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Ce ne sont pas tous ceux qui me disent: “Seigneur, Seigneur”, qui entreront dans le Royaume des cieux’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Not all those who shouts out God who enters His kingdom’.
  • Meaning: There are many who desire to be called Christians, and who make mention of the name of Christ in their sermons, only to take away their reproach, to cover themselves, and gain credit with, and get into the affections and goodwill of the people; but have no hearty love to Christ, nor true faith in him.

Pa ziz en zwazo par son plim

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il ne faut pas se fier aux apparences / l’habit ne fait pas le moine’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Do not judge a bird by its feathers/Do not judge a book by its cover’.
  • Meaning: You shouldn’t judge someone or something based only on what you see on the outside or only on what you perceive without knowing the full situation.

Pa zwe ek dife

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il ne faut pas jouer avec le feu. à jouer avec le feu, on finit par se brûler’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Do not play with fire’.
  •   Quand on prend de gros risques, on finit par en payer le prix

Pardon pa geri boubou.

  •  Fr. Lit. ‘Le Pardon ne guerit pas le plais/la bosse’.
  •  Eng. Lit. ‘Sorry does not cure’.
  • Signification: Les excuses n’effacent pas le mal qui a été causé. 
  • Note: “I’m sorry” is not always enough to make amends, especially when the harm caused is serious. A genuine apology requires the wrongdoer to take responsibility for their actions and understand why they were wrong and seek forgiveness.

Parey delo lo fey sonz

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Comme l’eau sur les feuilles de taro’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Like water on taro leaves’.
  • Meaning: People who do not react to negative deeds aim at them.
  • Note: water does not wet a taro leaf, it just rolls off, because of its waxy surface.

Parey lyon enba lapo mouton

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Comme un loup déguisé en mouton’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing’.
  • Meaning 1: Someone or something that appears friendly but may be harmful. 
  • Meaning 2: A person with a pleasant and friendly appearance that hides the fact that they are evil.

Parey dyab dan delo beni

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Comme le diable dans l’eau bénite’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Like the devil in holy water’.
  • Meaning: Looking very uncomfortable
  • Note: Le diable est réputé avoir horreur de l’eau bénite.

Parey en karapat ki tete bef meg

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Comme une tique sur la tête d’une vache maigre’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Like a tick on the head of a thin cow ‘.
  • Meaning: Thrive on others misfortune.
  • Signification:  Profiter de la misère des autres.

Pasyans I geri lagal

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Avec de la patience on arrive a guérir tous les maux/ Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Patience heals scabies (One can cure everything with patience)’.
  • Meaning: All comes on time to the one who knows how to wait.

Pe angres poumon pour ganny leker-

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Agraisser le poumon pour obtenir le coeur’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Fatten the lungs to get  the heart’.
  • Meaning: Bring gifts to the mother to get the daughter.

Pe sonny en koson demwatye.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Élever un cochon à deux moitié’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Rear a pig by two people’.
  • Meaning 1: A woman who entertains two men.
  • Meaning 2: When responsibility is shared a without clear ownership or a accountability, it often results in neglect or lack of attention. If no one takes full charge, important tasks can easily be ignored.

Pet pli o ki son trou fes/Kaka pli gro ki ou trou fes

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Péter plus haut que son cul’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘To fart higher than one’s arse’.
  • Meaning 1: Think the sun shines out of one’s arse,
  • Meaning 2: To show off even if it hurts. Used to refer to someone getting above themself, acting like they’re smarter than they are.

Pez nennen pou bwar delwil

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Pincer le nez pour boire de l’hille’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Pinch your nose to drink oil’.
  • Meaning: One needs to be courageous enough to affront difficulties.
  • Note: Reference to an oil, we use to take for worm purging. It was called kendrik, a smelly vermifuge.

Piti sakenn son manman,

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Chaque enfant, sa mère’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Each child his mother’.
  • Meaning: Each person has been brought up in a different way, thus the one who doesn’t share the same mother or live in the same house is not to be trusted.

Pli lisyen i meg pli pis i antour li

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Plus un chien est maigre, plus il est infesté de puces’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘With a skinny dog, it’s all fleas/ the thinner a dog is, the more it is flea-infested’.
  • Meaning: Your very condition makes you more liable to exploitation.

Plito tar ki zanmen

  • Fr. Lit. ‘ Mieux vaut tard que jamais’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Better late than never’.
  • Meaning 1: It is better (to do something) late than (to) never (do it.)
  • Meaning 2: It’s more valuable to be late than to never show up.

Pti a pti zwazo in fer son nik

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Petit à petit l’oiseau fait son nid’. 
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Little by little, the bird has made its nest’.
    Signification:  Avec de la patience et de la persévérance, on arrive toujours à son but, à ses fins ou à l’objectif fixé.
  • Note: This proverb refers to the values of patience and perseverance, reminding us that even though progress might not be rapid, through dedication to a task, we can achieve our goals.
  • A comparable proverb in this context is : ‘Zwazo pa fer nik dan en zour’.

Ponm pa tonm lwin ek son pye

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La pomme ne tombe jamais loin de l’arbre’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The apple does not fall far from the tree’.
  • Meaning: Children observe daily and , in their behaviour, often follow the example of their parents.

Plito prevansyon ki gerizon

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Prevention is better than cure’.
  • Meaning: It is better and easier to stop a problem, illness, etc., from happening than to stop or correct it after it has started.

Poul ki kakaye, limenm kin ponn

  • Fr. Lit. ‘C’est la poule qui chante qui a fait l’œuf’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The hen that clucks is the one who has laid eggs’.
  • Signification:  L’alarme est souvent donnée par la personne qui a agi.

Poul ki ponn, ki konn son douler

  • Fr. Lit. ‘C’est la poule qui a pondu qui connait sa douleur’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The hen that lays eggs is the only one to know about her pain’.
  • Signification:  Celui qui ploie sous un fardeau en connaît seul le poids/ c’est celui qui souffre d’un problème qui en connait la difficulté.

Pran letan pou grandi

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Prend son temps pour grandir’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Take one’s time to grow’.
  • Meaning: To be patient and unhurried when developing or improving oneself.

Pti lisyen fer gro lisyen zape

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Les petits chiens font aboyer les gros’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Small dogs make big dogs bark’.
  • Meaning: Kids can create conflict among adults

Rann le byen pour le mal

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il faut rendre le bien pour le mal’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Return good for evil’.
  • Meaning 1: If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
  • Meaning 2: Make something good out of bad things that has happened to you.
  • Signification:  Seul l’homme bon peut vouloir du bien à celui qui lui a fait du mal.

Rann sezar sa ki pour sezar   

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il faut rendre à César ce qui appartient à César ; et à Dieu ce qui est à Dieu’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and unto God that which is God’s’. 
  • Signification:  Chaque acte, chaque responsabilité, doit être attribuée à son auteur. Chacun doit être reconnu pour ce qu’il a fait. 

Rar konm le bo zour

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Rare comme le beau jour’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Rare as a perfect day’.
  • Meaning: Meeting somebody who you do not see very often.

Rod lipou dan ou latet kan ou napa seve

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Ne cherchez pas de poux quand vous n’avez pas de cheveux’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Do not look for lice when you have no hair’.
  • Signification:  Chercher des ennuis là où il n’y en a pas.

Sa en pilil ki difisil pou anvale

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Avaler la pilule’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘A bitter pill to swallow’.
  • Meaning: To grin and bear it.
  • Signification:  C’est faire par nécessité une chose qui même ne fait que contrarier, ou bien encore c’est recevoir un affront sans mot dire.

Sa ki al lasas i perdi son plas!!

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Qui va à la chasse perd sa place’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘He who goes hunting loses his place/He who leaves his place loses it’.
  • Meaning: Step out of line and you’ll lose your place or if you leave your place, you can expect to find it occupied when you return. 

Sa ki ou zet ek lipye ou anmas avek labous/lalang

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Ce que tu jettes aujourd’hui avec le pied, tu le ramasses demain avec la bouche/langue’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘What you discard with your foot, you retrieve with your tongue’.
  • Meaning: People who harm others to get ahead and then have to face these same people when they are in a vulnerable situation.

Sa ki pa bon pour ou, pa kapab bon pour ou kanmarad-

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Ce qui est bon pour l’oie est bon pour le jars’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘What’s good for the goose is good for the gander’.
  • Meaning 1: What is not good for you is also not good for your colleague.
  • Meaning 2: People should be treated equally and fairly, and that what’s good for one person should be good for another.

Sak kitouz i vwar son brenzel

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Chaque viande de tortue séchée et salée trouvera son aubergine’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Each dried and salted turtle meat finds its aubergine’.
  • Meaning: Each person can find a matching partner
  • Note: There is no match better than dried turtle meat  cooked with aubergine. The best way to cook dried  and salted turtle meat in days gone by was curried in coconut milk and  with  aubergine.
  • A comparable proverb in this context is ‘tou kitouz i vwar son brinzel’

Sak zako protez son Montany.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Chaque singe protège son territoire’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Each monkey protects its territory’.
  • Meaning: Each person has to protect his/ her environment/livelihood

Sak/goni vid pa reste debout

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Sac vide ne tient pas debout’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘An empty sack cannot stand upright’. 
  • Signification 1:  Estomac affamé rend faible.
  • Signification 2:  Quelqu’un qui ne mange pas ne peut pas tenir debout et travailler correctement.

Sakenn I annan son leskelet kasyet dan larmwar

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Nous avons tous  un cadavre dans le placard’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘We all have a skeleton in the closet’.
  • Signification:  Dans cette expression, le cadavre illustre le lourd secret que l’on ne veut dévoiler sous aucun prétexte. Mais celui-ci n’est pas forcément bien caché, car il est dans un simple placard, il peut donc être découvert à tout moment. Le placard symbolise donc la grande probabilité que quelqu’un découvre ce secret.

San zour pour le voler , en zour pour le met.

  •  Fr. Lit. ‘Cent jours pour le voleur, un jour pour le maître’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Hundred days for the thief, one day for the master’.
  • Signification:  …en effet que l’employé peut voler ou tromper son patron tant qu’il veut, il suffit qu’il se fasse prendre une fois pour que tout s’arrête.

Sat sode i per delo fre

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Chat échaudé craint l’eau froide’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘A scalded cat is afraid of cold water’. Once bitten, twice shy’.
  • Meaning: If you ever have been hurt by something, you’ll be over-cautious of anything that even looks the same.

Semen long, lavi long

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Long chemin, Longue vie’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Long road long life’.
  • Meaning: Do things step by step. Take your time to get tasks done well, if you rush you may end up with mistakes

Si sa sapo i ale ek ou, mete

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Si le chapeau vous va, portez-le/ qui se sent morveux se mouche’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘If the hat fits you wear it’.
  • Meaning: Used to convey the idea that if someone suggests a criticism or unflattering trait that applies to you, you should acknowledge it if it’s true.

Si ou dormi ek lisyen ou pou ganny pis/ Sa ki frekant lisyen i ganny pis

  • Fr. Lit. ‘A fréquenter les chiens on attrape des puces’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘He who sleeps with the dogs wakes up with flees’/Bad company leads to bad habits’.
  • Meaning: You should be cautious of the company you keep. Associating with those of low reputation may not only lower your own but also lead you astray by the faulty assumptions.

Son lapo fes pa pou li

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La peau de ses fesse ne lui appartient pas’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The skin of his bum is not his’.
  • Meaning: A person who has lost everything and is totally ruined.

Sorti dan labarb bez dan moustas

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Sort de la barbe and tombe dans la moustache’/ de mal en pis/ que l’on passe du mauvais au pire’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Out of the frying pan into the fire’.
  • Meaning: Used to describe the situation of moving or getting from a bad or difficult situation to a worse one, often as the result of trying to escape from the bad or difficult one.
  • A comparable proverb in this context is ‘Sorti dan kalay, tonm dan dife’.

Tanbour kriye pa ariv ziska bomaten

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Un tambour bruyant ne dure pas toute la nuit’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘A noisy drum does not last until morning’.
  • Meaning: Nobody is going to listen to someone whose words do not make sense. That person will have to stop ultimately.

Tasyon ou roten i fwet ou menm

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Faire attention ton fouet te fouettes’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Get whipped by ones own whip’.
  • Meaning: Attempting  to hurt someone fails and you hurt yourself.

Tel papa tel piti

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Tel père, Tel fils’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Such father, such sons/ Like father, like son’.
  • Meaning: Sons may look and behave like their fathers. This is due to inheritance and the example observed closely and daily.

Tir lay dan ou lizye avan sey tir lay dan lizie ou kanmarad

  • Fr. Lit. ‘C’est la paille et la poutre’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘It’s the straw and the beam’.
  • Meaning: You see the splinter in another’s eye but fail to see the beam in your own.
  • It points out people’s ability to see faults in others while not recognising their own.

Torti i mor pour son lakok,

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La tortue meurt à cause de sa carapace’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The turtle dies because of its shell’.
  • Meaning: Suggests a certain acceptance of the fact that living beings can be exploited because of what they are.
  • Note: The shell of the hawksbill turtle was once a very valuable commodity because it was used to make curios for tourists.

Tout est bien qui finit bien.

  • Eng. Lit. ‘All’s well that ends well’.
  • Signification:  On utilise ce proverbe quand une situation mal engagée ou problématique débouche sur une heureuse conclusion. Autrement dit, on l’utilise pour dire que malgré les doutes, tout a fini par rentrer dans l’ordre.

Tou nouvo tou bo

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Tout nouveau tout beau’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘What is new, is beautiful/ The novelty will soon wear off’.
  • Expression très souvent utilisée qui est née de l’idée que tout ce qui est nouveau est forcément séduisant, désirable et suscite beaucoup d’intérêt.
  • A contrario, une chose qui perd de sa nouveauté revêt soudain un aspect vieilli, usé et peu intéressant.

Tou lapenn i merit son saler

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Toute peine mérite salaire’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The laborer is worthy of his hire’.
  • Meaning: All trouble taken deserves pay.

Tou meday i annan de kote

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Toute médaille a son revers’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Every medallion has its other side/Every medal has its reverse
  • there are two sides to every story’.
  • Meaning: It is very similar to a french idomatic expression : “Le revers de la médaille” (The other side of the medal) with means that for every good thing you may have a bad one on the other side, that you cannot separate from the first one.

Tou sa ki klate pa lor

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Tout ce qui brille n’est pas or’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘All that glitters is not gold’.
  • Meaning: Not everything that looks precious or true turns out to be so.

Vey laroul dan ou pirog

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Surveillez les vagues qui entrent dans votre pirogue’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Watch for waves entering your pirogue’.
  • Meaning: Mind your own business.
  • Note : Be so focused on being happy, improving yourself, and being better than the person you were yesterday that you hardly realize what’s going on with other people around you

Vol enn dizef demen i vol  enn bef.  

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Qui vole un œuf, vole un bœuf’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘He who steals  an egg, tomorrow will steal an ox’.
  • Meaning 1: There is no petty thief
  • Meaning 2:A person who steals something little/done something bad/ will probably end up steeling more valuable things/as a criminal.

Vomye pti se ou ki gran kot lezot

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Mieux vaut un petit chez soi qu’un grand chez-les-autres’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Better a small home than a big one in someone else’s’.
  • Signification:  Il vaut mieux avoir un toit qui nous est propre plutôt que d’habiter chez les autres.

Vye marmit i fer bon kari

  • Fr. Lit. ‘C’est dans les vieux pots qu’on fait la bonne soupe’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The old pots make the best soups’.
  • Signification:  Cette expression remonte au temps où l’on préparait les soupes et les confitures dans des pots qu’on ne lavait jamais (et donc, des résidus des plats précédents y restaient). On recommençait à cuisiner et des résidus se mélangeaient aux résidus précédents, etc. Ainsi, la soupe prenait de plus en plus de goût.
  • De nos jours, elle prend un sens plus sexuel où la femme est comparée au pot : les femmes d’âge mûr sont plus expérimentées que les plus jeunes.

Zako i war lake son kanmarad, i pa war sa ki pour li

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Un singe voit la queue de son voisin et non la sienne’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘A monkey sees its neighbor’s tail and not its own’. 
  • Meaning: This proverb is often used to criticize people who notice other people’s flaws but not their own.

Zalouzi i prodwir  laenn

  • Fr. Lit. ‘La jalousie attise la haine’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Jealousy breeds contempt’.
  • Meaning: Jealousy can lead to negative feelings and disdain for others, especially those who are successful.

Zanfan qui pa plere pa ganny tete

  • Fr. Lit. ‘L’enfant qui ne pleure pas, n’aura pas à teter’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘If you do not make a noise you will not be heard’.
  • Signification:  Celui qui réclame obtient plus que celui qui reste silencieux.

Zanmen en bon lezo pou tonm dan labous en bon lisyen

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Un bon os ne tombe jamais dans la gueule d’un bon chien’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘The reward does not always go to the one who deserves it’.
  • Signification:  La récompense ne revient pas toujours à celui qui la mérite.

Zanmen bef I santi son korn tro lour.

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Les cornes ne sont pas trop lourdes pour la vache.’
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Horns are not too heavy for the cow’.
  • Meaning: We are capable of handling more than we think. Do not doubt ourselves.

Zanmem dir zanmen

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il ne faut jamais dire « Fontaine, je ne boirai pas de ton eau !’
  • Eng. Lit. ‘You should never say, ‘Fountain, I will never drink your water!’
  • Meaning 1: Never say never.
  • Meaning 2: Anything is possible, or that a person should not be so sure they will never do something.

Zanmen de touzour twra

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Jamais deux sans trois’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Bad luck/things  comes in threes’.
  • Meaning: The superstition “bad luck comes in threes” means that if one bad thing happens, two more are likely to follow.

Zis i Lovoye

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Il ne fait que  louvoyer’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Just keeps on tacking’.
  • Meaning: Someone who cannot make up their mind and has no aim in life
  • Signification:  Prendre des détours pour arriver à son but ; éviter de se prononcer.

Zonm dan lopilans I oubliy sours son nesans

  • Fr. Lit. ‘L’homme dans l’opulence oublie sa naissance’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘A person who is well off now forgets his roots’.
  • Meaning: Such a person can be said to have “forgot where he came from”, meaning he’s forgotten his humble roots and is acting as if he was born to wealth.
  •  Signification:  Quand on s’élève socialement, on devient tellement fier qu’on snobe ses anciennes connaissances

Zwazo menm nik, kakatwa menm bar  

  • Fr. Lit. ‘Qui se ressemble s’assemble  /  Chacun aime son semblable’.
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Birds of the same nest, angelfish of the same reef/Birds of a feather flock together’.
  • Meaning: People of the same sort or with the same tastes and interests will be found together
  • Note: This proverb may be used to warn against as keeping bad company. Whilst it may be used positively as advice, it may just as likely be used negatively to suggest that someone is just as bad as the people with whom he/she keeps company.

Zwe lanmizik pour dans ou menm

  • Fr. Lit. ‘danser sur de la musique’ .
  • Eng. Lit. ‘Dance to your own tune’.
  • Meaning: To do things your own way, without worrying about what others think. It encourages individuality and being true to yourself.
  • Signification: Une personne qui ne marche plus au son du tambour de la société et qui danse sur la musique qui jaillit d’elle-même.

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