Proverbs
Proverbs reflect the experience of the people on issues of everyday life and in a rhyming way. Proverbs are the distillation of popular wisdom.
They are a part of our popular culture, huge in volume and rich in value. They constitute a vast fund of experience, drawn from life, useful to every man.
Ordinary people, with no special or no grammatical education, render in a beautiful and concise way various incidents of life.
For example, someone who lost his donkey went out to look for it. He met someone on the street and asked him if he had seen his animal. Instead of any other answer, he said to him in a rude and cheerful manner, "Better donkey-tying than donkey-searching!" All proverbs have been created in similar ways.
Proverbs are related to the sayings of ancient or modern wise men and in many cases, their meaning is absolutely identical, as can be seen below with a simultaneous reference.
There are hundreds of Greek proverbs with most of them often used in everyday speaking, with rich themes such as man, animals, elements of nature, life and death, time, good and evil and much more.
Proverbs and phrases about Cats
He is a "cat", greeks say for a clever person!
1. «Γάτα με πέταλα» (Gata me petala)
Cat with horseshoes
This is what we call a very capable, clever and skillful person.
2. “Όταν λείπει η γάτα, χορεύουν τα ποντίκια.” (Otan lipi i gata horevoun ta pontikia)
“ When the cat’s away, the mice dance”
Meaning: When a person in authority is not present, the others enjoy their freedom!
An expression that exists in many languages with the same meaning. “When what scares us is absent, we act arbitrarily doing what we want”.
3. “Σαν βρεγμένη γάτα” (San vregmeni gata)
Like a wet cat
This phrase is used for someone who reacts in a way that makes it clear he has realized his mistake or his responsibilities. He acts like a wet cat!
5. “Τρώγονται σαν το σκύλο με τη γάτα” (Trogonte san to skilo me ti gata)
They quarrel like the dog with the cat:
For people who constantly argue by continuous and successive quarrels.
4. “Σκίζω τη γάτα” or “Eχω σκίσει τη γάτα” (Skizo ti gata)
I tear up the cat:
I’m imposing, I assert myself to someone else (usually a boss, a wife etc.)
6. “Ούτε γάτα ούτε ζημιά” (Ute gata, ute zimia)
Neither cat nor damage
A very common phrase that is used for misbehavior or fault which is done and corrected or something bad that happened but is without importance.
8. "Γάτα που κοιμάται ποντικούς δεν πιάνει" (Gata pou kimate pontikous den piani)
A sleeping cat does not catch rats
Anyone who is lazy is bound to go hungry.
7. "Όσο πατάει η γάτα" (Oso patai i gata)
As long as the cat walks.
very little, minimum
"Είπε ο γάιδαρος τον πετεινό κεφάλα."
"The donkey called the rooster bigheaded."
Similar to "The pot calling the kettle black" or "Look who's talking".
Meaning: when someone blames another for a defect that he has and even to a greater extent.
“Έδεσε τον γάιδαρο του» «Ηe has tied, i.e. secured, his donkey»
A phrase used when someone has secured a long-term comfortable position ex.a wealthy spouse, a well-paid and secure job, etc.
« Τρία πουλάκια κάθονταν…»
«3 birds were sitting…»
The phrase comes from the homonymous thief folk song where, according to the verse, the "three birds" looked at each in a different direction.
"Three little birds were sitting on Diakou the drum
one observes Livadia and the other Zitouni,
the third, best, mourns and says…"
Over time, the phrase was used with irony in abstract people, people with reduced perceptual ability, indifference, etc. for example when we want to emphasize that someone does not pay attention to the person who is talking to him and then answers, saying something irrelevant, we use the phrase "three birds were sitting".
‘Αγάλι-αγάλι γίνεται η αγουρίδα μέλι.’
The unripe grape gets sweet as honey, at a slow pace.
Agali-agali = Slowly, Agourida = unripe grape
Meaning: It takes time to grow bigger or better (for people, ideas, projects, etc.) Patience!
English version: Slowly, slowly catchee monkey.
«Κάθεται σ αναμένα κάρβουνα»
“Sitting on burning coals”
When someone has hot problems to deal with that require an immediate solution.
It is also said of the one who waits with great anxiety to hear a news item or a result.
English equivalent: "on pins and needles".
«Ο Θεός αγαπάει τον κλέφτη, αγαπάει και τον νοικοκύρη»
“God loves the thief, and he loves the householder, too”
A phrase meaning: Evil triumphs temporarily. Finally, justice is restored.
“ Έφτασε ο κόμπος στο χτένι»
"The knot has come to the comb"
A phrase used when a situation has reached a stalemate.
The comb is not what we comb our hair but the comb of the loom.
The loom was the most necessary and the most valuable tool in every Greek home in the old days. With the loom, every rural family was like having an individual textile workshop at work, covering all their needs in clothing and bedding.
The loom had two large combs which separated the threads and when a knot was made in a thread and the knot reached the comb then the loom could not work and the operator of the loom had to intervene immediately and untie the knot so that the loom could continue to work.
English equivalent: when push comes to shove / enough is enough
"Κύλησε ο τέντζερης και βρήκε το καπάκι."
The pot rolled over and found the lid.
It is said for cases when two people are matched
More phrases coming soon...