Venetian Proverbs, second round

Venice and its Venetian Proverbs

About 6 months ago, I wrote a short piece on Venetian proverbs about food, drink and family.

Those were only a little taste of a very very wide range of expressions, proverbs and ways of saying which are used in the Veneto region.

As I explained in my earlier post, proverbs in our region are used everyday; it is our way of speaking, much more, I think, than in any other region in Italy.

Some of the proverbs can be very funny, whilst other can be very true and give you a good insight on the way Venetian people think about life, family, politics, love and more.

A list of Interesting Venetian Proverbs

Here are some more proverbs I think are really interesting. Enjoy them!

• DAI E DAI LA BARCA ARIVA AI PAI – Push and push (or better row and row) that the boat will get to the poles 

         Meaning: if you work hard you will eventually reach your goal – so true!

• MAGNA E BEVI CHE A VITA XE UN LAMPO – Eat and drink because life is a lightening/flash

        Meaning: enjoy life while you can, because it is so short – and if you are interested in finding out how Venetian people enjoy life, come and join one of my Food Tours in Venice!

• ‘NA CASA SENSA DONA XE ‘NA LANTERNA SENSA LUME – A house without a woman is like a lamp without light. Thankfully, someone who appreciate the role of women in society!

• L’IGNORANSA XE LA MARE DE LA MISERIA E DE LA CATIVERIA – Ignorance is the mother of misery and malice. Just so modern and true, how many wars and dispute will be settled if people were less ignorant.

• PARLAR SENSA PENSAR XE COME SPARAR SENSA MIRAR – To talk without thinking is like shooting without aiming. Some of our politician should really make this proverbs their motto!

• BEATI I ULTIMI SE I PRIMI GÀ CREANSA – Blessed the last ones if the first ones are well educated! A bit ironic, but so true!

• CHI VOL VEDAR VENEXIA VERA, DE ISTA A LA MATINA, DE INVERNO A LA SERA – Who wants to see the real Venice, in the morning during summer and in the evening in winter- I always suggest this to people, but never realised it was an old saying!

• VENEXIA XE BELA FABRICÀ SUL MAR, CHI NON LA POL VEDAR NO LA PO STIMAR – Venice is beautiful, built on the sea, who cannot see it cannot appreciate it. Well, who has been to Venice can only agree with this!

• A MORIR E A PAGAR SE FA SEMPRE IN TEMPO – There is always time for dying and paying – this gives you a true insight on how Venetian people think about life!

• AMOR SENSA BARUFA FA A MUFFA – Love without a fight will get green-mould – What do you think?? 

• DONA BELA E VIN BON XE I PRIMI CHE TE ASSA IN ABANDON – A beautiful woman and a good wine are the first which will make you quiver – For all men out there!

• UN LIEVORE FRA DO CANI, UN CONTADIN FRA DO AVOCATI, UN MALÀ FRA DO DOTORI: CHI STA PEZO DE LORI? – A hare between two dogs, a farmer between two lawyers, a sick person between two doctors: which of these are worst off?

        Well, I leave the final judgement to you readers!

If you are interested in more Venetian Proverbs, you can read my article 10 Venetian Proverbs.

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