Proverbs
Proverbs are short sayings in fixed words; many use a matching pair, and some have no verb.
How It Works
| Proverb | Pattern |
|---|---|
| Kiu devas, tiu povas. | the pair kiu and tiu |
| Kia drapo, tia vesto. | the pair kia and tia, no verb |
| Aŭ ĉio, aŭ nenio. | the pair aŭ and aŭ, no verb |
The Proverbaro Esperanta is the first collection of proverbs in Esperanto. Zamenhof arranged it from a work by his father. The first edition appeared in 1910, and the book holds 2,630 proverbs, ordered by their main subject.
PMEG notes that proverbs and similar sayings often leave out the main verb or the subject to be as dense as possible. The matching pairs of the table words (kiu and tiu, kia and tia) fit this shape well.
Treat a proverb as a quotation. It keeps its own form, and it takes no -n, even when it is the object of a verb such as diri. When you use one, you can say La proverbo diras and then give it as it stands.
Examples (5)
- Kiu devas, tiu povas.
Whoever must, can.
The matching pair kiu and tiu holds the whole saying.
- Kia drapo, tia vesto.
As the cloth is, so is the garment.
The pair kia and tia needs no verb.
- Aŭ ĉio, aŭ nenio.
Either everything or nothing.
The pair aŭ and aŭ sets two choices side by side.
- Pli bona estas malgranda “jen prenu” ol granda “morgaŭ venu”.
A small "here, take it" is better than a big "come tomorrow".
The quoted words stay as they were said.
- Kenji ofte diras: “Kiu devas, tiu povas.”
Kenji often says: "Whoever must, can."
A proverb after diras is a quotation, so it takes no -n.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Proverbs use the matching pairs of the table words.
Related Patterns
Practice Proverbs in Bubblegum
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