114 proverbs
Chi ha i dent ha pan e chi ha pan ha i dent
Those who have the means to enjoy something often lack the desire, while those who desire it lack the means. It captures life's fundamental irony of mismatched fortune and need.
Piutost che nient, mej piutost
Better something than nothing at all. The saying endorses pragmatic acceptance of imperfect outcomes over idealistic insistence on perfection.
El temp l'è denée
Time is money. This ancient Milanese saying predates Benjamin Franklin's famous formulation and expresses the merchant city's deep equation of productivity with value.
Chi minga fa, minga falla
He who does nothing makes no mistakes. A wry observation that inaction is the safest strategy for avoiding blame, though it produces nothing of value.
La nebbia de Milan l'è la coperta di puvrett
The fog of Milan is the blanket of the poor. The city's famous thick winter fog, once derided as a defect, is reframed as a gift that costs nothing and warms everyone equally.
Laurà, laurà e po' murì
Work, work, and then die. A bitter-comic epitaph on the Lombard work ethic taken to its logical extreme — the cycle of labour ends only with death.
L'è dür come la roca de Berghem
He is as hard as the rock of Bergamo. Used to describe someone stubborn, resilient, and unyielding — qualities associated with the people of the Bergamo mountain valleys.
Bress, citadina de li magnon
Brescia, city of the eaters. A teasing proverb about the Brescians' legendary appetite and love of hearty food, a reputation they wear with pride.
Chi dorme no piglia pess
He who sleeps catches no fish. The early riser captures opportunity while the lazy sleep through it — a call to diligence familiar across Lombardy.
I quatrin fan quatrin
Money makes money. Capital generates more capital — a maxim of Lombard financial wisdom that acknowledges the self-amplifying nature of wealth.
Ris e latt, mangià de matt
Rice and milk, food for the mad. A teasing proverb suggesting that this simple peasant dish is fit only for the simple-minded — while also acknowledging its humbling comfort.
Chi fa da sé fa per tre
He who does things himself does the work of three. Self-reliance is rewarded with triple efficiency, because the self-directed worker avoids the waste and error of delegation.
L'ospite l'è come el pess: dopo tri dì el pusa
A guest is like fish: after three days it smells. Even the most welcome visitor becomes a burden after three days — hospitality has its natural limit.
De gust no se disputa
About taste there is no arguing. The famous Latin 'de gustibus non est disputandum' in its Milanese form — acknowledging that personal preferences are beyond rational debate.
La famija l'è sacra, ma i parent i son na crosc
The family is sacred, but relatives are a cross to bear. The ideal of family is cherished while the reality of extended kin — with their demands and intrusions — is a burden.
El vecc l'ha vist pü di ann che tu de dì
The old man has seen more years than you have days. Experience accumulated over a lifetime dwarfs anything a young person has encountered — a call to humility before age.
A caval donaa no se guarda in bocca
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Gifts are to be received with gratitude, not examined for defects — complaining about a free good reveals ingratitude.
Fà el to mestee e lascia fà i alter el so
Do your own trade and let others do theirs. Mind your own business and focus on your own work — a Lombard principle of professional respect and non-interference.
Cunt i dent seree no gh'entra minga i mosch
With teeth clenched, no flies enter. Silence and restraint protect a person from trouble — keeping one's mouth shut is a form of practical wisdom.
La tosa vör la dota, ma la dota la vör i sold
The girl wants a dowry, but the dowry wants money. Desires have prerequisites — wishing for something does not conjure the means to obtain it.
Vün per tücc, tücc per vün
One for all, all for one. Mutual solidarity within a community is the foundation of collective strength — a principle that predates Dumas and runs deep in Lombard guild culture.
On bel tasì val püsée de on bel parlà
A fine silence is worth more than a fine speech. Knowing when to stay silent is a greater skill than eloquence — Lombard preference for reticence over rhetoric.
Chi la dura la vince
He who endures wins. Persistence through difficulty ultimately triumphs — the patient and tenacious overcome obstacles that defeat the impatient.
L'è mei tacè che ciacolà a vanvera
It is better to be silent than to chatter without purpose. Idle talk wastes time, damages reputation, and accomplishes nothing — Bergamasco directness prefers action over words.
Tì ta set bon come ol pan
You are good as bread. The highest compliment in Bergamasco — to call someone as good as bread is to say they are genuinely kind, reliable, and nourishing to those around them.
Ol denar l'è ol nerv de la guera
Money is the sinew of war. Without financial resources, no military or commercial campaign can succeed — a principle of Bergamasco mercenary wisdom.
Ogni scarrafon l'è bello a mamma soa — ma in Lombardia lo dise coi dent
Every cockroach is beautiful to its mother — but in Lombardy they say it through clenched teeth. The universal truth of parental love is acknowledged while the Lombard preference for unsparing honesty adds a corrective layer.
La verità l'è la mej amisa, anca se la brüsa
Truth is the best friend, even if it burns. Honest counsel, however painful, serves better than comfortable lies — a Lombard endorsement of directness over diplomatic evasion.
Chi nass tönd nol po' vess lüsc
He who is born round cannot become square. Fundamental character cannot be changed — people retain the essence they were born with regardless of circumstance or effort to transform them.
Ol lüf 'l pers ol pel ma no i vizzi
The wolf loses its fur but not its vices. Outward appearance changes with time, but deep character flaws remain — age, circumstance, or superficial reform cannot eliminate fundamental nature.
Magna ben, ca la vita l'è curta
Eat well, for life is short. A Milanese call to enjoy the pleasures of the table without guilt — the brevity of life justifies the investment in good food.
Tant va la gata al lard ch'la ghe lassa ol zampett
The cat goes to the lard so often that it leaves its little paw there. Repeated risk-taking eventually results in being caught — the one who tempts fate too many times will suffer the consequences.
Chi va pian va san e va lontan
He who goes slowly goes safely and goes far. Measured pace produces both health and longevity of achievement — haste creates errors and exhaustion that slow progress defeats.
L'ha i öcc in scarsela e i sold in testa
He has his eyes in his pocket and his money in his head. Said of someone who appears oblivious but is actually calculating carefully — the Milanese image of the shrewd merchant who conceals his sharp intelligence behind apparent inattention.
La vita l'è un bel giögu, ma la carta la gh'ha i so regöl
Life is a fine game, but the card game has its own rules. The pleasures of life are real, but they operate within fixed constraints that cannot be wished away — accept the rules or don't play.
El coeur el sa quell che la bocca no dis
The heart knows what the mouth does not say. Inner truth is richer than spoken expression — the deepest feelings and convictions are carried silently in the heart, beyond the reach of words.
La testa la fa i gamb
The head makes the legs. Intelligence and clear thinking provide the direction and energy that drive action — without mental clarity, physical effort wanders without purpose.
Chi fa el mestee so, la camisa no la rumpiss
He who does his own trade does not tear his shirt. The specialist who works within his competence avoids the frantic effort and damage that come from attempting things beyond one's knowledge.
Mej bücca dent che bücca fò
Better a hole inside than a hole outside. Better to have a fault contained within than exposed to the world — Lombard pragmatism prefers internal imperfection managed quietly to public failure.
La fam l'è la mej salsa
Hunger is the best sauce. Food tastes best when one is truly hungry — appetite is the condiment that no kitchen can manufacture and no luxury can replace.
El pan de casa stüfa, ma el pan de roba no stüfa mai
Home bread grows tiresome, but stolen bread never tires. The familiar becomes dull while the forbidden retains its allure — human desire is sharpened by obstacles and dulled by possession.
Cunt i sold in man, anca ol sbrüf el diventa galantom
With money in hand, even the scoundrel becomes a gentleman. Wealth transforms social perception — money grants respectability that character alone cannot purchase.
Can che abbaia non morde
A barking dog does not bite — those who threaten loudly rarely follow through. True danger is silent; noise is usually bluster.
El temp el se mett a cunt
Time settles all accounts — patience is the greatest debt collector. Everything eventually balances out, whether in business, relationships, or justice.
Pansa piena, coeur content
A full belly makes a happy heart — physical satisfaction is the foundation of contentment. No philosophy or wealth replaces a good meal.
Chi lavora magna
He who works eats — work is the only reliable source of sustenance. No work, no food: the Lombard ethic of labour reduced to its simplest form.
La nebia la porta el ben
The fog brings good — the damp autumn fog of the Po Valley, which outsiders find oppressive, is a sign of good weather to come and signals a fertile season. What appears gloomy often conceals a blessing.
On miran val pù de on paragon
A look is worth more than a comparison — seeing something directly with your own eyes is worth more than any description or argument. Trust direct experience over theory.
Fa el to mester e mangia el to pan
Do your trade and eat your bread — stay in your lane, do your own work well, and you will never go hungry. The counsel of the artisan: mastery of one thing beats dabbling in many.
El denee el fa minga la felicità
Money does not make happiness — but the Milanese delivery of this proverb is always ironic: they know perfectly well that poverty does not make it either. The real meaning is that money alone is insufficient.
La roba la se fa con la roba
Wealth is made with wealth — capital generates capital, and those who start with something can multiply it, while those who start with nothing find it hardest to begin.
Chi semina vento raccoglie tempesta
He who sows wind reaps storm — reckless actions have consequences far greater than intended. Those who cause trouble will face a much larger reckoning.
Milanesi ingrati
Milanese — ungrateful — a proverb that Milanese say about themselves. Milan absorbs immigrants, uses their talent to build its wealth, and is slow to acknowledge the debt.
Bergamaschi, teste dure
People of Bergamo — hardheads. A characterisation of the stubbornness and tenacity of the people of Bergamo, which they wear as a badge of honour. Hardheadedness in the positive sense: persistence, reliability, refusal to give up.
La gatta fretolosa fa i gattini ciechi
The hasty cat gives birth to blind kittens — hurrying produces imperfect results. Work done in a rush is never done well.
Bressani, magna polenta
People of Brescia eat polenta — a symbol of the honest, unpretentious character of the city. Polenta is the food of the workers, the soldiers, the valley people.
L'acqua la fa mal e 'l vin fa cantar
Water makes you sick and wine makes you sing — a humorous defence of wine drinking common in the wine-producing areas of Lombardy. Also a reminder that pleasure has its place.
Chi no risica, no rosica
He who does not risk does not gain — without risk there is no reward. Fortune favours the brave, and excessive caution leads to stagnation.
Farina del diavolo va in crusca
The devil's flour turns to bran — wealth gained dishonestly does not last. Money made through fraud or injustice will eventually be lost or turn worthless.
L'om de fadas el porta el sac
The man of deeds carries the sack — the one who actually does the work ends up bearing the burden. Hard work and responsibility tend to fall on those who are capable, whether they like it or not.
La barca la va dove l'acqua la porta
The boat goes where the water takes it — we are often carried by forces larger than ourselves. Acceptance of circumstances beyond one's control; also a counsel against pointless resistance.
La ca' brucia e el signor se scalda le man
The house burns and the landlord warms his hands — the powerful benefit from the misfortunes of those below them. A sardonic observation on class exploitation: the owner profits even from disaster.
Ogni scarrafon è bell a mamma soja
Every beetle is beautiful to its own mother — parental love is blind, seeing beauty where others see none. Also: beauty is entirely subjective and conditioned by love.
El temp l'è galantom
Time is a gentleman — time eventually reveals the truth, rights wrongs, and rewards patience. The most reliable judge of anything is time itself.
Quand la porta l'è srada, el bon e el catìv fan i medèm pàs
When the door is open, the good and the bad take the same steps — opportunity does not distinguish between the deserving and the undeserving. An open door is equally available to all.
L'erba del visin l'è semper pü verda
The neighbour's grass is always greener — we always imagine that others have it better than we do. Contentment with what one has is rare; envy of what others have is universal.
El medes sol che scalda fa anche brusar
The same sun that warms also burns — every strength is also a potential danger. What gives life can also destroy. The virtue taken too far becomes a vice.
Tra el dir e el far ghe de mezz el mar
Between saying and doing lies half the sea — the distance between a promise and its fulfilment is vast. Words are cheap; execution is what matters.
El risòt el völ el so temp
Risotto requires its time — some things cannot be rushed without being ruined. Quality demands patience; cutting corners destroys the result.
Donna al volant, pericol costant
A woman at the wheel, constant danger — a dated and now ironic proverb that was once used seriously but is today always quoted with self-aware humour or as an example of old-fashioned prejudice.
Chi ben vive, ben muore
He who lives well, dies well — a life lived with integrity, good work, and right relationships prepares one for a good death. How you live determines how you die.
El proverbio el dis el ver
The proverb tells the truth — folk wisdom accumulated over generations carries more reliable truth than individual opinion or fashionable theory.
Tropa corda rompe el violino
Too much string breaks the violin — excess in anything leads to rupture. The thing carried too far, the relationship pushed too hard, the bow drawn too tight will eventually snap.
Chi ha la salute l'ha tut
He who has health has everything — health is the foundation on which all else depends. Without it, wealth, beauty, and success are meaningless.
El fiol el porta la rogna del pà
The son carries the itch of the father — children inherit not only material things from their parents but also their faults, habits, and character defects. Like father, like son.
Chi dorma non pesca i pess
He who sleeps does not catch fish — idleness and inaction produce nothing. Success requires being awake, alert, and active at the right moment.
La moda l'è na tirannia
Fashion is a tyranny — the obligation to follow fashion costs money, energy, and self-expression. Milan, as the fashion capital, produces this self-critical proverb about its own most famous industry.
Bon sangue no mentis
Good blood does not lie — character is inherited and reveals itself. A person from a good family will show it in their actions; quality of origin always emerges.
Cavalo che trota no ingràssa
A trotting horse does not get fat — the busy person does not accumulate fat (wealth, rest, comfort). Constant work keeps you lean but prevents the accumulation that comes from stillness.
Chi parla semina, chi tace raccoglie
He who speaks sows, he who is silent reaps — the person who talks gives away information and opportunity; the person who listens and keeps quiet accumulates advantage.
La paja brusada no se po' far tornar fieno
Burnt straw cannot be turned back into hay — what is destroyed cannot be restored. Some things, once done, cannot be undone; some damage is permanent.
Lucc e Bress, fradi senza amor
Lecco and Brescia, brothers without love — a playful observation on the rivalry between two proud Lombard cities that share certain characteristics but have never warmed to each other.
Ciapa su el to e lassa star quel di alter
Take what is yours and leave alone what belongs to others — respect property, both literal and figurative. Do not covet, do not take, do not interfere with what is not yours.
Ogni mort de papa se fa la festa
Only when the pope dies is there a celebration — some events are so rare that celebrating them is entirely justified. Used to justify an exceptional celebration or treat.
L'om propone e Dio dispone
Man proposes and God disposes — human plans are always subject to forces beyond our control. However carefully we plan, the outcome is never entirely in our hands.
El gust l'è no gust mia
Taste is not disputed — about matters of personal preference, there is no arguing. Each person's aesthetic and sensory preferences are their own business.
Minga tüt i cristian a son sant
Not all Christians are saints — not everyone who professes virtue is virtuous. Appearances of piety or respectability do not guarantee actual goodness.
El vir el manda al mar i galee
Spring sends the galleys to sea — the seasons command commerce and movement. When conditions are right, action follows naturally; when they are not, no action is possible.
Dai nimis, dal mato e dall'ubriaco guardete
From enemies, madmen, and drunkards, protect yourself — these three are unpredictable and dangerous. The enemy hates you deliberately; the madman and the drunk cause harm without intention, which makes them equally dangerous.
On coo sol no porta mai nient
One head alone never achieves anything — no individual succeeds entirely alone. Collaboration, advice, and partnership are essential to significant achievement.
A carnaval ogni scherz val
At carnival, every joke is valid — in designated periods of licence and festivity, normal rules of decorum are suspended. What would be rude or inappropriate at other times is permitted during carnival.
El ris el nasc in acqua e el mor nel vin
Rice is born in water and dies in wine — the perfect risotto requires both the paddy field and the wine glass: it is born from the flooded paddies and finished with a glass of good white wine.
Chi nasc tond, no po' morir quadrat
He who is born round cannot die square — character is fundamentally fixed at birth. The lazy person will remain lazy; the dishonest person will remain dishonest; the generous person will remain generous. People do not fundamentally change.
El coeur no l'è traditor
The heart does not betray — deep feeling reveals truth. When your instinct or emotion tells you something strongly and consistently, it is telling you what your rational mind may be suppressing.
Magneta Milan
Eat Milan — Milan consumes everything and everyone. The city attracts talent, ambition, and money from all over Italy and the world and absorbs them into itself, growing ever larger while the periphery empties.
El lavür el nobilita l'om
Work ennobles man — labour, regardless of its nature, dignifies the person who performs it with honesty and skill. The aristocracy of effort is available to everyone.
La ca' la völ el padron dent
The house wants its master inside — a house left unattended falls into disrepair, is robbed, or deteriorates. Things that belong to you require your personal attention; you cannot manage from a distance.
Al mond l'è bel perché l'è vari
The world is beautiful because it is varied — diversity is the source of beauty and interest. Uniformity would be boring; it is the difference between things that makes each one interesting.
Chi trop völ nient strenz
He who wants too much grasps nothing — greed overreaches and ends up with less than moderation would have provided. The person who tries to hold everything ends with empty hands.
A caval donat no se guarda in boca
Do not look a gift horse in the mouth — be grateful for what you receive without criticising it. Ingratitude for gifts is a social and moral failing.
L'erba mata la cresc semper
Bad weeds always grow — the undesirable things in life (bad people, problems, weeds) seem to thrive regardless of effort to remove them. A resigned observation on the persistence of trouble.
On bel mori val pü d'ona cativa vita
A beautiful death is worth more than a bad life — dying with dignity and honour is preferable to living badly, dishonestly, or in degradation.
Ognün el tir l'acqua al so mulin
Everyone pulls water to their own mill — self-interest drives human behaviour. Each person interprets events, arguments, and opportunities in the way most advantageous to themselves.
La vita l'è curt e l'art l'è lung
Life is short and art is long — mastery of any craft requires far more time than a human life easily provides. The dedication required to truly master an art is humbling.
El mond l'è bel perché l'è tond
The world is beautiful because it is round — what goes around comes around; the round world brings things back to their starting point. What we give, we receive; what we do to others will return to us.
A bon intenditor, poche parole
To a good listener, few words suffice — the intelligent person understands from a hint; elaborate explanation is only necessary for those who are slow to understand.
L'abitudine l'è ona seconda natura
Habit is a second nature — repeated behaviour becomes as natural and as difficult to change as one's inborn character. Both good habits and bad habits become part of who we are.
Prima i dent e pöi i parent
First the teeth (interests) and then the relatives — look after your own interests first; family obligations come after self-preservation. A realistic (if cynical) observation on where priority lies in a crisis.
La fortuna l'è cieca, ma el destin l'è crudel
Fortune is blind, but destiny is cruel — luck distributes its gifts randomly, without regard for merit; but the overall design of a person's life (destiny) tends toward a harsher justice.
Pòrta via la nebia e ved el dì
Carry the fog away and you will see the day — when confusion, obscurity, or deception is removed, the truth becomes immediately apparent. Clarity is always there beneath the fog.
Chi ben comincia l'è a la metà del lavur
A good beginning is half the work — proper preparation and a well-executed start reduce the total effort required and increase the probability of success.
L'umanità la se divide en tre part: chi fa, chi guarda, e chi chiede perché non è ancora fatto
Humanity divides into three: those who do, those who watch, and those who ask why it is not done yet — a mordant Milanese categorisation of human types by their relationship to work and action.
La speranza l'è l'ultima a morir
Hope is the last to die — even in the most extreme circumstances, hope persists longest. As long as there is life, there is hope; and as long as there is hope, there is life.
El gust del mangiar el ven mangiand
The pleasure of eating comes with eating — appetite grows as you eat. Also: you do not know if you like something until you try it; engagement with an activity generates its own enthusiasm.