In this blog post, we are going to cover the top five of our favorite Serbian proverbs, their English equivalent (if existing), and translation, as well as the hidden meaning behind them. If you are curious to learn how to spread some Serbian wisdom, continue reading!
What are Proverbs?
Proverbs can be explained as traditional sayings that express a general truth or offer advice based on common sense or experience. They are concise and memorable, often using metaphors, similes or other literary devices to convey an impactful image and message. Here are some of our favorite Serbian proverbs that you can start learning today!
Here you can access our full-scale PDF of proverbs: Proverbs FREE PDF
Top 5 Serbian Proverbs
Top 5 Serbian proverbs we chose for this article are:
- Bez muke nema nauke
- Bolje vrabac u ruci, nego soko na grani
- Lepa reč i gvozdena vrata otvara
- Dok mačke nema, miševi kolo vode
- Um caruje, snaga klade valja
And here is what that means:
1. Bez muke nema nauke
| Serbian proverb | English variation | Meaning/Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Bez muke nema nauke. | No science without sacrifice. | You can’t be successful without sacrifice. |
2. Bolje vrabac u ruci, nego soko na grani
| Serbian proverb | English variation | Meaning/Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Bolje vrabac u ruci, nego soko na grani. | Better a sparrow in hand than an eagle on the branch. | Appreciate what you have. Don’t long for what you don’t have or what others have. |
3. Lepa reč i gvozdena vrata otvara
| Serbian proverb | English variation | Meaning/Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Lepa reč i gvozdena vrata otvara. | A beautiful word opens even the iron doors. | Being kind wins. |
4. Dok mačke nema, miševi kolo vode
| Serbian proverb | English variation | Meaning/Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Dok mačke nema, miševi kolo vode. | While the cat is absent, the mice lead the kolo. | Lowlives are loud when the leader is gone. |
5. Um caruje, snaga klade valja
| Serbian proverb | English variation | Meaning/Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Um caruje, snaga klade valja. | The mind rules, the strength labors. | Mind is more valuable than strength. |
Bonus Serbian Proverbs
Since we feel like the Serbian language has much more richness to offer, to be limited to only 5 proverbs, we added a few more below:
| Serbian proverb | English variation | Meaning/Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Ako ne počneš, nećeš ni završiti. | If you don’t start, you won’t finish. | The hardest thing is to begin, but necessary to finish. |
| Ko visoko leti, nisko pada. | One that flies high, falls low. | Being a snob will make you fall low. |
| U laži su kratke noge. | When lying, the legs are short. | You can’t run away from the lies you made. |
| Ko rano rani, dve sreće grabi. | An early bird catches the worm. | You get more opportunities if you start working early. |
Key Takeaways
Proverbs we learned and mentioned today were:
- Bez muke nema nauke.
- Bolje vrabac u ruci, nego soko na grani.
- Lepa reč i gvozdena vrata otvara.
- Dok mačke nema, miševi kolo vode.
- Um caruje, snaga klade valja.
- Ako ne počneš, nećeš ni završiti.
- Ko visoko leti, nisko pada.
- U laži su kratke noge.
- Ko rano rani, dve sreće grabi.
Curious to Learn More About Serbian?
In this post, we have attempted to teach you everything there is to know about the most common Serbian proverbs – but, as usual, this is merely the beginning. If you are a passionate learner who always seeks to expand your knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, culture, and literature, please contact us here, explore the materials we offer, and schedule our free trial lesson! We are waiting for you!
