French proverbs about age - Proverbes sur les ages de la vie
Here are the most common French proverbs about age.
Enjoy!
| Proverbe / Proverb | Literal translation | Idiomatic translation / English equivalent | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Si la personne est âgée, son coeur ne l'est pas. | If the person is old, his/her heart is not. | Young at heart. | Old people can still be very active |
| On n'apprend pas aux vieux singes à faire des grimaces. | one can’t teach an old monkey to make faces | You can’t teach an old dog new tricks | There’s no substitute for experience. |
| Il faut que jeunesse se passe. | youth must happen | youth must have its fling | It is normal for youth to be a little wild. |
| Si jeunesse savait, si vieillesse pouvait. | if youth knew, if old age could | Youth is wasted on the young | Youth lack the experience of the elderly. |
| à chaque âge ses plaisirs (son esprit et ses mœurs) | Every age has its pleasures (its style of wit, and its own ways). | - | 1. People are changing
with time 2. The society evolves 3. Different generations of people may have difficulty to understand each other |
| La vérité sort de la bouche des enfants. | the truth comes out of the mouths of chidren | out of the mouths of babes and sucklings comes forth truth | The innocence of children make them say truth that older people would have hidden |
| Tel père, tel fils. | like father, like son | like father, like son | Children end up being like their parents |
| Chaque chose en son temps | each thing in its time | all things in their time | Don't rush things |