|
Saying |
Nr |
Meaning/Translation |
|
Yon sèl dwèt pa manje kalalou (Hai) |
1 |
You cannot eat okra with one finger (also
known in: Suriname, Jamaica) = We must all cooperate. |
|
Moni na anu, baka na gron
(Sur) |
2 |
Money in the hand, back on the ground
(also known in: Jamaica, Trinidad, Brazil, Sierra Leone ) =
Cash on the nail, cash on the ground. |
|
Time langa dan rope
(Bel) |
3 |
Time is longer than a rope (also known in: Jamaica, Trinidad) =
Things will change eventually. |
|
Te winti way, yu si fowru lasi
(Sur) |
4 |
When the wind blows, you see the fowl’s
back (also known in: Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts , Nigeria–Igbo
tribe) = Only afterwards can you judge. |
|
Darg never run straight (Jam) |
5 |
Used when a speaker is exaggerating a
story. |
|
Papia un, papia dos (Neth. Ant) |
6 |
Saying one, saying
two = In for a penny, in for a pound.
|
|
Màs espuma que chocolate (Dom. Rep)
|
7 |
Lots of skim, little chocolate (also known
in: Neth. Antilles) = Much cry and little wool. |
|
Doh sit on de river an' talk de river bad
(Trin) |
8 |
Don't bite the hand that feeds you. |
|
De longes’ prayer got amen (Virg.
Isl) |
9 |
All things, both good
and evil, come to an end.
|
|
Nuh thro cold wata pon ebbry ting
(Ant) |
10 |
Don’t discourage efforts. |
|
Neti ala kaw blaka (Sur) |
11 |
At night all cows are black = Saint
it in public, sin it in secret. |
|
Nah tek yuh mattie eye fuh see
(Guy) |
12 |
If you want a thing
well done, do it yourself.
|
|
Pise gaye pa kimen (Hai) |
13 |
Spread piss doesn’t foam = A rolling stone
gathers no moss |
|
Paña pretu no ta row (Neth. Ant) |
14 |
Black clothes do not signify mourning =
Appearances are deceiving |
|
Darg hab too much owner im starve
(Jam) |
15 |
(also known in:
Suriname) = No man can serve two masters.
|
|
Mouth open, story jump out (Trin) |
16 |
(also known in St. Kitts & Nevis, Grenada,
Suriname) = Once you start saying a little, the entire secret will
be revealed. |
|
El que no llora no mama (Puerto
Rico) |
17 |
The child that not cries, doesn’t get milk
from its mother (also known in: Neth. Antilles, El Salvador) =
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. |
|
De closer de bone, de sweeter de meat
(Barb) |
18 |
Thinner women make
better lovers.
|
|
Lessa fowl, lessa shit (Bel) |
19 |
Less people, less problems. |
|
Watah can' stan' 'pon cliff (Virg.
Isl) |
20 |
Things built on a weak foundation will eventually
crumble. |
|
Tek time you gon fine ants belly (St. Kitts
& Nevis) |
21 |
(also known in:Suriname) = Patience
is a virtue |
|
A ban court ki fe gogo contre (Fr.
Guy) |
22 |
Shortage of the bench made two
bottoms meet each other (also known in:Suriname) = One must make
shift with what ones has. |
|
Eat little live long (Barb) |
23 |
(also known in:St. Kitts & Nevis) = Take
small steps and your life will be rewarding. |
|
Stroi suku riba stropi (Neth. Ant) |
24 |
Sprinkle sugar on syrup = Light not a
candle in the sun. |
|
Babun tere na babun skin (Sur) |
25 |
The baboon’s tail is the baboon’s body
= Near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin |
|
Slow fire ah boil hard cow-heel
(Guy) |
26 |
Slow and steady wins
the race.
|
|
Beg water never boil cow-skin
(Trin) |
27 |
(also known in: Belize) = You won't get much from
begging. |
|
Yu caan fine dimond in a gabbage dump (Antig.
& Barbuda) |
28 |
You cannot look for
something good in a place where only bad exists.
|
|
Piti-piti ka montè montagn (Fr.
Guy) |
29 |
Step by step one gets to the
mountain (also known in:
Suriname) = Every
little helps. |
|
Chien tini quate patte, mai li pas capabe
prend quate chemin (Martinique) |
30 |
A dog has four feet, but cannot walk four
ways (also known in: Suriname, Guyana, Jamaica, French Guyana,
Neth. Antilles) = No man can serve two masters; |
|
Mucho àmen ta daña misa (Neth. Ant) |
31 |
Too much ‘amens’ harm a church service =
Too much of ought is good for nought. |
|
Ashes col' darg lay dong (Trin) |
32 |
(also known in: Suriname) = Everybody is relieved
and relaxed when a crisis is over. |
|
De olda de clock, de faster it wine
(Jam) |
33 |
The older a person
is, the wiser.
|
|
Apres dance tanbou lou
(Hai) |
34 |
After the dance, the drum is heavy (also
known in Guadeloupe) = Expression to attend someone of the reality
of life. |
|
Owru siki fu todo na kras’krasi
(Sur) |
35 |
Old sickness of the toad is his
eczema
= Habit is a second nature. |
|
Evah skin-teet en' a laugh
(Barbados) |
36 |
(also known in: Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad,
Barbados, St. Kitts) = Not all outward signs of friendliness should
be taken as genuine. |
|
Bad ting nevva got owner (Belize) |
37 |
(also known in:
Jamaica) = Rats are leaving the sinking ship.
|
|
Stone a watah no know when sun hot (Virg.
Isl) |
38 |
(also known in: Jamaica, Trinidad)) =
The protected person is often unaware of reality. |
|
Beatin' yuh own drum an' dancin'
(Trin) |
39 |
(also known in: Suriname) = Answering your own
questions |
|
Cow
horn never too heavy for its head (Grenada) |
40 |
(also known in:
Jamaica, Neth. Antilles) = Everyone can carry his burden.
|
