Proverbs add versatality to your spoken language. Here are some German Proverbs to inspire you when you're caught in a rug sack and encourage you to face bravely all the obstacles that come your way :

1. Aller Anfang ist schwer.

Literal translation: “All beginnings are hard.”

No matter what you are undertaking in life, whether it’s learning a new language, embarking on a career or working on a project, if you start something from scratch, you will suck at it at first. That’s part of the natural order and the way it should be. Don’t worry too much about it and just keep at it until you get it right.

 

2.  Wer rastet, der rostet.

Literal translation: “He who rests grows rusty.”

This saying states that in order to improve your skills, you have to continuously work on them. It also warns that if you want to achieve anything, the most important thing is to take action. Too many undertakings never get accomplished and die because of lacking follow-through. So get off your behind before it gets rusty.

 

3. Aus Schaden wird man klug.

Literal translation: “Failure makes smart.”

Many of us live in cultures that are very avert to failure. Nobody likes to screw up or fall on their face. However, what a lot of people forget is that failure is a necessity for learning. Without making mistakes, you will never understand how to do it right. To quote Samuel Beckett: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again, fail again, fail better.”

 

4. Das Billige ist immer das Teuerste.

Literal translation: “The cheapest is always the most expensive.”

This saying is a reminder to invest into quality. While the first impulse is often to go for the cheapest option, most of the time it is worth spending a little more. Whether on study material, tutors, services, you name it. It almost always pays off in the long run.

 

5. Kümmere Dich nicht um ungelegte Eier.

Literal translation: “Don’t worry about eggs that haven’t been laid yet.”

This one is a little bit like “don’t count your chickens before they hatch”. However, while the English version asks us not to rely on means which we do not possess at this time, the German equivalent expresses the futility of worrying about things that haven’t come to pass yet and never might. It is energy that is much better spent productively.

 

6. Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund.

Literal translation: “The morning hour has gold in its mouth.”

 It is one of the ways Germans stress the importance of getting up early to get a head start on the day. Many inventors and creators of our time have been early risers who have used the first hours of the day as their most productive period. Highly recommended.

 

7. Wer zwei Hasen auf einmal jagt bekommt keinen.

Literal translation: “He who chases two rabbits at once will catch none.”

This is the German way of telling you to stop multitasking. Be focused. Concentrate on one thing at a time and then move on to the next. Well done, grasshopper. By the way does anybody else think words like these should really be spoken by a some wise kung fu master?

 

8. Wenn der Reiter nichts taugt, ist das Pferd schuld.

Literal translation: “If the rider is no good, it’s the horse’s fault.”

Many times when we attempt something and fail, we will want to shift the blame away from us. We don’t want it to be our own fault but that of exterior factors and circumstances. The German proverb reminds us to take responsibility instead.