Traditional proverbs of Uruguay in es and English — each with its meaning and source.
En boca cerrada no entran moscas.
“Into a closed mouth, no flies enter.”
Staying silent avoids trouble; discretion protects you from unnecessary conflict.
Source: Traditional Uruguay proverb, public-domain oral tradition
Más vale tarde que nunca.
“Better late than never.”
Doing something after a delay is still better than never doing it at all.
El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta.
“He who grasps too much holds little.”
Trying to do too many things at once means none of them get done well.
A caballo regalado no se le miran los dientes.
“Do not look a gift horse in the mouth.”
Do not criticize or question something that was given to you for free.
Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.
“The shrimp that falls asleep gets swept away by the current.”
Those who are not alert or attentive will miss their opportunity.
No hay mal que por bien no venga.
“There is no bad from which some good does not come.”
Even misfortune can eventually bring a hidden benefit.
Al mal tiempo, buena cara.
“Put a good face on bad weather.”
Face hardship with courage and a positive attitude.
Perro que ladra no muerde.
“A dog that barks does not bite.”
Loud threats are often empty and not to be feared.
No por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano.
“Getting up earlier does not make the dawn come sooner.”
Rushing does not speed up things that follow their own natural pace.
Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres.
“Tell me who you walk with, and I will tell you who you are.”
A person's character is revealed by the company they keep.
Más vale pájaro en mano que cien volando.
“A bird in the hand is worth more than a hundred flying.”
A smaller certain gain is worth more than a larger uncertain one.
Agua que no has de beber, déjala correr.
“Water you will not drink, let it flow.”
Do not interfere in matters that do not concern you.
A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.
“God helps those who rise early.”
Diligence and early effort tend to be rewarded.
Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos.
“Raise ravens and they will peck out your eyes.”
Kindness shown to the ungrateful is often repaid with betrayal.
El que a buen árbol se arrima, buena sombra le cobija.
“He who leans on a good tree is sheltered by good shade.”
Association with good people or strong support brings protection and benefit.
No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy.
“Do not leave for tomorrow what you can do today.”
Avoid procrastination; act while you have the chance.
Zapatero, a tus zapatos.
“Shoemaker, stick to your shoes.”
Stay within your area of expertise instead of meddling in matters you do not understand.
Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho.
“There is a long stretch between saying and doing.”
It is much easier to promise something than to actually accomplish it.
Más vale prevenir que curar.
“Better to prevent than to cure.”
Taking precautions beforehand is wiser than fixing problems afterward.
Donde hay humo, hay fuego.
“Where there is smoke, there is fire.”
Persistent rumors or signs usually point to some underlying truth.
El que ríe último, ríe mejor.
“He who laughs last laughs best.”
Final success matters more than early triumph or mockery.
Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente.
“Eyes that do not see, heart that does not feel.”
What we are unaware of cannot trouble us; distance dulls emotional attachment.
Cada oveja con su pareja.
“Each sheep with its own mate.”
People naturally gather with others who are similar to themselves.
No hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oír.
“There is no one so deaf as he who does not want to hear.”
Willful ignorance is worse than an actual inability to understand.
El que siembra vientos, recoge tempestades.
“He who sows winds reaps storms.”
Reckless or harmful actions eventually bring serious consequences.
En tierra de ciegos, el tuerto es rey.
“In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.”
A person with even a small advantage can lead among those with none.
No todo lo que brilla es oro.
“Not all that glitters is gold.”
Appearances can be deceiving; something attractive is not always truly valuable.
Más vale solo que mal acompañado.
“Better alone than in bad company.”
Solitude is preferable to the company of those who cause harm.
A falta de pan, buenas son tortas.
“Lacking bread, cakes will do.”
When you cannot have what you truly want, make good use of what is available.
El que no llora, no mama.
“He who does not cry does not get fed.”
Those who do not ask or speak up rarely receive what they need.
Genio y figura, hasta la sepultura.
“Character and manner, until the grave.”
A person's fundamental character rarely changes throughout their life.
Nunca es tarde si la dicha es buena.
“It is never too late if the outcome is good.”
A good result justifies the wait, however long it took to arrive.
El hábito no hace al monje.
“The habit does not make the monk.”
Outward appearance does not determine a person's true nature or worth.
A buen entendedor, pocas palabras bastan.
“To a good listener, few words suffice.”
A perceptive person understands a message without needing lengthy explanation.
Cuando el río suena, agua lleva.
“When the river makes noise, it is carrying water.”
Persistent rumors usually have some basis in truth.
Más vale maña que fuerza.
“Skill is worth more than strength.”
Cleverness and technique can accomplish more than brute force alone.
No hay atajo sin trabajo.
“There is no shortcut without work.”
Genuine achievement requires effort; there are no true shortcuts.
Quien anda entre la miel, algo se le pega.
“He who walks among honey, some of it sticks to him.”
The company you keep inevitably influences who you become.
A lo hecho, pecho.
“Face what is done with your chest forward.”
Once something is done, own it and face the consequences with courage.
Cuando una puerta se cierra, otra se abre.
“When one door closes, another opens.”
The end of one opportunity often makes way for a new one.
Mi autoridad emana de vosotros y cesa ante vuestra presencia soberana.
“My authority emanates from you, and it ceases before your sovereign presence.”
Political authority is granted by the people and remains accountable to them, never above them.
Source: José Artigas, Instrucciones del Año XIII (1813); widely cited in Uruguayan historiography and inscribed at Uruguayan civic monuments
No hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver.
“There is none so blind as he who does not want to see.”
Willful denial of an obvious truth is the deepest form of blindness.
Árbol que nace torcido, jamás su tronco endereza.
“A tree that grows crooked never straightens its trunk.”
Character formed early in life is very difficult to change later.
Quien tiene boca, se equivoca.
“He who has a mouth makes mistakes.”
Everyone errs at times; making mistakes is an unavoidable part of being human.
El que espera, desespera.
“He who waits, despairs.”
Long waiting wears down patience and breeds anxiety.
A otro perro con ese hueso.
“Take that bone to another dog.”
Said to someone whose excuse or story will not be believed; go try to fool somebody else.
Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo.
“The devil knows more from being old than from being the devil.”
Experience gained over time is worth more than innate cleverness.
No hay rosa sin espinas.
“There is no rose without thorns.”
Every good thing in life comes together with some difficulty or drawback.
Cuentas claras, amistades largas.
“Clear accounts, long friendships.”
Being upfront and honest about money and obligations keeps relationships strong.
El que la sigue, la consigue.
“He who keeps at it, achieves it.”
Persistence and continued effort eventually lead to success.
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