Filipino Proverbs

Filipino Proverbs are called "Salawikain", like most proverbs around the world imparts a lesson.There are proverbs that express a general attitude towards life and the laws that govern life, there are also proverbs that express general truths and observations about life and human nature.

Filipino proverbs are part of one's cultural heritage which should not be forgotten, proverbs are good sources of information about traditions, beliefs, and customs, they serve as guide to living, advice on social relations and encouragement in facing life's trials and realities. The main purpose of proverbs is to teach a lesson in life.

Here are some of the most enduring Filipino proverbs that best portrays the characters of the Filipinos, philosophy and values. The proverbs are written in Tagalog along with their English translations or the meaning of the proverb.

• Ang kalusugan ay kayamanan. - Health is Wealth

• Ang buhay ay parang gulong, minsang nasa ibabaw, minsang nasa ilalim. - Life is like a wheel, sometimes your up sometimes your down.

• Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan, hindi makakarating sa paroroonan. - A person who does not remember where he came from will never reach his destination.

• Ang karukhaan ay hindi hadlang sa pagtatagumpay. - Poverty is not a hindrance to success.

• Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika, ay mahigit pa sa mabaho at malansang isda. - He who does not love his own mother tongue is worse than a rotten fish.

• Ang palay ay parisan, habang nagkakalaman ay lalong nagpugpugay. - Imitate the rice stalk, the more grains it bears, the lower it bows.

• Ang umaayaw ay di nagwawagi, ang nagwawagi ay di umaayaw. - A quitter never wins, a winner never quits.

• Bihirang masilayan, agad nakakalimutan. -----Seldom seen, soon forgotten. (Out of sight out of mind.)

• Walang tiyaga, walang nilaga - No pain, no gain

• Kahoy mang babad sa tubig, kapag nadarang sa apoy sapilitang magdirikit. ---Even a log soaked in water will burn if it is placed near a fire.

• Magsama-sama at malakas, magwatak-watak at babagsak. - United we stand, divided we fall.
• Masakit ang katotohanan. -The truth hurts.

• Ang sakit ng kalingkigan, sakit ng buong katawan. - The pain of the little finger is felt by the whole body.

• Huli man daw at magaling, naihahabol din. - Better late than never.

• Kapag and dagat ay tahimik, asahan mo at malalim. - Still water runs deep.

• Ang tulog na hipon , tinatangay ng agos. - A sleeping shrimp is carried away by the current.

• Ang pag-aasawa ay hindi biro, 'di tulad ng kanin, Iluluwa lung mapaso - Marriage is not a joke. It is not like food that you can spit out when it is too hot to chew.

• Walang palayok na walang kasukat na tungtong. - Every pot has a matching lid.

• Filipino Proverbs

  Filipino proverbs are saying pass from one generation to another, when, how and who started it, nobody can tell. It teaches lesson derived from practical wisdom learned from everyday experiences. . .