Portuguese Proverbs

Quem não tem cão caça com gato
 It's used when someone doesn't have the right tool to do something and he or she does it some another way.

For example, if some people want to play soccer and there's no soccer ball, they try to find another kind of ball. Probably it'll be not as good as a real ball but it'll work.

Quem com o ferro fere com ferro será ferido
If someone does bad things to another person, this situation will be reversed and the "bad person" will suffer the same suffering he has caused.
For example a person who forgot a friend will be for forgotten by another friend.

O que os olhos não vêem o coração não sente.
"What eyes don't see, the heart doesn't feel."
If we don't see bad things we won't suffer.

Aqui se faz aqui se paga
A person who does good things will receive good things. A person who does bad things will receive bad things.

Deus ajuda quem cedo madruga.
"God will help you if you wake up early".
It means God helps who works hard.

Casa de ferreiro, espeto de pau.
"In the house of a blacksmith, the fork is made of wood."
It means that people who were most supposed to use the right tools often use poor substitutes.

Quem vê cara não vê coração
"Who sees the face doesn't see the heart."
Sometimes we can be misguided by the exterior appearence of someone.

Mais vale um pássaro na mão que dois voando.
"One bird held in our hands values more than two birds flying."
We had better be on the safe side and ensure something than risk everything and end up with nothing.

Quem semeia ventos colhe tempestades.
"He who seeds winds will reap storms."
The results of our actions return to us multiplied.

Quem tudo quer, tudo perde.
"He, who wants everything, loses everything."

A mentira tem pernas curtas.
"The lie has short legs."
Lies are difficult to maintain because we often discover facts that reveal the lie.

Água mole em pedra dura, tanto bate até que fura.
"Soft water hits a hard stone so much that a hole is made in the stone."
It means that even the toughest people/things are overcome through hard enough insistence.

Quem nunca comeu melado, quando come se lambuza.
"Someone who has never eaten syrup, will get completely messed up with it when he eats it."
It means, when someone gets access to a good thing to which he never had access before, he will go for it with everything, wanting to have as much of it as possible - and will get all messed up.

Gato escaldado tem medo de água fria.
"A scalded cat is afraid of cold water."
When someone has had a bad experience, he'll be much more cautious in similar situations that may not even present risk.