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Africa has more than 2,000 languages, and almost every one of them has its own proverbs. So there is no single "African proverb". There is a Swahili proverb, a Yoruba proverb, an Igbo proverb, and so on.
Below, every saying is tagged with the people or language it comes from, with the original words where we could check them, a literal translation and what it means. Tap Copy to share one.
Best African Proverbs and Sayings
The most loved and most shared proverbs from across the continent, each with its source.
- Mtu ni watu
Literally: A person is people.
Meaning: Nobody makes it alone. We all need the help and company of others.
From: Swahili (Kenya, Tanzania, East Africa) - Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu
Literally: A person is a person through other people.
Meaning: You become who you are through how you treat others. This is the idea of ubuntu.
From: Zulu (South Africa) - Dir biyabir anbesa yasir
Literally: When spider webs join together, they can tie up a lion.
Meaning: Weak people working as one can beat something very strong.
From: Amharic (Ethiopia) - Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi
Literally: It is not wrong to go back for what you forgot.
Meaning: Learn from the past to build a better future. This is the meaning of the Sankofa bird.
From: Akan (Ghana) - Egbe bere, ugo bere, nke sị ibe ya ebena nku kwaa ya
Literally: Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch. If one says the other should not, may its wing break.
Meaning: Live and let live. There is room for everyone.
From: Igbo (Nigeria) - Ile oba t'o jo, ewa lo busi
Literally: When the king's palace burns down, the rebuilt palace is more beautiful.
Meaning: A disaster can lead to something better than before.
From: Yoruba (Nigeria, Benin) - Haraka haraka haina baraka
Literally: Hurry, hurry has no blessings.
Meaning: Rushing spoils good work. Take your time and do it right.
From: Swahili (East Africa) - Haba na haba hujaza kibaba
Literally: Little by little fills the measure.
Meaning: Small savings and small steps add up to something big.
From: Swahili (East Africa) - Tikoro nkɔ agyina
Literally: One head does not go into council.
Meaning: Big decisions need more than one mind.
From: Akan (Ghana) - Onye aghana nwanne ya
Literally: Let no one leave their brother or sister behind.
Meaning: Look after your own people, especially in hard times.
From: Igbo (Nigeria) - Kamũingĩ koyaga ndĩrĩ
Literally: A group of people can lift a heavy mortar.
Meaning: A job too big for one person is easy for many.
From: Kikuyu (Kenya) - Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one person can embrace it.
Meaning: Nobody knows everything, so we need each other's knowledge.
From: Akan and Ewe (Ghana, Togo), in English
African Proverbs in Their Original Languages
Proverbs sound best in the language they were born in. Here they are grouped by people, with the original words, a word-for-word translation and the meaning.
Swahili Proverbs (Kenya, Tanzania, East Africa)
Swahili proverbs are called methali. Many are printed on kanga cloth, the colorful wraps worn across East Africa.
- Pole pole ndio mwendo
Literally: Slowly, slowly is the way to go.
Meaning: Steady progress gets you there. Do not rush. - Akili ni mali
Literally: Intelligence is wealth.
Meaning: What you know can change your life more than money. - Tisa karibu na kumi
Literally: Nine is close to ten.
Meaning: Do not give up when you are almost done. - Baada ya dhiki faraja
Literally: After hardship comes relief.
Meaning: Hard times do not last forever. Keep hoping. - Fuata nyuki ule asali
Literally: Follow the bees so you may eat honey.
Meaning: Spend time with hard-working people and you will do well too. - Hapana siri ya watu wawili
Literally: There is no secret between two people.
Meaning: Once you tell someone a secret, it is no longer safe. - Tabia ni ngozi
Literally: Habit is skin.
Meaning: Your habits stick to you, so they are hard to change. - Hasira hasara
Literally: Anger is loss.
Meaning: Decisions made in anger usually cost you. - Mchumia juani hulia kivulini
Literally: One who earns in the sun eats in the shade.
Meaning: Work hard now and you will rest and enjoy later. - Mstahimilivu hula mbivu
Literally: The patient one eats ripe fruit.
Meaning: Patience pays off. - Usipoziba ufa utajenga ukuta
Literally: If you do not fill a crack, you will have to build a wall.
Meaning: Fix small problems early before they become big ones. - Samaki mkunje angali mbichi
Literally: Bend a fish while it is still fresh.
Meaning: Teach good habits to children while they are young. - Mtaka cha mvunguni sharti ainame
Literally: Whoever wants what is under the bed must bend down.
Meaning: You have to make an effort to get what you want. - Ahadi ni deni
Literally: A promise is a debt.
Meaning: Keep your word as if you owed it. - Mapenzi ni kikohozi, hayawezi kufichika
Literally: Love is a cough, it cannot be hidden.
Meaning: When you are in love, everyone can tell. - Dhamiri safi ni tandiko laini
Literally: A clear conscience is a soft mat.
Meaning: An honest person sleeps well. - Ngozi ya chui uzuri kwa macho, ndani adui
Literally: A leopard skin is beautiful to see, but inside is an enemy.
Meaning: Do not trust good looks alone. - Fadhila ya punda ni mateke
Literally: The thanks of a donkey is a kick.
Meaning: Some people repay kindness with harm. - Hisani haiozi
Literally: Kindness does not rot.
Meaning: A good deed is never wasted. - Usisafirie nyota ya mwenzio
Literally: Do not sail by someone else's star.
Meaning: Follow your own path, not someone else's. - Adui aangukapo mnyanyue
Literally: When your enemy falls, lift him up.
Meaning: Helping an enemy in trouble can turn him into a friend. - Kusahau maudhi ndio njia nzuri ya kulipiza kisasi
Literally: Forgetting a wrong is the best way to take revenge.
Meaning: Letting go beats the person who hurt you. - Bora kuwa mwiba kwa upande wa rafiki yako kuliko sauti yake ya mwangwi
Literally: Better to be a thorn in your friend's side than his echo.
Meaning: A real friend warns you, instead of just agreeing. - Badili starehe usibadili marafiki
Literally: Change your comforts, but do not change your friends.
Meaning: Stay loyal to old friends even when life gets better. - Heri adui mwerevu kuliko rafiki mpumbavu
Literally: Better a clever enemy than a foolish friend.
Meaning: A foolish friend can hurt you more than a smart enemy. - Achanikaye kwenye mpini hafi njaa
Literally: The one who gets blisters from the hoe handle will not die of hunger.
Meaning: Hard workers always have enough. - Alalamikaye kwa wingi hufanya machache
Literally: One who complains a lot does little.
Meaning: Less talking, more doing. - Kwendako mema, hurudi mema
Literally: Where good goes, good comes back.
Meaning: Do good and good will come back to you. - Mwenye kisima hapangi foleni
Literally: The owner of the well does not stand in line.
Meaning: People with power or property get special treatment. - Njia mbili zilimshinda fisi
Literally: Two paths beat the hyena.
Meaning: If you cannot choose, you end up with nothing. Pick one road. - Penye kuku wengi usimwage mtama
Literally: Where there are many chickens, do not spill millet.
Meaning: Do not share private matters in front of a crowd. - Ukijifanya asali nzi wote watakula
Literally: If you make yourself honey, all the flies will eat you.
Meaning: Be kind, but not so soft that everyone uses you.
Yoruba Proverbs (Nigeria, Benin)
The Yoruba say proverbs are the horses of speech: when words get lost, a proverb finds them.
- Aaro ki i gbona kalẹ
Literally: The hearth does not stay hot until nighttime.
Meaning: Every hard time comes to an end. - Aja ki i roro ko ṣọ ojule meji
Literally: No dog is so fierce that it can guard two doorways.
Meaning: You cannot serve two masters at once. - Ajo ki i dun konile ma rele
Literally: A journey is never so sweet that the traveler does not go home.
Meaning: Never forget where you come from. - Bi agbada o ba gbona, agbado o le ta
Literally: If the pan is not hot, the corn will not pop.
Meaning: Nothing happens without the right effort and heat. - Bi ewe ba pẹ lara ọṣẹ, a dọṣẹ
Literally: If a leaf stays wrapped around soap long enough, it becomes soap.
Meaning: You become like the people you spend time with. - Bi ina ba jo loko, majala a fo wa sile
Literally: When a fire burns in the field, the soot flies home.
Meaning: News of what happens far away always reaches home. - Ka rin ka pọ, yiyẹ ni n yẹni
Literally: Walking together with others makes us look good.
Meaning: People do best in company, not alone. - Omi tuntun ti ru, ẹja tuntun ti wọ ọ
Literally: New waters have come, new fish have entered.
Meaning: Every new age brings its own people and fashions. - Ọna kan o wọja
Literally: Not just one road leads to the market.
Meaning: There is more than one way to solve a problem. - Ero ona ni royin oka to gbo
Literally: Passers-by are the first to report that the corn is ripe.
Meaning: Outsiders often notice what you have stopped seeing. - Gbogbo alangba lo d'anu dele, a ko mo eyi t'inu nrun
Literally: All lizards lie flat on their bellies, so we cannot tell which one has a stomachache.
Meaning: Everyone looks fine on the outside. You never know who is hurting. - Eniti eegun nlepa ko roju, bi o ti n re eniyan beni o n re araorun
Literally: The one chased by a masquerade should not lose heart; as the runner tires, so does the chaser.
Meaning: Keep going. Your trouble is getting tired too. - Ile la ti n ko eso re ode
Literally: It is at home we learn the good manners we show outside.
Meaning: Good behavior starts at home.
Igbo Proverbs (Nigeria)
Proverbs are called ilu in Igbo, and a speaker who uses them well is deeply respected.
- Agwọ emeghi nke o jiri bụrụ agwọ, ụmụaka achịrị ya kee nkụ
Literally: If a snake does not act like a snake, children will use it to tie firewood.
Meaning: Sometimes you must show your strength or people will walk over you. - Ụkpana okpoko gburu ntị chiri ya
Literally: The grasshopper killed by the crow must have been deaf.
Meaning: If you ignore a warning, you have only yourself to blame. - Okirikiri ka a na-agba ukwu ose, anaghị arị ya elu
Literally: You walk around a pepper bush; you do not climb it.
Meaning: Handle tricky situations with care. - Ugo chara acha adịghị echu echu
Literally: A fully grown eagle feather never gets dirty.
Meaning: A well-raised person keeps their good name. - E gbuo dike n'ọgụ ụlọ, e ruo n'ọgụ agụ e lote ya
Literally: Kill a hero in a family fight, and you will miss him when you fight a leopard.
Meaning: Do not destroy your strong people over small quarrels. - Oke soro ngwere ma mmiri, mmiri gụọrọ ngwere agaghị akọ oke
Literally: If a rat swims with a lizard, the rat's fur will not dry as fast as the lizard's skin.
Meaning: Do not copy others blindly. What works for them may not work for you. - Nkụ onye kpara n'ọkọchị ka ọ na-anya n'udu mmiri
Literally: The firewood you gather in the dry season is what you burn in the rainy season.
Meaning: What you do today decides how you live tomorrow. - Ụkwa rue oge ya, ọ daa
Literally: When the breadfruit is ready, it falls.
Meaning: Everything happens in its own time. - Sị kele onye ntị chiri; elu anụghị, ala anụ
Literally: Greet the deaf man anyway; if the sky does not hear, the earth will.
Meaning: Do the right thing even when nobody seems to notice. - Ada agwa ochi nti n'agha esula
Literally: Nobody needs to tell the deaf that war has started.
Meaning: Some things are so big they announce themselves.
Akan Proverbs (Ghana)
The Akan, who include the Asante (Ashanti) and Fante, speak Twi and Fante. Many of their proverbs live on as Adinkra symbols printed on cloth.
- Obi nkyerɛ abɔfra Nyame
Literally: No one shows a child the Supreme Being.
Meaning: Some truths are so plain that even a child knows them without being taught. - Abɔfra bɔ nwa na ɔmmɔ akyekyedeɛ
Literally: A child can crack a snail's shell, but not a tortoise's.
Meaning: Know your limits and do not take on more than you can handle. - Agya bi wu a, agya bi te ase
Literally: When one father dies, another father is still alive.
Meaning: Life goes on. When one leader is lost, someone else steps up. - Woforo dua pa a na yɛpia wo
Literally: When you climb a good tree, people give you a push.
Meaning: People help those who are trying to do something good. - Nsateaa nyinaa nnyɛ pɛ
Literally: All fingers are not the same.
Meaning: People have different strengths, and that is fine. - Ba nyansafoɔ yebu no bɛ, yɛnnka no asɛm
Literally: A wise child is spoken to in proverbs, not in plain words.
Meaning: A smart person understands a hint without a long speech. - Berɛ te sɛ anomaa, woankyere no na otu a, wonhu no bio
Literally: Time is like a bird; if you do not catch it and it flies, you will not see it again.
Meaning: Use your time well because it never comes back. - Woamma wo yɔnko antwa nkron a, wo nso wontwa du
Literally: If you stop your friend from harvesting nine, you will not harvest ten.
Meaning: Holding others back holds you back too. - Prayɛ, sɛ woyi baako a ebu; wokabom a emmu
Literally: Pull out one broom straw and it breaks; bundle them together and they do not.
Meaning: Alone we are easy to break. Together we are strong. - Akɔkɔ nan tia ba na ɛnkum ba
Literally: The hen steps on her chicks but does not kill them.
Meaning: A parent's discipline comes from love, not cruelty.
Zulu, Xhosa and Tswana Proverbs (Southern Africa)
In isiZulu proverbs are called izaga. They are still used in speeches, songs and family talks.
- Izandla ziyagezana
Literally: Hands wash each other.
Meaning: People need to help one another to get things done. - Indlela ibuzwa kwabaphambili
Literally: The way is asked from those who have gone before.
Meaning: Ask people with experience for advice. - Ikhiwane elihle ligcwala izibungu
Literally: A beautiful fig may be full of worms.
Meaning: Looks can be deceiving. - Ingane engakhali ifela embelekweni
Literally: A baby that does not cry dies on its mother's back.
Meaning: If you never ask for help, you will not get it. - Inxeba lendoda alihlekwa
Literally: A man's wound is not laughed at.
Meaning: Never mock someone who is hurting. - Ingwe idla ngamabala
Literally: The leopard eats because of its spots.
Meaning: People respect you for your character and what you have done. - Into yomuntu umhluzi wempisi
Literally: Someone else's thing is like hyena's broth.
Meaning: Do not depend on things that are not yours. They will not last. - One does not become great by claiming greatness.
Meaning: You are judged by your actions, not your words.
From: Xhosa (South Africa), in English - Ke fa gare ga naka tsa nare
Literally: I am between the horns of a buffalo.
Meaning: I am in a very dangerous spot, so I must act fully and carefully.
From: Tswana (Botswana, South Africa)
Ethiopian Proverbs (Amharic)
Ethiopia's Amharic proverbs are short, funny and sharp. These are shown in English, as most Ethiopians share them in Ge'ez script.
- Slowly, slowly, even an egg will walk.
Meaning: With patience, an egg becomes a chick that walks. Big changes take time. - The dog barks after the hyena has gone.
Meaning: Some people act brave only after the danger has passed. - When one is in love, a mountaintop becomes a flat field.
Meaning: Love makes hard things feel easy. - A good conversation is better than a good bed.
Meaning: Good company refreshes you more than rest. - If you offend, ask for forgiveness; if you are offended, forgive.
Meaning: Both sides must work to keep the peace. - Do not blame God for creating the tiger; thank Him for not giving it wings.
Meaning: Things could always be worse, so be thankful. - Do not catch a leopard by its tail, but if you do, do not let go.
Meaning: Think before you start something risky, and finish what you start. - When the Nile knows a secret, the desert will soon know it too.
Meaning: Secrets spread fast once you share them. - Love and a cup of coffee taste best when hot.
Meaning: Enjoy love while it is fresh, and do not let it go cold. - An eye and a friend are easily hurt.
Meaning: Treat your friends gently. - To one who does not know, a garden is a forest.
Meaning: Without knowledge, simple things look confusing. - While the heart of a fool is in his mouth, the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.
Meaning: Fools say everything they feel. Wise people think first. - Counsel and advise him; if he refuses to listen, let adversity teach him.
Meaning: Some people only learn the hard way. - Telling a secret to an unworthy person is like carrying grain in a bag with a hole.
Meaning: A secret told to the wrong person will leak out.
Kikuyu Proverbs (Kenya)
The Kikuyu (Gĩkũyũ) are Kenya's largest community. A 1960 collection lists over 1,000 of their proverbs.
- Kaara kamwe gatiũragaga ndaa
Literally: One small finger cannot kill a louse.
Meaning: Some jobs need teamwork. - Gũota mwaki nĩ kũhuria
Literally: To warm yourself, you must first stoke the fire.
Meaning: No gain without some effort. - Kũhũra maaĩ na ndĩrĩ
Literally: To pound water in a mortar.
Meaning: To waste effort on something that will never work. - Mũceera na mũkũndũ akũndũkaga taguo
Literally: Whoever walks with a scoundrel becomes a scoundrel.
Meaning: Choose your friends carefully. - Ng'aragu ndĩhoyagwo ũhoro
Literally: Hunger is not asked for news.
Meaning: Feed a hungry person first, then ask questions. - Nyoneka na rua yũraga na rua
Literally: What comes quickly goes quickly.
Meaning: Easy money or easy fame rarely lasts. - Ke rûtarara gathekaga ke riko
Literally: The unused firewood laughs at the burning firewood.
Meaning: Do not laugh at people in trouble. You may be next.
Somali Proverbs (Somalia, Horn of Africa)
- Talo walaal diide taagoogta ayuu ka jabaa
Literally: One who refuses a sibling's advice breaks his arm.
Meaning: Listen to family when they warn you. - Nin wax cunay xishood
Literally: A man who has eaten something becomes shy.
Meaning: Once you accept a favor, it is hard to say no to the giver.
Famous Quotes That Are Not Really African Proverbs
Some of the most shared "African proverbs" online have no known African source. Here is what we know.
"It takes a village to raise a child." No proverb with these words has been found in any African language, and proverb scholar Wolfgang Mieder could not trace one. It became famous in the 1990s. Real proverbs with a similar idea do exist, like the Bunyoro (Uganda) saying "Omwana takulila nju emoi", a child does not grow up in only one home.
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." The exact wording first appears in English in the 2000s. Researchers have not found it in an African language, though a similar Luo saying from East Africa exists.
"When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground." This is a line from the Malian writer Amadou Hampâté Bâ, said at UNESCO in 1960. It is a quote, not a folk proverb.
"If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito." This is usually credited to the Dalai Lama or to Body Shop founder Anita Roddick, not to any African people.
"An army of sheep led by a lion can defeat an army of lions led by a sheep." This is usually credited to Alexander the Great, not to Africa.
How to Use African Proverbs
Always name the people, not just "Africa". Write "a Swahili proverb" or "an Igbo saying". It is more accurate and shows respect.
Copy the original words exactly. Letters like ɔ and ɛ in Akan, or ụ and ị in Igbo, change the sound and sometimes the meaning. For a tattoo or a print, ask a native speaker to check first.
Use them the way they are used at home. In much of Africa, a proverb is dropped in at the right moment to make a point politely, not read out as a list.
Love sayings from other places too? Read our Irish proverbs, Japanese proverbs, Chinese proverbs and Mongolian proverbs, or browse our short quotes.
What is the most famous African proverb?
The Swahili 'Haraka haraka haina baraka' (hurry, hurry has no blessings) and the Zulu 'Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu' (a person is a person through other people) are among the best known. The Amharic 'When spider webs join, they can tie up a lion' is famous across Ethiopia.
Is 'It takes a village to raise a child' an African proverb?
No source in any African language has been found for those exact words. Similar ideas do exist, like the Bunyoro saying 'a child does not grow up in only one home'.
What does 'Mtu ni watu' mean?
It is Swahili for 'a person is people'. It means no one can live or succeed alone.
What is an African proverb about unity?
Try the Amharic 'Dir biyabir anbesa yasir' (when spider webs join, they can tie up a lion) or the Akan saying that one broom straw breaks easily but a bundle does not.
Where does 'If you want to go fast, go alone' come from?
It is often called an African proverb, but the exact words first show up in English in the 2000s. No original in an African language has been confirmed.
What is a Swahili proverb about patience?
'Pole pole ndio mwendo' means slowly, slowly is the way to go. 'Mstahimilivu hula mbivu' means the patient one eats ripe fruit.
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