 Algerian proverbs and sayings |
- Skatna lou, dkhal ba hmarou
As we didn't say a word, he thought he could
do anything he liked
- Serr tnin ya ârfouh alfin
A secret for two, soon a secret for nobody
- El gaïb hedjtou maâh
The absent has always got a justification
- Aïnek miszanek
Your eye is the only way you can judge things
- Aâlamnahoum slate sabkouna lahsira
We taught them to pray, they got to the Mosque
before us
- Essahba sahba oua niya makanch
Friendship, we call it friendship, but without
sincerity
- Djouz aâla el ouad el haddar ouala djouz
aâla el ouad essaket
Cross the loud river but don't cross the silent
one
- Ki nchouf ham el nass nansa hami
When I think of the others's misfortunes, I
forget mine
- Esberr maftah el djena
Patience is the key to paradise
- El moumen ma koun haqoud
A believer can't be spiteful
- Ma yaqâd fi ouad ghir hadjarou
The only thing left in the wadi are its stones
- Hbibek min charkek fi lafrah oua laqrah
A friend is someone who shares your happiness
and your pains
- Aïnde echedda oua diq yadhar laâdou
min sdik
You know who your friend and your enemy are
during difficult moments Lahyout ândhoum
wadnin
Walls have ears
- Li fi kerchou tben ma khaf mi nar
The one whose belly isn't full of straw isn't
afraid of fire
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- .Ma yaraqdou hatta yathalfou ouama yathalfou
hatta yatkhalfou
They only fall asleep after having mutually
taken an oath and then they betray each other
- El Yedd li tmedd khir men yedd li tchedd
The hand which gives is better than the one
which receives
- Laklam lahlou yaldhaâ labba
The soft tongue is sucked by the lioness. That
is to say that when you speak kindly, you can
tame the great carnivores, the most rebellious
people, those who inspire terror
- El mehamia taghleb essbaâ
The union of means triumphs over the lion. Unity
is strength
- Koul klam elkhir ouala skout khir
Speak kindly or refrain you from talking
- Yedd ouahda ma tsafek
One hand can't applaud
- Elli Khaff slem
The one who shows his fears ensures his salvation
- Aâdou aâkel khir min sdik djahel
A sensible enemy is better than a narrow-minded
friend
- Lahna yegleb laghna
Peace wins over wealth
- Echerka helka
To associate oneself is a dangerous move
- El Hadj Moussa, Moussa el Hadj
Is used to say that in a choice the options
are all as bad as the others
- Laghrab habb yemchi mechyet lahmama nsa mechitou
The crow wanted to mimic the pigeon's walk and
forgot his own
- Ki kan hey mechtaq tamra ou ki mat aâlqoulou
aârdjoun
When he was alive, he looked enviously at any
dates. When he died, they hung a bunch for him
- Açel laâdaoua mzah
There is an excess of familiarity at the root
of all hostility
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