GUYANESE PROVERBS
The following is a compilation of a relatively short list of Guyanese proverbs and their approximate meanings. The proverbs are expressed in the Guyanese Creolese language.
| PROVERBS | MEANINGS |
| 1. All cassava get same skin but all nah taste same way. | Though people may look alike because of their mode of dress, they are different in their ways. |
| 2. Baby who ah cry ah house and ah door ah same thing. | The same manner in which you treats your child, you should treat another’s. |
| 3. Belly full behind drunk. | After you have eaten and drunken much you tend to become lazy. |
| 4. Big tree fall down, goat bite he leaf. | When a great man falls, he is no longer feared and respected. |
| 5. Bush get ears and dutty get tongue. | Sometimes you think that what you do or say nobody sees or hears, but yet your secrets are known. |
| 6. Cat foot soft but he ah scratch bad. | Some people may seem friendly and understanding but to your surprise it is not really so. |
| 7. Cuss when yuh ah guh, nah wheh yuh ah come out. | You must not curse the place that you have come from, because sometime in the future you may have to return there. |
| 8. Contrary breeze ah mek crow and eagle light on one line. | When there is trouble, enemies are sometimes forced to get together to solve problems. |
| 9. Cow deh a pasture he nah remember seh dog and butcher deh till he see am. | Sometimes when you think you are safe, danger is lurking nearby. |
| 10. Cat a ketch rat, but he a teef he massa fish. | Good and evil come from the same source. |
See complete list here: >http://www.guyana.org/proverbs.html
Comments
Thanks for sharing this link. I have found the book, “Proverbial Wisdom from Guyana” by Victorine Grannum-Solomon a great source for understanding Guyanese proverbs.
These proverbs we learnt at our parents knees, as they sought to prepare us for the real world. Some of those proverbs we heard as children,but were too young to fully comprehend, but eventually their common sense meanings became evident .
“Pig ask momma, why he snout so long, she seh banby yuh so know”.
Great selection of proverbs from Guyana. Nice words of wisdom indeed. I love these short and sweet proverbs from around the world. Thanks for sharing.
I am delighted that readers Guyanese of all ages continue to enjoy this publication.
I too am also enthralled by the wisdom of these proverbs.
All shine shoe gat but some a gat stink sock meaning. that all that look clean they’re. good inside of them
How do you write ” racehorse does come cab horse “