Original Transcription: “Más vale prevenir que curar.”

English Transcription: “It is better to prevent than to cure.”

This proverb came from Spain. The literal translation of the phrase is, “it is better to prevent than to cure.” One would use this proverb when you do something that you do not need to do, but you do it as a precaution. For example, a student might say use this phrase while studying their notes in case their professor gives a pop quiz the next day. By reviewing their notes even when unnecessary, the student can prevent (cure) a bad grade. This proverb is a mark of the hardworking, cautionary individual.

English has a proverb that is very similar to this Spanish saying. I thought of this Spanish proverb as the equivalent to the English proverb, “better safe than sorry.”  Both proverbs seek to encourage hard working, forward-thinking behavior. If one is prepared for a variety of possible futures, they will never fall into a precarious circumstance. I found it interesting how these shared cultural values were translated across the world.

Original Transcription: “A quien madruga, Dios le ayuda.”

English Transcription: “One who wakes up early, God helps him/her” or “God helps those who wake up early.”

This is another common Spanish proverb. The literal translation of the phrase is “one who wakes up early, God helps him/her.” If this proverb were translated into English syntax, it would read, “God helps those who wake up early.”

The Spanish word “madrugador(a)” refers to an “early riser” or one who wakes up early in the morning. The speaker uses this proverb to describe themselves when they have woken up early, usually before the other members of their family. Due to its meaning, the phrase becomes a form of bragging that shames those who choose sleep over work. Therefore, the proverb inadvertently accuses another person of laziness. If the person being addressed likewise wants God’s help, they must wake up early and begin working.

Although simplistic, the saying intertwines the Spanish cultural values. The proverb communicates the importance of good work ethic and reinforces the value with religious beliefs. The English equivalent of this proverb is “the early bird gets the worm.” The English phrase is a secularized version of the same proverb since it teaches that rewards come directly from one’s hard work. The English proverb places the power of reward into the human’s hands as opposed to the Spanish idea that rewards for hard work come from God.

Original Transcription: “A buenas horas mangas verdes!”

English Transcription: “The green sleeves arrive at good hours!”

This expression is used when something that you strongly hoped for happens or presents itself when it is no longer useful. The speaker using the phrase would have an exasperated or sarcastic tone. The phrase in Spanish omits a verb. If the meaning of the phrase were fully written out, it would be, “las mangas verdes llegan a buenas horas.” Despite the missing verb, the listener would understand the meaning of the proverb due to its commonly known history.

According to my informant, this expression has a long history. “Los mangas verdes,” or the green sleeves, were an armed political group in fifteenth century Spain. Their official name was La Santa Hermandad, and they were commissioned by the queen to track down criminals. Once they found the criminals, they would put them in prison. However, the green sleeves were notoriously known to arrive late. Often times, the green sleeves would arrive at the scene of a crime after the thief had already fled, thus failing to fulfil their purpose.

The phrase ridicules the failures of the early Spanish criminal justice system, and one would have to know the history of the green sleeves to fully understand the proverb. The fact that the proverb is still used today is significant because the phrase connects Spaniards with their history.

Transcription: “El hábito no hace al monje.”

English Transcription: “The habit doesn’t make him a monk.”

The “habit” in the phrase does not refer to a repeated action but instead to the dress or uniform of a monk. “Monk” usually refers to an individual of high morals who took religious vows and lives in a monastery. This phrase is not always applied to a man. The proverb could be made feminine if “el monje” was changed to “la monja,” which means “nun.” However, the gender of the phrase does not change its meaning: clothing can become a form of deception.

Regardless of which religious order is used in the phrase, it refers to an individual who is not who they seem on the outside. The habit becomes a metaphor for someone who uses their clothing to disguise their true character. A person who dresses like a monk is not necessarily a good person. In more common day terms, a person who wears athletic clothing is not always an athlete, and a person who wears classes is not always intelligent. Appearances can deceive, and this proverb is used when one learns the true identity behind the disguise.

This proverb could be used casually in a conversation. For example, “I was wrong about John. He dresses nicely and seemed like a good person, but he turned out to be a jerk.” To which a friend might respond, “Well, the habit doesn’t make him a monk.” The proverb is a cautionary phrase that encourages the deceived to be more careful in the future.