IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchQui va piano va sano
Meaning: Slow and steady is the surer way.
Literally: Who goes gently goes safely
Example: “Ne te précipite pas pour rénover la maison ; qui va piano va sano.” — Don't rush the renovation; slow and steady wins the race.
English equivalent: Slow and steady wins the race
Equivalents in other languages
Swahili: Pole pole ndio mwendo Literally: Slowly slowly is the way to go
Origin: Kept in Italian in French, from the fuller qui va piano va sano e va lontano — and goes far. Italian musical vocabulary made piano legible to French speakers without translation.
More French idioms
- Comme un poisson dans l'eau Completely at ease in one's element.
- Tuer la poule aux œufs d'or To destroy a source of steady profit out of greed for all of it at once.
- Écrire un poulet à quelqu'un To send a love letter.
- À la queue leu leu In single file, one behind another.
- Avoir la queue entre les jambes To slink off humiliated.
- Manger à tous les râteliers To take advantage from all sides at once, with no loyalty to any.
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- Tu as du chien You have a certain irresistible magnetism — a je-ne-sais-quoi that draws people in.
- Tu as la tête sur les épaules You're grounded, sensible, and dependable — not easily swept off course.
- Tu as le vent en poupe Everything is going your way — you're riding a wave of momentum and success.
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