ProverbPerseverance
Greek origin
Greek originSlow and steady wins the race
Meaning: Consistency and patience lead to success.
Often credited to: Aesop's fable of the tortoise and the hare; the exact wording is Robert Lloyd's, 1762
Example: “Save a little every month; slow and steady wins the race.”
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, German, Italian, and 4 more languages
French: Qui va lentement va sûrement (literally: Who goes slowly goes surely)
Spanish: Lento pero seguro (literally: Slow but sure)
Japanese: 急がば回れ (Isogaba maware) (literally: If in a hurry, take a detour)
German: Eile mit Weile (literally: Hurry with leisure)
Italian: Chi va piano va sano e va lontano (literally: Who goes slowly goes safely and goes far)
Portuguese: Devagar se vai ao longe (literally: Slowly you go far)
Dutch: Langzaam aan, dan breekt de lijn niet (literally: Take it slowly and the line won't break)
Russian: Тише едешь — дальше будешь (Tishe edesh' — dal'she budesh') (literally: The slower you ride, the farther you get)
Turkish: Ağır git ki yol alasın (literally: Go slowly so you make headway)
Origin: From Aesop's fable of the tortoise and the hare, in which the boastful hare naps mid-race and the plodding tortoise wins. The exact wording comes from Robert Lloyd's poem "The Hare and the Tortoise" (1762), which ends: "Slow and steady wins the race."
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Du hast ein Händchen dafür You have a real knack — a natural gift that makes difficult things look easy.
- Du hast Köpfchen You're sharp and clever — you use your brain well.
- Du bist klasse You're brilliant — excellent, impressive, top-notch.
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