ProverbWisdom
Spanish origin
Spanish originA falta de pan, buenas son tortas
Meaning: When you can't have what you want, make do with what you have.
Literally: Lacking bread, cakes are good
Example: “No había entradas para el concierto, así que fuimos al cine. A falta de pan, buenas son tortas.” — The concert was sold out, so we went to the movies: half a loaf is better than none.
Equivalents in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and 3 more languages
English: Half a loaf is better than none
French: Faute de grives, on mange des merles (literally: Lacking thrushes, one eats blackbirds)
German: Ein halbes Ei ist besser als eine leere Schale (literally: Half an egg is better than an empty shell)
Italian: Meglio poco che niente (literally: Better little than nothing)
Portuguese: Mais vale pouco que nada (literally: A little is worth more than nothing)
Dutch: Beter een half ei dan een lege dop (literally: Better half an egg than an empty shell)
Polish: Lepszy rydz niż nic (literally: Better a mushroom than nothing)
Chinese: 聊胜于无 (Liáo shèng yú wú) (literally: Slightly better than nothing)
Origin: Tortas here are flat cakes, a humbler food than a proper loaf of bread.
Explore another collection: Idioms
Colorful expressions from dozens of languages, with their word-for-word translations.
- como pez en el agua perfectly at ease in a situation; in one's natural element.
- de pitiminí something trivial or of insignificant value.
- no haber color there is no comparison; one option is vastly superior to another.
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