ProverbCommunicationSpanish origin

Dos no pelean si uno no quiere

Meaning: A quarrel needs two willing sides.

Literally: Two don't fight if one doesn't want to

Example: “No le contestes; dos no pelean si uno no quiere.” — Don't answer him back: it takes two to tango.

Equivalents in English, French, Japanese, German, Portuguese, and 2 more languages

  • English: It takes two to tango
  • French: Il faut être deux pour danser le tango (literally: It takes two to dance the tango)
  • Japanese: 喧嘩両成敗 (Kenka ryōseibai) (literally: In a quarrel, both sides are punished)
  • German: Zum Streiten gehören immer zwei (literally: It always takes two to quarrel)
  • Portuguese: Quando um não quer, dois não brigam (literally: When one doesn't want to, two don't fight)
  • Dutch: Als er twee kijven, hebben ze beide schuld (literally: When two quarrel, both are to blame)
  • Chinese: 一个巴掌拍不响 (Yí gè bāzhang pāi bù xiǎng) (literally: One palm alone can't clap)

Origin: If one person refuses to fight, there is no fight. Portuguese says the same: quando um não quer, dois não brigam.

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