
ProverbPerseverance
Spanish origin
El mejor escribano echa un borrón
Meaning: Even the most skilled person makes mistakes.
Literally: The best scribe makes a blot
Example: “No te preocupes por ese error. El mejor escribano echa un borrón.” — Don't worry about that mistake: even Homer nods.
Equivalents in English, French, Japanese, German, Italian, and 4 more languages
English: Tis a good horse that never stumbles, and a good wife that never grumbles.
French: Il n’y a cheval si bon qui ne bronche (literally: It is a good horse that never stumbles)
Japanese: 猿も木から落ちる (Saru mo ki kara ochiru) (literally: Even monkeys fall from trees)
German: Auch ein Pferd strauchelt, und hat doch vier Beine (literally: Even a horse stumbles, and yet it has four legs)
Italian: Sbaglia anche il prete all'altare (literally: Even the priest makes mistakes at the altar)
Dutch: Het beste paard struikelt wel eens (literally: Even the best horse stumbles sometimes)
Polish: I koń ma cztery nogi, a potknie się (literally: Even a horse has four legs and still stumbles)
Korean: 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다 (Wonsungido namueseo tteoreojinda) (literally: Even monkeys fall from trees)Arabic: لكل جواد كبوة (Li-kulli jawādin kabwa) (literally: Every steed stumbles)
Origin: In the days of ink and quill, even the best scribe let fall a blot now and then.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Como poco coco como, poco coco compro. A bouncy 'co' drill — the word order and meaning flip with each repetition.
- Pepe Pecas pica papas con un pico. ¿Con qué pico pica papas Pepe Pecas? A bouncy 'p' cluster that accelerates with the question at the end.
- El perro de San Roque no tiene rabo porque Ramón Ramírez se lo ha robado. A rolled-'r' workout — every word demands the vibrating trill.
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