ProverbPerseveranceInternational origin

It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop

Meaning: Progress at any pace is still progress; what matters is persisting, not speed.

Origin: Widely posted as a saying of Confucius, but it does not appear in the Analects or other classical texts. It resembles a later Chinese saying, bù pà màn, jiù pà zhàn — don't fear being slow, fear only standing still.

Equivalents in German

  • German: Beharrlichkeit führt zum Ziel (literally: Perseverance leads to the goal)

Explore another collection: False Friends

Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.

  • Assister Actually means 'to attend' an event. J'assiste à la réunion = I attend the meeting. For a…
  • Phrase Actually means 'sentence'. For a short phrase or expression, say une expression.
  • Ignorer Actually means 'to be unaware of' or 'not to know'. J'ignore la réponse = I don't know th…

Browse all false friends →

Keep exploring

Explore all proverbs →