Practice makes perfect
Meaning: Repeated practice leads to mastery.
Origin: An earlier English form, "use makes perfect," is recorded from the mid-16th century. The modern wording appears in John Adams's diary in 1761, where the young lawyer, reflecting on a clumsy start, wrote: "I was too incautious, and unartful in my Proceeding, but Practice makes perfect."
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron (literally: It is by forging that one becomes a blacksmith)
- Spanish: La práctica hace al maestro (literally: Practice makes the master)
- Japanese: 習うより慣れろ (Narau yori narero) (literally: Get used to it rather than learning it)
- German: Übung macht den Meister (literally: Practice makes the master)
More proverbs about Perseverance
- Fall seven times, get up eight — Perseverance is the key to mastery and resilience.
- Rome wasn't built in a day — Great things take time and patience.
- The early bird catches the worm — Those who act first gain advantage.
- Better late than never — Doing something late is better than not doing it at all.
- Slow and steady wins the race — Consistency and patience lead to success.
- Good things come to those who wait — Patience is rewarded.
From our idioms
- Couper les cheveux en quatre — To over-analyze or split hairs.
- Se regarder le nombril — To be self-centered or narcissistic.
- Avoir le cul entre deux chaises — To be indecisive, caught between two options.