
ProverbPerseverance
Russian origin
Счёт дружбы не портит (Schyot druzhby ne portit)
Meaning: Settling money matters clearly keeps a friendship healthy.
Literally: Keeping accounts doesn't spoil friendship
Example: “Давай я верну тебе деньги за билеты. Счёт дружбы не портит.” — Let me pay you back for the tickets: short reckonings make long friends.
Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and 2 more languages
English: Short reckonings make long friends.
French: Les bons comptes font les bons amis (literally: Short reckonings make long friends)
Spanish: Cuentas claras, amistades largas. (literally: Clear accounts, long friendships.)
German: Kurze Rechnung, lange Freundschaft (literally: Short reckoning, long friendship)
Italian: Patti chiari, amicizia lunga (literally: Clear deals, long friendship)
Portuguese: As boas contas fazem os bons amigos (literally: Good accounts make good friends)
Dutch: Effen rekeningen maken goede vrienden (literally: Settled accounts make good friends)
Origin: Keeping accounts doesn't spoil friendship: repaying exactly avoids resentment later.
Explore another collection: Idioms
Colorful expressions from dozens of languages, with their word-for-word translations.
- Игра не стоит свеч (Igra ne stoit svech) The effort or money spent won't be repaid by the result.
- Не вешай лапшу на уши (Ne veshay lapshu na ushi) Don't lie to me; stop trying to deceive me.
- Когда рак на горе свистнет (Kogda rak na gore svistnet) When pigs fly; never.
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