ProverbPerseveranceEnglish origin1950

There's a first time for everything

Meaning: It is wise to try different sorts of things or experiences that one is unaccustomed to or wary of.

Origin: A catchphrase that, according to Eric Partridge's dictionary of catch phrases, became common around 1945 in both Britain and the United States. An early literary example is Terence Rattigan's play Who Is Sylvia? (1950): "there has to be a first time for everything."

Equivalents in French, Spanish, and German

  • French: Il y a un commencement à tout (literally: There is a beginning to everything)
  • Spanish: Siempre hay una primera vez (literally: There is always a first time)
  • German: Es gibt für alles ein erstes Mal (literally: There is a first time for everything)

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