Where there is smoke, there is fire
Meaning: Rumors or signs usually indicate some truth.
Origin: The Roman playwright Plautus wrote flamma fumo est proxima — flame is next to smoke. A late 13th-century French proverb says there is no fire without smoke, nor smoke without fire. It means that rumors usually have some basis in truth.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Il n'y a pas de fumée sans feu (literally: There is no smoke without fire)
- Spanish: Donde hay humo, hay fuego (literally: Where there is smoke, there is fire)
- Japanese: 火のない所に煙は立たぬ (Hi no nai tokoro ni kemuri wa tatanu) (literally: Smoke doesn't rise where there is no fire)
- German: Kein Rauch ohne Feuer (literally: No smoke without fire)
More proverbs about Wisdom
- Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day — Teaching someone is more valuable than doing things for them.
- All that glitters is not gold — Appearances can be misleading.
- The best things in life are free — The most valuable experiences don't cost money.
- If it ain't broke, don't fix it — Don't change something that's working well.
- Money doesn't grow on trees — Money is hard to earn and should be spent wisely.
- When in Rome, do as the Romans do — Adapt to local customs when visiting a new place.
From our idioms
- Estar en la edad del pavo — To be at an awkward teenage phase.
- Tener mala leche — To be in a foul mood or have bad intentions.
- No tener pelos en la lengua — To speak very bluntly and honestly.