You're never too old to learn

Meaning: Learning is a lifelong process.

Origin: Seneca, mocked for attending philosophy lectures in old age, answered in his 76th letter to Lucilius that one must keep learning as long as one is ignorant — and, if we believe the proverb, as long as one lives. The idea was already proverbial in his day.

Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German

  • French: On apprend à tout âge (literally: You learn at every age)
  • Spanish: Nunca es tarde para aprender (literally: It's never late to learn)
  • Japanese: 学びに年齢はない (Manabi ni nenrei wa nai) (literally: There is no age for learning)
  • German: Man lernt nie aus (literally: One never finishes learning)

More proverbs about Wisdom

From our false friends

  • Bra — Actually means 'good'. Det är bra = That's good.
  • Glass — Actually means 'ice cream'. En glass = an ice cream. For a glass (vessel), say ett glas.
  • Semester — Actually means 'holiday' or 'vacation'. A school semester is en termin.

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