ProverbWisdom
Dutch origin
Dutch originZo gewonnen, zo geronnen
Meaning: What comes easily goes just as easily.
Literally: As soon won, as soon run off
Example: “Hij won de loterij en was alles binnen een jaar kwijt. Zo gewonnen, zo geronnen.” — He won the lottery and lost it all within a year: easy come, easy go.
Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, German, and 3 more languages
English: Easy come, easy go
French: Bien mal acquis ne profite jamais (literally: Ill-gotten goods never prosper)
Spanish: Lo que fácil viene, fácil se va (literally: What comes easily, goes easily)
Japanese: 悪銭身につかず (Akusen mi ni tsukazu) (literally: Ill-gotten money doesn't stick)
German: Wie gewonnen, so zerronnen (literally: As won, so melted away)
Russian: Как нажито, так и прожито (Kak nazhito, tak i prozhito) (literally: As it was earned, so it was spent)
Polish: Łatwo przyszło, łatwo poszło (literally: Easy came, easy went)
Turkish: Haydan gelen huya gider (literally: What comes from "hey" goes to "hoo")
Origin: Geronnen means run off, like water: what was won as easily, ran off as easily. The two past participles rhyme.
Explore another collection: Idioms
Colorful expressions from dozens of languages, with their word-for-word translations.
- roet in het eten gooien to spoil or ruin a plan, event, or situation by introducing an unwelcome disruption.
- bij de les blijven to remain focused and attentive; to keep one's composure.
- voor dovemansoren Said or done in vain; unheeded by those it is meant for.
Keep exploring