ProverbsManiA

World proverbs · English idioms · Short films

One proverb.
Many nations.
One truth.

A tuxedo cat travels the world to hear how different nations say the same thing. Learn an English idiom in half a minute, then find out how Russia, Japan, Türkiye, Mexico and many more put it.

Watch on YouTube Free worksheet

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  • 9Shorts
  • 2films
  • 20+countries so far
  • 2sources behind every proverb
The ProverbsMania tuxedo cat sitting on a sack at an old market
Newest ShortLet the Cat Out of the Bag
proverbatasözüSprichwortproverberefránproverbioпословицаprzysłowieπαροιμίαことわざ속담谚语peribahasapříslovíspreekwoordordspråksananlaskuközmondásकहावतprovérbioприслів’яordsprogproverbatasözüSprichwortproverberefránproverbioпословицаprzysłowieπαροιμίαことわざ속담谚语peribahasapříslovíspreekwoordordspråksananlaskuközmondásकहावतprovérbioприслів’яordsprog

Proverb of the week

One secret, four ways to spill it

English

Let the cat out of the bag

Meaning: to reveal a secret by accident.

A popular story says old market sellers hid a cat in a sack instead of a piglet, until the cat jumped out.

“Don’t let the cat out of the bag. The party is a surprise!”

France: scene from the Short
France · French Vendre la mèche Literally: Sell the fuse.
China: scene from the Short
China · Mandarin 露出马脚 lùchū mǎjiǎo Literally: Show the horse’s hoof.
Mexico: scene from the Short
Mexico · Spanish Soltar la sopa Literally: Spill the soup.

Cat, fuse, hoof, soup. One truth: the secret is out.

Watch the Short

The Shorts

Thirty seconds, three nations, one idiom

Every Short starts with an English idiom and ends with the truth all three nations share. Newest first.

Scene from the Short Let the Cat Out of the BagOrigin story Let the Cat Out of the Bag China shows a horse’s hoof France · China · Mexico Scene from the Short Easy as PieViewer request Easy as Pie Türkiye calls it a child’s toy Türkiye · Netherlands · Spain Scene from the Short A Piece of Cake A Piece of Cake Russia says a steamed turnip Russia · Japan · Brazil Scene from the Short Beat Around the Bush Beat Around the Bush Sweden has a cat and hot porridge Sweden · Italy · Poland Scene from the Short Raining Cats and Dogs Raining Cats and Dogs Norway rains troll women Norway · Greece · Czechia Scene from the Short Kill Two Birds With One Stone Kill Two Birds With One Stone Italy uses a single bean Italy · Germany · Poland Scene from the Short The Grass Is Always Greener The Grass Is Always Greener Türkiye sees a goose Türkiye · Germany · Korea Scene from the Short Sell or Divide? Sell or Divide? The same bear skin, two mistakes France · Russia Scene from the Short This Too Shall Pass This Too Shall Pass Five nations, one truth Persian · Turkish · Arabic · Swahili · Chinese

Longer films

Seven countries, one idea

When Pigs Fly film thumbnail 3:45 · Idioms Around the World

When Pigs Fly: 7 Countries, 7 Impossible Things

Türkiye, France, Russia, Spain, Italy, Egypt and China each picked a different “never”.

 A farmer with a basket of eggs and the tuxedo cat 6:42 · 7 Nations, 1 Truth

Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch

From a Turkish river crossing to a Japanese tanuki: seven ways to celebrate too early.
First page of the free worksheet Super Easy

Free for learners and teachers

Worksheet #1: Super Easy!

How six nations say “a piece of cake”, from a Russian steamed turnip to a Dutch one-cent whistle. Two printable A4 pages for English levels B1–B2.

  • Matching, word choice and true-or-false exercises
  • “Your turn”: write the idiom in your own language
  • Answer key and QR codes to the two Shorts
Download the free PDF

A new worksheet comes with every new set of Shorts.

Your turn

How does your language say it?

Write your idiom in the comments under any Short. We read every one, and the best ones become videos with your name on screen.

Çocuk oyuncağı“a child’s toy”, from Türkiye, suggested by viewer @Cherrymew-wb6 and featured in Easy as Pie.

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New Shorts every week