French Expression of the Day: Qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf
You could say this French expression is the same rationale that was applied to Jean Valjean in Les Misérables
Why do I need to know qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf?
Because you might hear French parents telling their children this cautionary proverb.
What does it mean?
Qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf – roughly pronounced "kee vol uhn uff vol uhn buff" – translates precisely to “who steals an egg steals an ox.”
While this may sound a bit nonsensical - surely stealing an egg does not mean you are also stealing an ox - it is intended to be a cautionary expression warning against theft, by equating the stealing of a small item to the stealing of a larger, more important one.
In English, one might say “theft is theft.”
The expression is an old French proverb dating back to the 19th century, but you will still hear it used today - though it is more likely to be something an adult might say to a child.
One common place you will hear this expression might be before the start of a film, as some advertisements employ the expression to warn against illegal downloads or pirating.
In its original form, the phrase was also meant to say that one who commits petty theft (stealing the egg) sets themself on a path where they may steal more valuable items in the future (stealing the ox).
Use it like this
Ma mère m'a dit de ne jamais prendre des choses sans demander - pas même un goûter dans le placard d’un ami. Comme on dit, qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf. – My mother told me never to take things without asking - not even a snack from a friend's cupboard. As they say, theft is theft.
Je sais que le fait que vous ayez téléchargé le film illégalement peut sembler insignifiant, mais qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf. – I know it may not seem like a big deal that you downloaded the movie illegally, but theft is theft.
Comments
See Also
Why do I need to know qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf?
Because you might hear French parents telling their children this cautionary proverb.
What does it mean?
Qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf – roughly pronounced "kee vol uhn uff vol uhn buff" – translates precisely to “who steals an egg steals an ox.”
While this may sound a bit nonsensical - surely stealing an egg does not mean you are also stealing an ox - it is intended to be a cautionary expression warning against theft, by equating the stealing of a small item to the stealing of a larger, more important one.
In English, one might say “theft is theft.”
The expression is an old French proverb dating back to the 19th century, but you will still hear it used today - though it is more likely to be something an adult might say to a child.
One common place you will hear this expression might be before the start of a film, as some advertisements employ the expression to warn against illegal downloads or pirating.
In its original form, the phrase was also meant to say that one who commits petty theft (stealing the egg) sets themself on a path where they may steal more valuable items in the future (stealing the ox).
Use it like this
Ma mère m'a dit de ne jamais prendre des choses sans demander - pas même un goûter dans le placard d’un ami. Comme on dit, qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf. – My mother told me never to take things without asking - not even a snack from a friend's cupboard. As they say, theft is theft.
Je sais que le fait que vous ayez téléchargé le film illégalement peut sembler insignifiant, mais qui vole un œuf vole un bœuf. – I know it may not seem like a big deal that you downloaded the movie illegally, but theft is theft.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.