No use crying over spilled milk

Definition

There's no point in being upset about something that has already happened and cannot be changed; don't waste time regretting past mistakes.

Etymology

This phrase dates back to the 1600s, with early versions appearing in James Howell's 'Paramoigraphy' (1659). Milk was a valuable commodity that spoiled quickly without refrigeration, so spilling it was genuinely distressing. The metaphor worked perfectly because everyone understood the frustration of losing something precious that couldn't be recovered.

Kelly Says

The phrase captures a universal human tendency to ruminate over unchangeable past events, using the perfect metaphor of spilled milk - something that's both genuinely annoying and completely irreversible. Before refrigeration, spilled milk was not just wasteful but potentially meant children going without nutrition, making the original sting of the metaphor even sharper.

Translations

AMአማርኛ
አብረን የተፈሰሰ ማር ላይ አብራ
abren yetefesese mar lay abra
ARالعربية
لا تبك على الحليب المسكوب
lā tabki ʿalā al-ḥalīb al-muskūb
BNবাংলা
ছিঁড়ে যাওয়া দুধের জন্য কাঁদো না
chhiṛe yawya dudher jonye kando na
CACatalà
no ploris per la llet vessada
no plɔˈɾis pɛr ɫə ˈʎet ˈbesəðə
CSČeština
neplač nad rozlitým mlékem
nɛplaʧ nad rozlɪtɨm mlɛkɛm
DADansk
græd ikke over spildt mælk
ɡʁœð ɪɡə ɔvɐ spɪlˀt mælɡ
DEDeutsch
keine Tränen über verschüttete Milch
kaɪnə ˈtʁɔʏnən ˈyːbɐ ˈfɛʁˌʃʏtətə ˈmɪlç
ELΕλληνικά
μη κλαίς για το γάλα που χύθηκε
mi kléïs ɣia to ɣála pu chíthike
ESEspañol
no llorar sobre la leche derramada
no jo-rahr soh-breh lah leh-cheh deh-rah-mah-dah
FAفارسی
برای شیر ریختگی گریه نکن
barāye shīr rīkhtegī geriye nakon
FISuomi
älä itke kaatuneesta maidosta
ælæ itke kaːtuneesta maidosta
FRFrançais
ne pleure pas sur le lait renversé
nə plœʁ pɑ syʁ lə lɛ ʁɑ̃vɛʁse
GUGU
છાંટેલા દૂધ પર રડવું નહિ
chhāṇṭelā dūdh par raḍavuṁ nahī
HAHA
kada ka yi kuka a kan nono da aka fasa
kada ka yi kuka a kan nono da aka fasa
HEעברית
אל תבכה על החלב שנשפך
al tivke al haḥalav she-nashpakh
HIहिन्दी
गिरे हुए दूध पर रोना नहीं
gire hue doodh par rona nahin
HUMagyar
ne sírj a kiöntött tej miatt
nɛ ʃiːrj ɒ kiøntött tej miatt
IDBahasa Indonesia
jangan menangis atas susu yang tumpah
dʒaŋan mənaŋis atɑs susu jɑŋ tumpah
IGIG
Ọ ghara ịkwa emo na milk a wụfụrụ
ọ ɣara ịkwa emo na milk a wụfụrụ
ITItaliano
non piangere sul latte versato
non pjɑ̃ˈdʒɛːre sul ˈlatte verˈsaːto
JA日本語
こぼれたミルクに涙を落とすな
Koboreta miruku ni namida o otosu na
KKKK
құйылған сүтке жылау
qūylɣan sūtke jylau
KMKM
កុំរំពឹងលើទឹកដោះដែលបានកន្តោង
kum rŭmpŏŋ lŭə tĕk dŏh dêl ban kɑntoŋ
KO한국어
쏟아진 우유에 눈물을 흘리지 마라
Ssodajin uyu-e nunmureul heulliji mara
MRMR
फुटलेल्या दुधावर रडू नका
phuṭalelyā dudhāvar raḍū nakā
MSBahasa Melayu
jangan menangis atas susu yang tumpah
dʒaŋan mənaŋis atɑs susu jɑŋ tumpah
MYမြန်မာ
ထိုးသည့်နို့အတွက် ငိုမည်မည်
hto seh nout ahtwet ngomay
NLNederlands
huil niet om gemorste melk
hœyl nit ɔm ɣəˈmɔrstə mɛlk
NONorsk
gråt ikke over spilt melk
ɡroʊt ɪɡə ɔvɐ spɪlt mɛlk
PAPA
ਛਿੜਿਆ ਦੁੱਧ ਤੇ ਰੋਣਾ ਨਾ
chhiṛiā dudh te roṇā nā
PLPolski
nie płacz nad rozlanym mlekiem
ɲɛ pwɔntʂ nad rɔzlanɨm mlekiem
PTPortuguês
não chorar sobre o leite derramado
nɐ̃w ʃoˈɾaʁ suˈbɾɛ o ˈlejti deh-rah-mah-doo
RORomână
nu plânge pentru laptele vărsat
nu plɨnɡe pentrʊ laptele vərsat
RUРусский
не плачь над пролитым молоком
nje plach nad prolitym malakom
SVSvenska
gråt inte över spilld mjölk
ɡroʊt intɛ ɔvɛr spɪld mjølk
SWKiswahili
usifie kwa maziwa yaliyomwagika
usífíe kwá mázíwa yalíyomwágika
TAதமிழ்
கொட்டிய பாலுக்காக அழுதாதே
koṭṭiya pālukkāka aḻutātē
TEతెలుగు
చిలకరించిన పాలపై ఏడవద్దు
cilakariṇcina pālapai ēḍavadu
THไทย
อย่าเสียใจกับน้ำนมที่หก
yā sīa jai gáp nām nom thī hak
TLTL
huwag umiyak sa nakahilig na gatas
huwág umiyák sa nakahilíg na gátas
TRTürkçe
dökülen süt için ağlama
dökülen süt için ağlama
UKУкраїнська
не плач над розлитим молоком
nje plach nad rozlytym molokom
URاردو
گلاس پھینکے ہوئے دودھ پر روئیے نہیں
glās pheṅke hue dūdh par roye nahīṅ
VITiếng Việt
đừng khóc về sữa bị đổ
dung khoc ve sua bi do
YOYO
Má a ku orí omi ẹlẹ̀yìn tó ti fọ́
má a ku orí omi ẹlẹ̀yìn tó tí fọ́
ZH中文
不要为打翻的牛奶哭泣
Bùyào wèi dǎ fān de niú nǎi kū qì
ZUZU
Ungakhokhi emoyeni ongapheli
uŋaɠoɠi emoyeni oŋaɠɛphi

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