Save your breath

Definition

Don't waste your time trying to persuade someone who won't listen; stop talking because it's pointless.

Etymology

This phrase emerged in the 16th century, treating breath as a valuable resource that shouldn't be wasted on futile efforts. The metaphor suggests that speaking requires physical energy (breath) that could be better conserved for more productive uses.

Kelly Says

The phrase reflects an ancient understanding of speech as physically costly - before microphones and modern communication, projecting your voice actually was energetically expensive. The wisdom embedded here is that persuasion requires a receptive audience; otherwise, you're literally wasting your life force (breath) on deaf ears.

Translations

AMአማርኛ
አንድ ነገር አይነት ነው
an-d ne-ger ay-net ne-w
ARالعربية
احفظ أنفاسك
iḥfadh ʾanfāsik
BNবাংলা
শ্বাস বন্ধ করো
shwas bondho kor-o
CACatalà
guarda la teva respiració
gar-da la te-va re-spi-ra-syohn
CSČeština
šetři dech
she-tri dech
DADansk
spar din åndedræt
spar din an-de-dret
DEDeutsch
spare dir den Atem
spaar dir den a-tem
ELΕλληνικά
σώρσε την ανάσα σου
so-rse tin a-na-sa soo
ESEspañol
guarda tu aliento
gar-da too a-lee-en-toh
FAفارسی
نفس خود را نگه دارید
nefes khud-ra negaha-dareed
FISuomi
pidä hengitystäsi
pee-dä hen-gi-ty-st-si
FRFrançais
garde ta respiration
gard ta res-pi-ra-syohn
GUGU
શ્વાસ બચાવો
shwas bach-avo
HAHA
tsarawa a hankali
tsar-awa a han-ka-li
HEעברית
שמור את נשימתך
she-mor et na-shi-ma-tekh
HIहिन्दी
अपना साँस बचाओ
ap-na saans bach-aao
HUMagyar
tartasd a lélegzetedet
tart-asd a le-leg-ze-te-det
IDBahasa Indonesia
hemat napasmu
he-mat na-pas-mu
IGIG
dịrụ ọnọ
di-ru on-o
ITItaliano
riserva il tuo respiro
ri-zer-va il too re-spe-ro
JA日本語
息をためて
iki wo tame te
KKKK
неfesini sakta
ne-fes-ini sa-kta
KMKM
រក្សាអាកាស
rok-sya a-ka-s
KO한국어
숨을 쉬지 마세요
sum-eul sshi-ji ma-se-yo
MRMR
श्वास ठेवा
shwaas the-va
MSBahasa Melayu
simpan nafas anda
sim-pan na-fas an-da
MYမြန်မာ
အရည်ကို စုံစမ်း
a-ye-ko ko su-n-sa-m
NLNederlands
houd je adem
ho-ud je a-dem
NONorsk
spar pusten din
spar pus-ten din
PAPA
ਸਾँਸ ਬਚਾओ
saans bach-aao
PLPolski
oszczędź oddech
os-chye-dź od-dech
PTPortuguês
guarda a sua respiração
gar-da a soo-a re-spi-ra-sawn
RORomână
păstrează respirația ta
păs-trea-ză re-spi-ra-ția ta
RUРусский
не трать духа
ne tra-ty du-kha
SVSvenska
spara din andning
spa-ra din an-ning
SWKiswahili
hifadhi pumzi yako
hi-fa-dhi pum-zi ya-ko
TAதமிழ்
காற்று சேமிக்கவும்
ka-ar-tru sa-e-mi-kka-vum
TEతెలుగు
సాధారణంగా
sa-dha-ar-na-nga
THไทย
อดหายใจ
at hai jai
TLTL
iingatan ang iyong hininga
i-ing-a-tan ang i-yong hi-ning-a
TRTürkçe
nefesini sakla
ne-fe-si-ni sa-kla
UKУкраїнська
збережи дихання
zber-e-zhi di-khan-nya
URاردو
سانس کو بچائو
saans ko bachao
VITiếng Việt
hãy giữ hơi thở của bạn
hay giu hoi tho cua ban
YOYO
fi ṣe ẹni
fi ṣe e-ni
ZH中文
省口气
shěng qìguī
ZUZU
qhamuka izinga
qha-mu-ka i-zing-a

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