అత్తా ఒక ఇంటి కోడలే, మామా ఒక ఇంటి అల్లుడే

atta oka inti kodale, mama oka inti allude

Translation

The mother-in-law was once a daughter-in-law of a house, and the father-in-law was once a son-in-law of a house.

Meaning

This proverb highlights that everyone in a position of authority once held a subordinate role. It is used to remind people (especially in-laws) to be empathetic and treat others with kindness, remembering that they were once in the same shoes. It emphasizes that life is a cycle and experiences are shared across generations.

Related Phrases

A father-in-law was once a son-in-law in another house, and a mother-in-law was once a daughter-in-law in another house.

This proverb is used to remind people in positions of authority or seniority to be empathetic and humble. It emphasizes that everyone starts from a subordinate position and has faced similar struggles, so one should treat their juniors or family members with the same kindness they once wished for themselves.

The new is a wonder, the old detestable.

Generally, people are attracted by the new (especially, fashions in dress and the like) and tend to dislike the old. It is similar to the saying in English: “familiarity breeds contempt.”

If the whole village is one way, the stick is another way.

This proverb is used to describe a person who is eccentric or stubborn, always choosing to go against the consensus or common path. It highlights non-conformity, often in a negative or frustrating sense, where one person acts contrary to everyone else in a group.

The father-in-law is a son-in-law of another house, and the mother-in-law is a daughter-in-law of another house.

This proverb highlights the cyclical nature of family roles and the importance of empathy. It reminds elders (the mother-in-law and father-in-law) that they once held the same subordinate or new roles as their children-in-law. It is used to suggest that one should treat their daughter-in-law or son-in-law with kindness and understanding, remembering their own past experiences in those positions.

This house crow will not perch on that house.

This expression is used to describe a person who is extremely loyal or strictly confined to their own circle, family, or workplace. It characterizes someone who never interferes in others' business or stays so busy/loyal to their own home that they never visit others.

The old is a nuisance, the new is a wonder.

This proverb describes the human tendency to quickly get bored with old, familiar things and become easily fascinated by anything new. It is often used to comment on people who abandon traditions or long-term possessions in favor of the latest trends, or when someone loses interest in something they once valued.

The mother-in-law was herself once a daughter-in-law. The mother-in-law forgets that she was a daughter-in-law. (Spanish.)

This proverb is used to remind people in positions of power or authority to be empathetic toward their subordinates. It specifically highlights that every mother-in-law once experienced the struggles of being a daughter-in-law, suggesting she should treat her own daughter-in-law with kindness and understanding based on her own past experiences.

That house's crow doesn't land on this house, and this house's crow doesn't land on that house.

This expression is used to describe an extreme state of enmity or total lack of communication between two families or individuals. It signifies that there is absolutely no relationship or interaction remaining between two parties, often due to a severe dispute or long-standing rivalry.

Smart words at my house, but dinner at your house.

This expression describes a person who talks grandly or boasts about their status at home, yet depends on others for their basic needs or survival. It is used to mock hypocritical people who act superior but are actually freeloaders.

Every house has a brick stove, while our house has a clay stove.

This proverb is used to highlight that despite outward appearances or slight differences, basic problems and human nature are universal. It implies that everyone faces similar struggles and that no one is truly unique in their suffering or circumstances.