ఎక్కడ నుంచి వస్తున్నావోయ్ నత్తాయన అంటే.. రెడ్లోరి ఇంటి నుండి నుంచోచోయ్ ననంగాయన అన్నాడట
ekkada nunchi vastunnavoy nattayana ante.. redlori inti nundi nunchochoy nanangayana annadata
When asked, 'Where are you coming from, Mr. Snail?', he replied, 'From the Reddy's house, please stand back, Mr. Nannangayana.'
This proverb is used to mock people who pretend to be important or high-status after associating with powerful people, even if their own pace or contribution is negligible. Just as a slow snail acts as if it is in a great hurry or demands space because it is coming from a wealthy person's house, it describes someone putting on airs or acting busy/pompous without actual merit.
Related Phrases
పోలీ పోలీ నీ భోగ మెన్నాళ్ళు అంటే, మా అత్త మాలపల్లి నుంచి వచ్చేదాకా అన్నాడట.
poli poli ni bhoga mennallu ante, ma atta malapalli nunchi vachchedaka annadata.
When asked, 'Poli, Poli, how long will your luxury last?', he replied, 'Until my mother-in-law returns from the neighborhood.'
This proverb is used to describe a person who is enjoying a temporary position of authority or luxury that does not belong to them. It highlights that their influence or comfort is fleeting and will vanish the moment the real authority figure returns. It is often used to mock someone acting grandly on borrowed time or resources.
చంకలో బిడ్డను ఉంచుకుని ఊరంతా వెతికినట్టు
chankalo biddanu unchukuni uranta vetikinattu
Like carrying the baby in one's arms and searching the whole village for it.
This proverb describes a situation where someone searches everywhere for something they already possess or which is right with them. It is used to mock absent-mindedness or the tendency to overlook the obvious while seeking solutions far away.
రెడ్డి వచ్చినాడు, మొదటినుంచి పాడుమన్నట్టు.
reddi vachchinadu, modatinunchi padumannattu.
The Reddi has come, begin your song again. A person being continually asked to recommence his song or story on the arrival of every person of consequence.
This expression is used to describe a situation where someone is asked to restart a task or process from the very beginning just because a latecomer or an influential person has arrived, disregarding the progress already made. It highlights the frustration of unnecessary repetition and the inconvenience caused by late arrivals.
నట్టింట ఉండి నా భాగ్యమంటే, ఉట్టిమీద నుంచి ఊడిపడుతుందా?
nattinta undi na bhagyamante, uttimida nunchi udipadutunda?
If you sit in the middle of the house and talk about your luck, will it fall down from the hanging net?
This proverb emphasizes that success and wealth do not come simply by luck or wishing for them while sitting idle. One must work hard to achieve results; fortune doesn't just drop from the ceiling without effort. It is used to mock laziness or the expectation of rewards without labor.
రోగమంటే వచ్చిందిగాని, పాలు ఎక్కడి నుండి వస్తవి?
rogamante vachchindigani, palu ekkadi nundi vastavi?
The disease has come alright, but where will the milk come from?
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone demands the benefits or comforts associated with a condition (like the special diet/milk given to a sick person) without having the means to provide them, or more generally, when one accepts a problem but is unwilling or unable to handle the required resources/consequences.
వానలు ముంచుతాయోయ్ ముంచుతాయి అన్నాడట జ్యోతిష్కుడు
vanalu munchutayoy munchutayi annadata jyotishkudu
The astrologer predicted that the rains will submerge everything, he said.
This expression is used to mock people who make obvious or redundant predictions about events that are already happening. It refers to a situation where an astrologer predicts a flood while it is already raining heavily, making his 'prophecy' useless and laughable.
ఓలో సగం చెప్ప నాయనా అన్నాడట
olo sagam cheppa nayana annadata
Please say at least half of the letter 'O', my son, he said.
This expression is used to mock someone who is extremely lazy, slow to learn, or completely uncooperative even when the task is simplified to the smallest possible degree. It refers to a humorous situation where a teacher or parent is so frustrated by a student's silence that they beg for even a tiny fraction of a simple sound/letter just to see some progress.
కొండమీద నుంచి బండ దొర్లించినట్టు
kondamida nunchi banda dorlinchinattu
Like rolling a boulder down from a hill
This expression is used to describe a task that, once started or triggered, happens with great speed, force, and ease without needing further effort. It is often used to describe someone speaking fluently and uncontrollably without a pause, or an event gaining unstoppable momentum.
నయానా భయానా
nayana bhayana
By mildness or severity. If one does not answer, the other must be tried.
This expression refers to a strategy of using both persuasion (friendly approach) and intimidation (threats) to get something done. It is equivalent to the English idiom 'by hook or by crook' or 'the carrot and the stick' approach.
మొండిదాన్ని చిటికేస్తే ఆరు ఆమడల నుంచి ఆలకించిందట
mondidanni chitikeste aru amadala nunchi alakinchindata
When someone snapped their fingers at a stubborn woman, she supposedly heard it from six leagues away.
This proverb is used to describe hypocritical or selective behavior. It refers to a person who usually pretends not to hear or understand things when they are unwilling to work, but suddenly becomes hyper-alert or over-reactive when there is a chance to complain, pick a fight, or find an excuse to avoid a task.