పిల్లా నీదేమి పోతుంది, మా అమ్మకు కాసేపు కోడలు కాలేవా అన్నాడట?
pilla nidemi potundi, ma ammaku kasepu kodalu kaleva annadata?
'Girl, what do you lose? Can't you be my mother's daughter-in-law for a little while?' he said.
This sarcastic proverb is used to describe a person who asks for an absurdly high or unreasonable favor while downplaying the commitment or consequence involved. It highlights the audacity of someone asking for something deeply personal or permanent as if it were a trivial, temporary help.
Related Phrases
విన్నమ్మకు వీపు కాలింది, కన్నమ్మకు కడుపు కాలింది
vinnammaku vipu kalindi, kannammaku kadupu kalindi
For the woman who heard, her back burned; for the mother who gave birth, her womb burned.
This proverb contrasts superficial sympathy with deep, genuine pain. While an outsider (the listener) might feel a momentary or mild annoyance (back burning), only the person directly involved or the parent (the mother) feels the true, excruciating agony (womb burning). It is used to describe situations where bystanders can never truly understand the depth of a victim's suffering.
ఏడుపున్నమ్మకు కథలు కావు.
edupunnammaku kathalu kavu.
For a woman who is crying, stories do not flow.
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone is so overwhelmed by their own troubles, grief, or problems that they cannot focus on or engage in creative, productive, or entertaining activities. It suggests that a disturbed mind cannot offer inspiration or joy.
మాదాకవళమమ్మా అంటే, మా యింటాయన నీకు కనిపించలేదా అన్నదట.
madakavalamamma ante, ma yintayana niku kanipinchaleda annadata.
When asked for a handful of food (alms), she replied, 'Didn't you see my husband?'
This proverb is used to describe a situation where someone gives an irrelevant or evasive answer to a simple request to avoid helping. It mocks the behavior of someone making excuses by pointing to another person (usually a spouse or authority figure) as the reason for their inability or refusal to act.
కోడలా నీ భోగమెంతసేపే అంటే, మా అత్త మాలవాడకుపోయివచ్చిందాక అన్నదట
kodala ni bhogamentasepe ante, ma atta malavadakupoyivachchindaka annadata
When asked 'Daughter-in-law, how long will your enjoyment last?', she replied 'Until my mother-in-law returns from the workers' colony.'
This proverb is used to describe a temporary sense of freedom or authority. It refers to a situation where someone enjoys power or pleasure only because their superior or person in charge is momentarily absent, and they know the fun will end the moment that authority figure returns.
మాటలో నీటుంది, మాటలో పోటుంది, మాటలో సూటి ఉంది.
matalo nitundi, matalo potundi, matalo suti undi.
In speech there is elegance, in speech there is power (a blow), and in speech there is directness.
This expression highlights the multifaceted power of words. It suggests that human speech can be used to convey sophistication (neetu), to deliver a sharp or stinging impact (potu), or to be honest and straightforward (sooti). It is often used to remind people that how we talk can charm, hurt, or clarify depending on the intent.
ఆవ తిన్న అమ్మకు యేవ పారినదట
ava tinna ammaku yeva parinadata
The woman who fed on mustard grew strong. Fattening on poor fare.
This proverb is used to describe a person who experiences an exaggerated or unnatural reaction to something they voluntarily did or something very minor. It highlights hypocrisy or fake sensitivity, comparing it to someone who eats mustard (which is common and small) but then acts as if it has caused them a great deal of sickness or nausea (yeva).
విన్నమ్మ వీపు కాలినది, కన్నమ్మ కడుపు కాలినది
vinnamma vipu kalinadi, kannamma kadupu kalinadi
Vinnamma's back burned, Kannamma's belly burned. The first mourned the loss of a son-in-law, the second that of a son.— Kannamma signifies ' she who bore ; ' Vinnamma signifies ' she who heard' [ of the death.]
This proverb highlights the profound difference between superficial sympathy and true maternal grief. While an outsider (the one who hears the news) might feel a fleeting pain or 'burn' on the surface (the back), the biological mother (the one who gave birth) feels the intense, internal agony of a 'burning' womb/stomach. It is used to express that only those directly affected by a tragedy can truly understand its depth.
* Det kommer vel der ske skall.
ఇల్లు కాలిపోతుంది ఈర్రాజా అంటే, నాదేమి పోతుంది సరసరాజా అన్నాడట
illu kalipotundi irraja ante, nademi potundi sarasaraja annadata
When told 'The house is burning, Eerraja', he replied 'What do I lose, Sarasaraja?'
This expression is used to describe a person's extreme apathy, lack of responsibility, or detachment from a collective crisis. It highlights a selfish or foolish attitude where an individual fails to realize that they are also affected by a disaster, or simply doesn't care about the consequences of a situation they are part of.
కలిమి ఉన్నంతసేపు బలగము, కండ ఉన్నంతసేపు మిండడు
kalimi unnantasepu balagamu, kanda unnantasepu mindadu
As long as there is wealth, there are followers; as long as there is physical strength, there is a lover.
This proverb highlights the transient and opportunistic nature of human relationships. It suggests that people often stay around others only for selfish reasons—either for money or physical attraction—and may desert them once those assets are gone. It is used to describe fair-weather friends or superficial bonds.
కూతుళ్ల కన్నమ్మకు కుర్చీపీటలు, కొడుకులు కన్నమ్మకు గోడపంచలు
kutulla kannammaku kurchipitalu, kodukulu kannammaku godapanchalu
Chairs and stools for the mother of daughters; wall corners for the mother of sons.
This traditional proverb highlights the observation that daughters often take better care of their aging parents with comfort and respect (represented by chairs), whereas sons may neglect them or leave them with no proper place to stay (represented by the eaves of a wall or corners of a house).