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refrán

proverb

noun rreh-FRAHN Rare
Communication Language

Origin: From Old French refrain (refrain, repeated phrase).

Also means

saying

Usage Note

Refrán specifically refers to a traditional Spanish proverb — a pithy saying encapsulating folk wisdom, like a quien madruga, Dios le ayuda ('the early bird catches the worm'). It is more colloquial than proverbio, which sounds more literary or foreign. The plural refranes shifts the written accent: the tilde is dropped because the penultimate rule now applies.

Examples

"Hay un refrán para cada situación."

Natural Translation

There is a proverb for every situation.

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