"actions speak louder than words"

The dictionary has both “les mots valent moins que les actions” and “les actes sont plus éloquents que les paroles." I would think that the first one is more common. Do the French use both expressions?

merci d'avance

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Permalink Reply by Charles D on September 16, 2013 at 4:47am

Not everything is an idiom. What's wrong with a literal translation: les actions parlent plus haute que les mots?

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Permalink Reply by alan gould on September 16, 2013 at 6:08am

makes it easier for me, certainly. thank you.

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Permalink Reply by Chantal Savignat on September 16, 2013 at 8:20am

Hello

Yes both expressions are used but the second one is more common

and can be heard with some variations : "les actes parlent plus que les mots" or "les actes parlent plus fort que les mots" or "les actions parlent plus que les mots".

and here you must translate "louder" by "plus fort" and it's ok

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Permalink Reply by Charles D on September 16, 2013 at 2:59pm

Of course "fort" instead of "haute" and "actes" is a better choice. This always happens when I try to write in French without thinking it through. My intention was correct, only my word choices were off. Merci pour votre aide.