Signification
Quiet people can be powerful.
Contexte culturel
Slovenians often value 'skromnost' (modesty). Being loud is sometimes seen as 'bahavost' (bragging). This proverb validates the quiet, hardworking lifestyle. In mountain cultures, the power of water is respected and feared. This proverb reflects the geographical reality of erosion in the Alps. In Slovenian companies, the most influential person is often not the one shouting in meetings, but the one observing quietly. In villages, a 'tiha voda' is someone who might be keeping secrets or working on a big plan without telling the neighbors.
Use it for Introverts
It's the best compliment you can give to a quiet person who just did something impressive.
Don't over-literalize
If you talk about a flood, don't use this. It's almost always about people.
Signification
Quiet people can be powerful.
Use it for Introverts
It's the best compliment you can give to a quiet person who just did something impressive.
Don't over-literalize
If you talk about a flood, don't use this. It's almost always about people.
The 'Short' Version
Just saying 'On je tiha voda' (He is quiet water) is enough for most Slovenians to understand the full proverb.
Teste-toi
Dopolni pregovor.
Tiha voda ________ dere.
The correct word is 'bregove' (banks).
Kaj pomeni ta pregovor?
Tiha voda bregove dere.
The proverb is a metaphor for the hidden strength of quiet people.
V kateri situaciji bi uporabili ta pregovor?
Marko je celo leto tiho delal, zdaj pa je dobil glavno nagrado.
This situation describes a quiet person achieving a big result.
Dopolni pogovor.
A: 'Nisem vedela, da je Maja tako pogumna!' B: 'Ja, ________.'
The proverb fits perfectly as a response to a surprising act by a quiet person.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesTiha voda ________ dere.
The correct word is 'bregove' (banks).
Tiha voda bregove dere.
The proverb is a metaphor for the hidden strength of quiet people.
Marko je celo leto tiho delal, zdaj pa je dobil glavno nagrado.
This situation describes a quiet person achieving a big result.
A: 'Nisem vedela, da je Maja tako pogumna!' B: 'Ja, ________.'
The proverb fits perfectly as a response to a surprising act by a quiet person.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsIt can be both! It's positive when admiring someone's hidden strength, and negative when warning about someone's hidden temper.
Yes, especially if the child is very smart or observant despite not talking much.
It comes from 'dreti', which means to tear or to flow very fast. In this context, it means the water is 'tearing away' the soil of the bank.
Extremely. You will hear it in movies, news, and daily life.
Yes, the word order is flexible, but 'Tiha voda bregove dere' is the standard proverbial form.
Not exactly, but people might say 'On je fejst tiha voda' (He's quite the quiet water).
Focus on the 'GO' syllable: bre-GO-ve. The 'v' is soft.
Rarely. It's almost always a metaphor for human behavior.
'Still waters run deep' is the closest equivalent.
To show the scale of the power—it doesn't just tear one bank, but many 'banks' over time.
Expressions liées
Tiha voda globoka je
similarQuiet water is deep.
Počasi se daleč pride
similarSlowly one goes far.
Pes, ki laja, ne grize
contrastA dog that barks doesn't bite.
Kdor molči, desetim odgovori
builds onHe who remains silent answers ten people.
