Hello,
How might we translate the above?
Thanks for your help.
Moderator note: We have merged several discussions about the meaning and translation of this expression and its variants. Consequently, this thread is rather long. You may find the following summary and points of clarification helpful.
Form: In British English, the expression is most commonly heard as, "It never rains but it pours." By ellipsis there is also, "It never rains but pours," and even simply, "It never rains." In American English you will usually hear, "When it rains it pours." The American version is also the long-time advertising slogan of a company that makes table salt (explanation on the Italian-English forum and on Wikipedia).
Meaning: When something occurs, it occurs all at once and in excess. The occurrence in question is usually negative (especially in British English), the idea being that many things go wrong all at the same time. However, it's also possible to use the expression to refer to a series of positive things, particularly in American English. The expression lends itself particularly to a sudden surfeit of what would normally be an infrequent occurrence.
Primary translations: For negative things, un malheur n'arrive [ne vient] jamais seul. For positive things, c'est tout un ou tout l'autre may work in certain situations. For many other possible translations, many of which are only for specific contexts, keep reading.
Related but distinct: jamais deux sans trois, Whatever can go wrong, will, etc.
How might we translate the above?
Thanks for your help.
Moderator note: We have merged several discussions about the meaning and translation of this expression and its variants. Consequently, this thread is rather long. You may find the following summary and points of clarification helpful.
Form: In British English, the expression is most commonly heard as, "It never rains but it pours." By ellipsis there is also, "It never rains but pours," and even simply, "It never rains." In American English you will usually hear, "When it rains it pours." The American version is also the long-time advertising slogan of a company that makes table salt (explanation on the Italian-English forum and on Wikipedia).
Meaning: When something occurs, it occurs all at once and in excess. The occurrence in question is usually negative (especially in British English), the idea being that many things go wrong all at the same time. However, it's also possible to use the expression to refer to a series of positive things, particularly in American English. The expression lends itself particularly to a sudden surfeit of what would normally be an infrequent occurrence.
Primary translations: For negative things, un malheur n'arrive [ne vient] jamais seul. For positive things, c'est tout un ou tout l'autre may work in certain situations. For many other possible translations, many of which are only for specific contexts, keep reading.
Related but distinct: jamais deux sans trois, Whatever can go wrong, will, etc.
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Which is not classic or classy French and I certainly wouldn't recommend using, especially as he is the only person to use that phrase, so far as I know.
