Meanings
alternative first thing's first
- Let's deal with matters of highest priority first; let's deal with matters in logical sequence.First known use 19th c.
First things first, you need the right tools.
2007 October 21, Jenni Muir, “Essentials for a wannabe chef—sugar, cream, mouse”, in Sunday Times, UK3 more examples
There is a sound common-sense maxim, frequently heard among the wise and prudent of this world—First things first, […]
1830, Christian Observer, On Prophetic Speculation“First things first,” said Sir Richmond. “If we set about getting fuel sanely, if we do it as the deliberate, co-operative act of the whole species, then it follows that we shall look very closely into the use that is being made of it.”
1922, H. G. Wells, chapter 4, in The Secret Places of the HeartJudging by the polls—which still favor Clinton and his mantra of “first things first” (Medicare and education)—the public senses it too.
1999 July 23, Frank Pellegrini, “House Republicans Quell Mutiny Over Tax Bounty”, in Time, archived from the original on 30 Apr 2009
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 重要的事情先來 /重要的事情先来, 要緊的事先做 /要紧的事先做
- 重要的事情先來 /重要的事情先来 (zhòngyào de shìqing xiān lái)let's deal with matters of highest priority first
- 要緊的事先做 /要紧的事先做 (yàojǐn de shì xiān zuò)let's deal with matters of highest priority first
- 首要的事首先辦 /首要的事首先办 (shǒuyào de shì shǒuxiān bàn)let's deal with matters of highest priority first
Czech začněme od začátku, jedno po druhém
- začněme od začátkulet's deal with matters of highest priority first
- jedno po druhémlet's deal with matters of highest priority first
Finnish tärkeimmät asiat ensin, asiat tärkeysjärjestykseen
- tärkeimmät asiat ensinlet's deal with matters of highest priority first
- asiat tärkeysjärjestykseenlet's deal with matters of highest priority first
French parons au plus pressé, commençons par le commencement
- parons au plus pressélet's deal with matters of highest priority first
- commençons par le commencementlet's deal with matters of highest priority first
- faisons les choses dans l'ordrelet's deal with matters of highest priority first
- chaque chose en son tempslet's deal with matters of highest priority first
German das Wichtigste zuerst, eins nach dem anderen
- das Wichtigste zuerstlet's deal with matters of highest priority first
- eins nach dem anderenlet's deal with matters of highest priority first
Hebrew דבר ראשון
- דבר ראשון (davár rishón)let's deal with matters of highest priority first
Hungarian csak sorjában (szép), mindent a maga idejében
- csak sorjában (szép)let's deal with matters of highest priority first
- mindent a maga idejébenlet's deal with matters of highest priority first
- kezdjük a lényeggellet's deal with matters of highest priority first
Irish an chuid is tábhachtaí ar dtús
- an chuid is tábhachtaí ar dtúslet's deal with matters of highest priority first
Italian andiamo con ordine
- andiamo con ordinelet's deal with matters of highest priority first
Polish po pierwsze
- po pierwszelet's deal with matters of highest priority first
Portuguese vamos começar pelo começo
- vamos começar pelo começolet's deal with matters of highest priority first
Russian всё по поря́дку, обо всём по поря́дку
- всё по поря́дку (vsjo po porjádku)let's deal with matters of highest priority first
- обо всём по поря́дку (obo vsjom po porjádku)let's deal with matters of highest priority first
Spanish primero lo primero, lo primero es lo primero
- primero lo primerolet's deal with matters of highest priority first
- lo primero es lo primerolet's deal with matters of highest priority first
Swedish börja från början, börja i rätt ände
- börja från börjanlet's deal with matters of highest priority first
- börja i rätt ändelet's deal with matters of highest priority first
- börja i rätt ändalet's deal with matters of highest priority first
Cite this entry
first things first. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/first%20things%20first
“first things first.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/first%20things%20first. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “first things first,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/first%20things%20first.
Source: first things first on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.