Meanings
proverb
- idiomaticSome things need the active cooperation of two parties; blame is to be laid on both parties in a conflict.
He started it! Well, it takes two to tango.
1 more example
I can't do it by myself, and neither can you – it takes two to tango.
Origin
From the song Takes Two to Tango, written and composed in 1952 by Al Hoffman and Dick Manning.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic انها رقصَة التانغو تتطلب شخصين
- انها رقصَة التانغو تتطلب شخصينsome things need the active cooperation of two parties
Chinese Mandarin 一個巴掌拍不響 /一个巴掌拍不响
- 一個巴掌拍不響 /一个巴掌拍不响 (yī ge bāzhang pāi bù xiǎng)some things need the active cooperation of two parties
Danish der skal to til tango
- der skal to til tangosome things need the active cooperation of two parties
Finnish tanssiin tarvitaan aina kaksi, kukaan ei riitele yksinään
- tanssiin tarvitaan aina kaksisome things need the active cooperation of two parties
- kukaan ei riitele yksinäänsome things need the active cooperation of two parties
- kukaan ei tappele yksinäänsome things need the active cooperation of two parties
French il faut être deux pour danser le tango
- il faut être deux pour danser le tangosome things need the active cooperation of two parties
Hungarian kettőn áll a vásár
- kettőn áll a vásársome things need the active cooperation of two parties
Japanese 喧嘩両成敗
- 喧嘩両成敗 (kenka ryōseibai)some things need the active cooperation of two parties
Norwegian det trengs 2 til tango
- det trengs 2 til tangosome things need the active cooperation of two parties
Polish do tanga trzeba dwojga
- do tanga trzeba dwojgasome things need the active cooperation of two parties
Portuguese não se faz nada sozinho
- não se faz nada sozinhosome things need the active cooperation of two parties
Russian для та́нго нужны́ дво́е
- для та́нго нужны́ дво́е (dlja tángo nužný dvóje)some things need the active cooperation of two parties
Spanish dos no discuten si uno no quiere
- dos no discuten si uno no quieresome things need the active cooperation of two parties
Swedish det är inte ens fel om två träter
- det är inte ens fel om två trätersome things need the active cooperation of two parties
Cite this entry
APA
it takes two to tango. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/it%20takes%20two%20to%20tango
MLA
“it takes two to tango.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/it%20takes%20two%20to%20tango. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “it takes two to tango,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/it%20takes%20two%20to%20tango.
Source: it takes two to tango on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.