Meanings
proverb
- Established habits are difficult to change.
Old habits die hard. The stronger beverage of English ale had been so long in use that the old folks could not be induced to relinquish it for a foreign herb.
1884, Arthur Reade, Tea and Tea Drinking, London: S. Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, page 12
Translations
Bengali পুরনো অভ্যাস যেতে চায় না
- পুরনো অভ্যাস যেতে চায় না (puronō obbhaś jete caẏ na)established habits are difficult to change
Chinese Cantonese 死性不改
- 死性不改 (sei² sing³ bat¹ goi²)established habits are difficult to change
Czech zvyk je železná košile
- zvyk je železná košileestablished habits are difficult to change
Danish man kan ikke lære en gammel hund nye kunster
- man kan ikke lære en gammel hund nye kunsterestablished habits are difficult to change
Finnish vanhoista tavoista on vaikea luopua
- vanhoista tavoista on vaikea luopuaestablished habits are difficult to change
French qui a bu boira, les vieilles habitudes ont la vie dure
- qui a bu boiraestablished habits are difficult to change
- les vieilles habitudes ont la vie dureestablished habits are difficult to change
- chassez le naturel, il revient au galopestablished habits are difficult to change
Greek πρώτα βγαίνει η ψυχή και μετά το χούι
- πρώτα βγαίνει η ψυχή και μετά το χούι (próta vgaínei i psychí kai metá to choúi)established habits are difficult to change
Hungarian nagy úr a szokás, nagy úr a megszokás
- nagy úr a szokásestablished habits are difficult to change
- nagy úr a megszokásestablished habits are difficult to change
- a régi szokásoktól nehéz szabadulniestablished habits are difficult to change
- a régi szokásokat nehéz levetkőzniestablished habits are difficult to change
Icelandic það er erfitt að kenna gömlum hundi að sitja
- það er erfitt að kenna gömlum hundi að sitjaestablished habits are difficult to change
Italian il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizio
- il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizioestablished habits are difficult to change
Korean 세 살 버릇 여든까지 간다
- 세 살 버릇 여든까지 간다 (se sal beoreut yeodeunkkaji ganda)established habits are difficult to change
Norwegian Bokmål gammel vane er vond å vende
- gammel vane er vond å vendeestablished habits are difficult to change
Polish przyzwyczajenie jest drugą naturą człowieka
- przyzwyczajenie jest drugą naturą człowiekaestablished habits are difficult to change
Portuguese velhos hábitos nunca morrem
- velhos hábitos nunca morremestablished habits are difficult to change
Romanian lupul își schimbă părul, dar năravul ba
- lupul își schimbă părul, dar năravul baestablished habits are difficult to change
Russian от ста́рой привы́чки тру́дно изба́виться
- от ста́рой привы́чки тру́дно изба́виться (ot stároj privýčki trúdno izbávitʹsja)established habits are difficult to change
Slovak zvyk je železná košeľa
- zvyk je železná košeľaestablished habits are difficult to change
Turkish can çıkar huy çıkmaz
- can çıkar huy çıkmazestablished habits are difficult to change
Cite this entry
APA
old habits die hard. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/old%20habits%20die%20hard
MLA
“old habits die hard.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/old%20habits%20die%20hard. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “old habits die hard,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/old%20habits%20die%20hard.
Source: old habits die hard on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.