the early bird gets the worm

/ði ˈɜ(ɹ)li ˈbɜ(ɹ)d ɡɛts ðə wɜ(ɹ)m/

proverb

Whoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are available only to the first competitors.

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Meanings

proverb

alternative the early bird catches the worm

  1. Whoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are available only to the first competitors.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise

Translations

Afrikaans die oggendstond het goud in die mond
  • die oggendstond het goud in die mondwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Arabic مِنْ سَبَق أَكْل النَبْق, مِنْ سَبَقْ شَمْ الحَبْقْ
  • مِنْ سَبَق أَكْل النَبْق (min sabaq ʔakl an-nabq)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • مِنْ سَبَقْ شَمْ الحَبْقْ (min sabaq šam al-ḥabq)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Catalan qui matina fa farina
  • qui matina fa farinawhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Chinese Mandarin 早起的鳥兒有蟲吃 /早起的鸟儿有虫吃, 先下手為強 /先下手为强
  • 早起的鳥兒有蟲吃 /早起的鸟儿有虫吃 (zǎoqǐ de niǎor yǒu chóng chī)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • 先下手為強 /先下手为强 (xiān xiàshǒu wéi qiáng)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • 捷足先登 (jiézúxiāndēng)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • 近水樓台先得月 (jìnshuǐlóutái xiān dé yuè)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • 先到先得 (xiāndàoxiāndé)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Czech ranní ptáče dál doskáče, komu se nelení, tomu se zelení
  • ranní ptáče dál doskáčewhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • komu se nelení, tomu se zeleníwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Danish morgenstund har guld i mund
  • morgenstund har guld i mundwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Dutch morgenstond heeft goud in de mond
  • morgenstond heeft goud in de mondwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Finnish aikainen lintu madon nappaa
  • aikainen lintu madon nappaawhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
French l'avenir appartient à ceux qui se lèvent tôt, le monde appartient à ceux qui se lèvent tôt
  • l'avenir appartient à ceux qui se lèvent tôtwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • le monde appartient à ceux qui se lèvent tôtwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • la vache la première au pré, lèche toute la roséewhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
German der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm, Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund
  • der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurmwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • Morgenstund hat Gold im Mundwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Hebrew הציפור המשכימה קום תופסת את התולעת, המשכים קום, אלוהים נותן לו שילום
  • הציפור המשכימה קום תופסת את התולעתwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • המשכים קום, אלוהים נותן לו שילוםwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • כל הקודם זוכה (kol hakódem zókhe)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Hungarian ki korán kel, aranyat lel
  • ki korán kel, aranyat lelwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Icelandic morgunstund gefur gull in mund
  • morgunstund gefur gull in mundwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Indonesian siapa cepat, dia dapat
  • siapa cepat, dia dapatwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Irish is leis an mochóirí an lá
  • is leis an mochóirí an láwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Italian chi primo arriva meglio alloggia, chi dorme non piglia pesci
  • chi primo arriva meglio alloggiawhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • chi dorme non piglia pesciwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • il mattino ha l'oro in boccawhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Japanese 早起きの鳥は虫を捕らえる, 早起きは三文の徳
  • 早起きの鳥は虫を捕らえる (hayaoki no tori wa mushi o toraeru)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • 早起きは三文の徳 (hayaoki wa sanmon no toku)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • 早いもの勝ち (hayai mono gachi)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Korean 일찍 일어나는 새가 벌레를 잡는다
  • 일찍 일어나는 새가 벌레를 잡는다 (iljjik ireonaneun saega beollereul jamneunda)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Malay siapa cepat dia dapat
  • siapa cepat dia dapatwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Norwegian Bokmål morgenstund har gull i munn
  • morgenstund har gull i munnwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Polish kto rano wstaje, temu Pan Bóg daje
  • kto rano wstaje, temu Pan Bóg dajewhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Portuguese Deus ajuda quem cedo madruga
  • Deus ajuda quem cedo madrugawhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Romanian cine se trezește de dimineață, departe ajunge
  • cine se trezește de dimineață, departe ajungewhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Russian кто не успе́л, тот опозда́л, кто ра́но встаёт, тому́ бог подаёт
  • кто не успе́л, тот опозда́л (kto ne uspél, tot opozdál)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • кто ра́но встаёт, тому́ бог подаёт (kto ráno vstajót, tomú bog podajót)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Slovak komu sa nelení, tomu sa zelení
  • komu sa nelení, tomu sa zeleníwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Spanish a quien madruga, Dios le ayuda
  • a quien madruga, Dios le ayudawhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Swedish morgonstund har guld i mun
  • morgonstund har guld i munwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Turkish erken kalkan yol alır, erken kalktım işime, şeker kattım aşıma
  • erken kalkan yol alırwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
  • erken kalktım işime, şeker kattım aşımawhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Ukrainian хто рано встає, тому Бог дає
  • хто рано встає, тому Бог дає (xto rano vstaje, tomu Boh daje)whoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Vietnamese con chim đầu bắt sâu
  • con chim đầu bắt sâuwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Zulu inyoni yokuqala ibamba isibungu
  • inyoni yokuqala ibamba isibunguwhoever arrives first has the best chance of success
Cite this entry
APA

the early bird gets the worm. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20early%20bird%20gets%20the%20worm

MLA

“the early bird gets the worm.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20early%20bird%20gets%20the%20worm. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the early bird gets the worm,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20early%20bird%20gets%20the%20worm.

Source: the early bird gets the worm on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.