you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink

proverb

You can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

proverb

alternative you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink · alternative you can lead horses to water, but you can't make them drink · alternative you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make her drink

  1. You can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it.

Translations

Catalan ja pots xiular si l'ase no vol beure
  • ja pots xiular si l'ase no vol beureyou can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
Danish man kan tvinge hesten til truget, men man kan ikke tvinge den til at drikke
  • man kan tvinge hesten til truget, men man kan ikke tvinge den til at drikkeyou can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
Dutch met onwillige honden is het slecht hazen vangen
  • met onwillige honden is het slecht hazen vangenyou can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
Finnish voit viedä hevosen veden ääreen, mutta et voi pakottaa sitä juomaan
  • voit viedä hevosen veden ääreen, mutta et voi pakottaa sitä juomaanyou can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
French on ne saurait faire boire un âne qui n'a pas soif
  • on ne saurait faire boire un âne qui n'a pas soifyou can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
German man kann den Gaul zur Tränke führen, aber saufen muss er selber
  • man kann den Gaul zur Tränke führen, aber saufen muss er selberyou can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
Hindi हम किसी को कुछ करने का अवसर दे सकते पर उनपर उसे करने के लिए दबाव नहीं बना सकते
  • हम किसी को कुछ करने का अवसर दे सकते पर उनपर उसे करने के लिए दबाव नहीं बना सकते (ham kisī ko kuch karne kā avsar de sakte par unapar use karne ke lie dabāv nahī̃ banā sakte)you can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
Italian puoi portare un cavallo all'acqua ma non puoi farlo bere
  • puoi portare un cavallo all'acqua ma non puoi farlo bereyou can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
Japanese 馬を水辺に導く事は出来るが馬に水を飲ませる事は出来ない
  • 馬を水辺に導く事は出来るが馬に水を飲ませる事は出来ない (uma o mizube ni michibikukoto wa dekiru ga uma ni mizu o nomaserukoto-wa dekinai)you can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
Norwegian Bokmål du kan lede en hest til vannet, men du kan ikke tvinge den til å drikke
  • du kan lede en hest til vannet, men du kan ikke tvinge den til å drikkeyou can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
Polish możesz konia doprowadzić do wodopoju, lecz pić za niego się nie da
  • możesz konia doprowadzić do wodopoju, lecz pić za niego się nie dayou can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
Portuguese você pode levar um cavalo até a água, mas não pode fazê-lo beber
  • você pode levar um cavalo até a água, mas não pode fazê-lo beberyou can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
Russian мо́жно привести́ ло́шадь к воде́, но нельзя́ заста́вить её пить
  • мо́жно привести́ ло́шадь к воде́, но нельзя́ заста́вить её пить (móžno privestí lóšadʹ k vodé, no nelʹzjá zastávitʹ jejó pitʹ)you can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
Scottish Gaelic ged a bheirte a' bhó dhan doras mhór rachadh i fhéin dhan bhàthaich, bheir aon fhear each gu uisge, ach cha toir a dhà-deug air òl
  • ged a bheirte a' bhó dhan doras mhór rachadh i fhéin dhan bhàthaichyou can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
  • bheir aon fhear each gu uisge, ach cha toir a dhà-deug air òlyou can show someone how to do something, but you can't make them do it
Cite this entry
APA

you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/you%20can%20lead%20a%20horse%20to%20water%2C%20but%20you%20can't%20make%20it%20drink

MLA

“you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/you%20can%20lead%20a%20horse%20to%20water%2C%20but%20you%20can't%20make%20it%20drink. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/you%20can%20lead%20a%20horse%20to%20water%2C%20but%20you%20can't%20make%20it%20drink.

Source: you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.