you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs

proverb

In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that some mistakes are made or some sacrifices must occur.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

proverb

alternative you've got to crack a few eggs to make an omelette

  1. In order to achieve something, it is inevitable and necessary that some mistakes are made or some sacrifices must occur.

    It was remarked to him that he had caused the death of a great many persons. Yes, he replied, omlets are not made without breaking eggs.

    1796, Walker's Hibernian Magazine
    1 more example

    She. Have you any people at Home, Guy, to be pleased with your performances? He. One or two. One can't make omelets without breaking eggs.

    1889, Rudyard Kipling, “The Hill of Illusion”, in Under the Deodars, Boston: The Greenock Press, published 1899, page 93

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
revolutions are not made with rosewaterthe cat would eat fish but would not wet her feet

Origin

1796 in English, from French, on ne saurait faire d'omelette sans casser des œufs (1742 and earlier), attributed to François de Charette.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 天下沒有白吃的午餐 /天下没有白吃的午餐, 有得必有失; 有失才有得
  • 天下沒有白吃的午餐 /天下没有白吃的午餐 (tiānxià méiyǒu báichī de wǔcān)phrase
  • 有得必有失; 有失才有得phrase
Czech když se kácí les, létají třísky
  • když se kácí les, létají třískyphrase
Danish hvor der handles, der spildes
  • hvor der handles, der spildesphrase
Dutch waar gehakt wordt vallen spaanders
  • waar gehakt wordt vallen spaandersphrase
Finnish munakasta ei voi tehdä rikkomatta munia
  • munakasta ei voi tehdä rikkomatta muniaphrase
French on ne fait pas d'omelette sans casser des œufs, on ne saurait faire d'omelette sans casser des œufs
  • on ne fait pas d'omelette sans casser des œufsphrase
  • on ne saurait faire d'omelette sans casser des œufsphrase
German wo gehobelt wird, fallen Späne
  • wo gehobelt wird, fallen Spänephrase
Greek αν δεν βρέξεις κώλο, ψάρι δεν τρως
  • αν δεν βρέξεις κώλο, ψάρι δεν τρως (an den vréxeis kólo, psári den tros)phrase
Hungarian csak az nem hibázik, aki nem dolgozik, ahol fát vágnak, ott hullik a forgács
  • csak az nem hibázik, aki nem dolgozikphrase
  • ahol fát vágnak, ott hullik a forgácsphrase
  • áldozat nélkül nincs győzelemphrase
Italian non si può fare una frittata senza rompere le uova
  • non si può fare una frittata senza rompere le uovaphrase
Japanese 蒔かぬ種は生えぬ
  • 蒔かぬ種は生えぬ (makanu tane wa haenu)phrase
Norwegian det må knuses noen egg for å lage en omelett
  • det må knuses noen egg for å lage en omelettphrase
Persian املای نانوشته غلط ندارد
  • املای نانوشته غلط ندارد (emlâ-ye nâ-nevešte ġalat nadârad)phrase
Polish gdzie drwa rąbią, tam wióry lecą
  • gdzie drwa rąbią, tam wióry lecąphrase
Portuguese não se pode fazer omelete sem quebrar os ovos
  • não se pode fazer omelete sem quebrar os ovosphrase
Slovak keď sa rúbe les, lietajú triesky
  • keď sa rúbe les, lietajú trieskyphrase
Spanish nada que valga la pena se logra sin crear conflictos, no se puede hacer una tortilla sin romper los huevos
  • nada que valga la pena se logra sin crear conflictosphrase
  • no se puede hacer una tortilla sin romper los huevosphrase
  • quien quiera peces, que moje el culophrase
Cite this entry
APA

you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/you%20can't%20make%20an%20omelette%20without%20breaking%20eggs

MLA

“you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/you%20can't%20make%20an%20omelette%20without%20breaking%20eggs. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/you%20can't%20make%20an%20omelette%20without%20breaking%20eggs.

Source: you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.