you can't teach an old dog new tricks

English

Etymology

A form of (obsolete) “An old dog will learn no tricks”.

Proverb

you can't teach an old dog new tricks

1. It is impossible to change people's habits, traits, or mindset.

Antonyms

• it's never too late to mend
• you're never too old to learn

Translations

too old to change

• Czech: starého psa novým kouskům nenaučíš
• Danish: man kan ikke lære en gammel hund nye kunster
• Estonian: vanale koerale juba uusi trikke ei õpeta
• Finnish: vanhalle koiralle ei voi opettaa uusia temppuja (literally “an old dog can not be taught new tricks”)
• French: il faut ployer l’arbre pendant qu’il est jeune (literally: a tree must be bent while it is young), on ne change pas les vieilles habitudes
• German: was Hänschen nicht lernt, lernt Hans nimmermehr (de)
• Greek: παλιός γάιδαρος καινούρια περπατησιά δε μαθαίνει (paliós gáidaros kainoúria perpatisiá de mathaínei, literally “the old donkey cannot learn a new walk”), τώρα στα γεράματα, μάθε γέρο γράμματα (tóra sta gerámata, máthe géro grámmata)
• Hungarian: öreg/vén muzsikusnak/zenésznek nem lehet (már) új nótát tanítani, késő az agg ebet táncra tanítani
• Icelandic: það er erfitt að kenna gömlum hundi að sitja (literally “teaching an old dog to sit is a daunting task”)
• Irish: nuair a chríonann an tslat is deacair í a lúbadh (literally “when the rod gets old, it is difficult to bend”)
• Italian: il cane vecchio non si abitua più alla catena
• Latin: senex psittacus negligit ferulam (literally “the old parrot neglects ferule”)
• Norwegian: man kan ikke lære en gammel hund apport
• Polish: przyzwyczajenie jest drugą naturą człowieka, czego Jaś się nie nauczy, tego Jan nie będzie umiał (pl)
• Portuguese: papagaio velho não aprende a falar, pau que nasce torto nunca se endireita
• Russian: горба́того моги́ла испра́вит (ru) (gorbátovo mogíla isprávit, literally “a hunchback will be corrected by the grave”), ста́рого пса но́вым шту́кам не нау́чишь (stárovo psa nóvym štúkam ne naúčišʹ)
• Scottish Gaelic: an t-aon nach teagaisgear ris a' ghlùin chan fhoghlamar ris an uilinn
• Spanish: perro viejo no aprende trucos nuevos
• Swedish: man kan inte lära gamla hundar sitta
• Telugu: కుక్కతోక వంకర తీయలేము (kukkatōka vaṅkara tīyalēmu)
• Thai: ไม้อ่อนดัดง่าย ไม้แก่ดัดยาก (th) (máai òn dàt ngâai, máai gàe dàt yâak)
• Turkish: ağaç yaşken eğilir
• Welsh: anodd dysgu hen gostog (literal), anodd diddyfnu hen (literally “difficult to wean old”)

See also

• a leopard cannot change his spots
• old habits die hard
• there's life in the old dog yet
• you can't put an old head on young shoulders