der Esel geht immer voran
German
editEtymology
editLiterally, "the donkey always comes first". Probably from the idea that the donkey walks in front of the carriage but is of lesser value than the people on it.
Proverb
edit- Said when someone mentions themselves first in an enumeration of people (like “I and you”, “I and my friend”), which is considered unmannered in the German-speaking (and some other) countries
- Synonym: der Esel nennt sich immer zuerst