you can't teach an old dog new tricks

English

Etymology

A form of (obsolete) “An old dog will learn no tricks”.[1]

Proverb

you can't teach an old dog new tricks

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

Antonyms

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, on n’apprend pas au vieux singe à faire des grimaces
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”)
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
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

References

Nathan Bailey (1721) Divers Proverbs‎, page 72

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[1] Nathan Bailey (1721) Divers Proverbs‎, page 72