har man sagt a, får man si b

Norwegian Bokmål

Alternative forms

• har man sagt a, må man si b

Etymology

The literal translation "if you have said A, you have to say B" refers to that if you say one part, you have to say the second part as well.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hɑːr man sakt ɑː foːr man siː beː/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eː
• Hyphenation: har‧man‧sagt‧a‧får‧man‧si‧b

Proverb

har man sagt a, får man si b

1. if you have started something, you should finish it and take the consequence of it (literally: if you have said a, you should say b)
   • 1984, Ebba Haslund, Døgnfluens lengsel, page 22:

     har en sagt A, får en si B; han undret litt oppgitt hva C ville bli

     if one has said A, one should say B; he wondered a little dejected what C would be

   • 2000, Kari Bøge, For alt jeg vet:

     har en først vakter, må en vel finne noe de kan vokte. Og er en så glad i vakter som det virker som de er her, så nytter det vel ikke bare å si A – en må si B også

     if you first have guards, you must find something they can guard. And if one is as fond of guards as it seems as if they are here, then it is probably not useful to just say A - one must say B as well

References

• “a_7” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).