English [ edit ] Alternative forms [ edit ] Proverb [ edit ] when the cat ’s away the mice will play
In the absence of a controlling entity , subordinates will take advantage of circumstances . Translations [ edit ] in the absence of a controlling entity, subordinates will take advantage of circumstances
Afrikaans: as die kat weg is, is die muis baas (af) ( literally “ when the cat's away the mouse is boss. ” )
Arabic: please add this translation if you can
Chinese:
Cantonese: please add this translation if you can
Mandarin: 山中無老虎，猴子稱大王 ／ 山中无老虎，猴子称大王 ( shānzhōng wú lǎohǔ, hóuzi chēng dàwáng ) , 老虎不再山，猴子稱大王 ／ 老虎不再山，猴子称大王 ( lǎohǔ bù zài shān, hóuzi chēng dàwáng )
Cimbrian: balda di khatz velt, di maüs tåntzan
Czech: když kocour není doma, myši mají pré (cs)
Danish: når katten er ude, spiller musene på bordet
Dutch: als de kat van huis is, dansen de muizen op tafel (nl)
Esperanto: kiam kato promenas, la musoj festenas
Estonian: kui kassid läinud, on hiirtel pidu
Finnish: kun kissa on poissa, hiiret hyppivät pöydällä
French: quand le chat n’est pas là, les souris dansent (fr) , le chat parti, les souris dansent (fr)
German: ist die Katze aus dem Haus, tanzen die Mäuse auf dem Tisch (de) ( literally “ if the cat's out of the house, the mice dance on the table ” )
Greek: όταν λείπει η γάτα χορεύουν τα ποντίκια ( ótan leípei i gáta chorévoun ta pontíkia )
Hungarian: ha nincs otthon a macska, cincognak az egerek (hu)
Icelandic: þegar kötturinn er frá fara mýsnar á stjá
Irish: nuair a bhíonn an cat amuigh, bíonn na lucha ag rince
Italian: quando il gatto non c'è, i topi ballano
Japanese: 鬼いぬ間の洗濯 ( おにいぬまのせんたく, oni inu ma-no sentaku ) , 鼬無き間の貂誇り ( いたちなきまのてんほこり, itachi naki ma no ten hokori ) , 鼬無き間の鼠 ( いたちなきまのねずみ, itachi naki ma no nezumi )
Khmer: ឆ្មាមិននៅ កណ្ដុរឡើងរាជ្យ ( cmaa mɨn nɨv kɑndol laəŋ riec )
Kikuyu: hiti ciathiĩ mbwe ciegangara ngatia ciathiĩ hiti cĩeragara
Korean: 고양이가 없으면 쥐가 살판이 난다 ( goyang'iga eopseumyeon jwiga salpani nanda )
Kumyk: мишик ёкъ ерде чычкъан баш гётерир ( mişik yoq yerde çıçqan baş göterir )
Kurdish:
Northern Kurdish: kitik ne li mal e, navê mişkî Evdal e
Latin: audācem reddit fēlis absentia murem fēle comprehensā saltant murēs in mensā quō nōn versantur cattī mures dominantur
Luxembourgish: wann d’Kaz fort ass, sinn d’Mais Meeschter ( literally “ when the cat is gone, the mice are masters ” )
Norwegian: når katten er borte, danser musene på bordet ( when the cat’s away, the mice are dancing on the table )
Persian: در خانه کسی که گربه نباشد موش کدخداست
Polish: gdy kota nie ma, myszy harcują (pl) , hulaj dusza – piekła nie ma (pl)
Portuguese: quando o gato sai, os ratos fazem a festa
Romanian: când pisica nu-i acasă, joacă șoarecii pe masă ( literally “ when the cat isn't home, the mice are dancing on the table ” )
Russian: без кота́ мыша́м раздо́лье ( bez kotá myšám razdólʹje ) , кот из дома - мыши в пляс ( kot iz doma - myši v pljas )
Scottish Gaelic: tha fios aig an luch nach eil an cat a-staigh
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: где мачке у кући нема ту мишеви коло воде
Roman: gde mačke u kući nema tu miševi kolo vode
Sorbian:
Lower Sorbian: gaž jo kócor z domu, ga maju myšy swóju wólu
Spanish: cuando el gato no está, bailan los ratones cuando el gato no está los ratones están de fiesta cuando el gato no está, los ratones bailan (es)
Swedish: när katten är borta, dansar råttorna på bordet (sv)
Tagalog: kapag wala ang pusa, naglalaro ang mga daga kapag wala ang pusa ay pista ng mga daga
Telugu: రౌతు మెత్తనైతే గుర్రం మూడు కాళ్ళ మీద పరిగెత్తుతుంది ( rautu mettanaitē gurraṁ mūḍu kāḷḷa mīda parigettutundi )
Thai: แมวไม่อยู่ หนูระเริง แมวไม่อยู่ หนูร่าเริง
Turkish: kedi olmayan yerde meydan farelere kalır
Vietnamese: vắng chủ nhà, gà vọc niêu tôm
References [ edit ] Gregory Y. Titelman (1996 ) Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings , →ISBN 367