put the cart before the horse
To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong prioritiesTo put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities; to put something inconsequential as more important than something more essential.
» Don't put the cart before the horse.
Zäum das Pferd nicht beim Schwanz auf! — Manfredo
Man soll den Karren nicht vor den Esel spannen. — mramosch
Не ставь телегу поперёд лошади. — sharptoothed
Не ставьте телегу впереди лошади. — marafon
Не ставь телегу впереди лошади. — marafon
Не треба ставити віз перед конем. — deniko
CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
1 senses(idiomatic)To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities; to put something inconsequential as more important than something more essential.
das Pferd von hinten aufzäumen, den Pflug vor die Ochsen spannen
ста́вить теле́гу впереди́ ло́шадиstávitʹ telégu vperedí lóšadi, начина́ть не с того́ конца́načinátʹ ne s tovó koncá
Examples
30 sentencesDon't put the cart before the horse.
Не треба ставити віз перед конем. — deniko
ruНе ставь телегу поперёд лошади. — sharptoothed
deZäum das Pferd nicht beim Schwanz auf! — Manfredo
Tom put the horse in the stable.
deTom brachte das Pferd in den Stall. — Pfirsichbaeumchen
We had to put one of our horses down.
We had to put down one of our horses.
I put all my money on a horse that lost.
Translations
7 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Forms
puts the cart before the horse, putting the cart before the horse, put the cart before the horse, put the cart before the horse| Base form | put the cart before the horse · to put the cart before the horse |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | puts the cart before the horse |
| Present participle | putting the cart before the horse |
| Past simple | put the cart before the horse |
| Past participle | put the cart before the horse |
irregular · Lesson
Present simpleLesson
| I, you, we, they | put the cart before the horse |
| he, she, it | puts the cart before the horse |
Past simpleLesson
| all persons | put the cart before the horse |
Present perfectLesson
| I, you, we, they | have put the cart before the horse |
| he, she, it | has put the cart before the horse |
Future simple (will)Lesson
| all persons | will put the cart before the horse |
Word family
1 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, irregular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle