Mali principii malus finis
“A bad beginning has a bad end.”
Latin proverb
What does “Mali principii malus finis” mean?
Mali principii malus finis translates as “A bad beginning has a bad end.”
Something started badly rarely ends well, so it pays to get the start right.
“Mali principii malus finis” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Mali | of a bad | genitive singular neuter of malus, “bad”; agrees with principii |
| principii | beginning | genitive singular of principium, “beginning” (neuter noun); “of a bad beginning” |
| malus | bad | nominative singular masculine of malus, “bad”; agrees with finis |
| finis | end | nominative singular of finis, “end” (masculine here; it can also be feminine); the subject of the sentence |
How to pronounce “Mali principii malus finis”
The two differ mainly in principii (hard k versus ch for the c) and in the short i of finis, which is a little crisper in the Classical style. Stress falls on MAH in mali and malus, on CHEE or KIH in principii, and on FEE in finis.
The story behind it
Word for word the proverb says “of a bad beginning, a bad end”. There is no verb in the Latin, which is typical of proverbs: the English “has” is supplied to make the sense clear.
It is a Latin proverb of unknown origin, so it cannot be tied to one author or work. Erasmus included it in his Adagia, the great sixteenth-century collection of sayings from classical and later sources.
The thought is a familiar one in many languages: a project, plan or relationship that starts badly tends to finish badly. Today the line is quoted as a warning to take care over first steps.
How to use “Mali principii malus finis”
Suits a motto about careful planning, a caption for a project that got off on the wrong foot, or a warning in an essay or speech about rushing into things. As a tattoo it is a reminder to start well.
- Latin
- Mali principii malus finis
- English
- A bad beginning has a bad end.
- Source
- Latin proverb
- Era
- Middle Ages
- Theme
- Action
Common mistakes
- It is not a strict law. It says a bad start usually leads to a bad end, not that recovery is impossible.
- Mali belongs with principii (“of a bad beginning”), and malus belongs with finis. Do not match the endings the other way round.
- Changing the word order or swapping in other words gives a different phrase, not a variant of the proverb. Keep the pattern “of a bad beginning, a bad end”.
- Do not credit it to Erasmus. He recorded it in his Adagia, but the proverb is older and its origin is unknown.
Questions about “Mali principii malus finis”
What does “Mali principii malus finis” mean literally?
“Of a bad beginning, a bad end.” English adds a verb: a bad beginning has a bad end.
Who said “Mali principii malus finis”?
No one knows. It is an anonymous Latin proverb, and Erasmus included it in his Adagia.
How do you pronounce “Mali principii malus finis”?
In Classical Latin: MAH-lee prin-KIH-pee-ee MAH-loos FEE-nis. In Church Latin the c of principii becomes ch: prin-CHEE-pee-ee.
Is “Mali principii malus finis” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is a genuine Latin proverb. The grammar is fine: mali agrees with principii, and malus agrees with finis.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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