Cuando el río suena, agua lleva. For Spanish learners.

Question

Who of the Spanish learners could translate this sentence?

Cuando el río suena, agua lleva.

Thank you.

Answer 1

You could translate it literally "when the river sounds, water flows", but idomatically, we say "where there's smoke, there's fire"

• Thank you, Nila - that was fun. This is an unusual use for llevar, no? - pesta Feb 7, 2011
• unusual? - nila45 Feb 7, 2011
• I understood llevar to mean carry or take, but this time it is closer to 'flows'. - pesta Feb 7, 2011

Answer 2

When you hear the river, it carries water. It does sound like "where there is smoke, there is fire."

Answer 3

I have heard it as:

Cuando el río suena, piedras trae...

Answer 4

Hummm, you are right. "Where there is smoke, there is fire".