learn to walk before one can run
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Master basic skills before attempting more complex tasks.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Học các kỹ năng cơ bản trước khi thực hiện các nhiệm vụ phức tạp
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Literally: acquire ability to walk prior to ability to run
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
She wants to start a business, but she needs to learn to walk before she can run.
AI-drafted example auto-approved by rule (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-31; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “learn to walk before one can run” mean?
Master basic skills before attempting more complex tasks. Literally: acquire ability to walk prior to ability to run
Is “learn to walk before one can run” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.