The 80 best phrases to get tattoos

Nowadays it is very common to meet people who have had or are going to get a tattoo. Used since prehistoric times to convey ideas, reflect important moments or make visible the identity or position of its wearer, the tattoo is an element that allows to express externally internal aspects of the person.

Sometimes this form of artistic expression is based on language, using phrases and maxims that have a particular meaning for the person who makes them. What these tattoo phrases usually have in common is that they are usually brief and deal with universal themes and attitudes towards life that speak of the character and personality of the person who leads them.

Unlike what happens with autobiographical quotes that are easy to relate to someone's life trajectory, these forms of expression are not self-referential in such an obvious way, and normally you have to know how to interpret them, or know who has the tattoo, to know what they mean in each case concrete.

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80 inspiring phrases to get tattoos

Below you can find 80 of the tattoo phrases that best represent the use made of this artistic form. In many cases pictorial elements such as drawings are added to the sentences in question that allow a better understanding of the sentence.

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1. Fall down seven times, get up eight

This phrase motivates us to never give up due to many adversities that we encounter. It is one of the best phrases to get tattoos in order to stay motivated.

2. Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future

Oscar Wilde wrote this sentence, which reflects the fact that we can all change.

3. Carpe Diem

This well-known Latin phrase encourages us to make the most of our time.

4. The show must go on

The show must go on. Whatever happens, we have to keep going, no matter how much our future prospects shrink.

5. The moment is now

Don't put off your dreams forever. Fight for them.

6. Stay strong

A short and motivating phrase that drives us to keep fighting.

7. Breathe

A word that encourages us to calm down and see things calmly and with perspective.

8. Come, vidi, vici

Another typical phrase written in Latin, which tells us about achieving our goals.

9. Cogito ergo sum

This phrase written by René Descartes tells us about the need to think and reflect and the fact that this makes us people.

10. Flying with my own wings

Dream, believe, live. You do not depend on the world but on yourself. Do it.

11. If there’s a will, there’s a way

This phrase tells us that there will always be a way to meet our goals if we have the will to strive to achieve them. There is nothing impossible,

12. No more drama

Continual sadness and melancholy get us nowhere. It is usually worn by people who have been through a long period of discomfort and have decided to remind themselves that suffering without meaning is not worth it.

13. Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye

This phrase, translated from Jackson Brown, tells us that our emotions and feelings allow us to see aspects that are not normally visible objectively.

14. There's always hope

Motivating phrase that drives us to live without decaying.

15. Forever young

Having a young, dynamic and active soul is what this phrase asks of us.

16. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional

In life we ​​are going to feel painful things, but we can choose how we take what happens to us.

17. Let it be

This short and beautiful phrase to get tattooed it pushes us to let go of what worries us and to relax and relativize things. It is also the title of a Beatles song.

18. Hakuna Matata

This phrase is known from the movie The Lion King. It means live happily or carefree in the Swahili language.

20. Let your fears go

Don't let fear paralyze you. It is not bad to be afraid, but do not cling to it. Let it go.

21. Every breath is a second chance

Whatever happens, as long as we are alive we can change things.

22. L’art est la vie, la vie c’est l’art

This French phrase by William Blake indicates that life is an art.

23. Dei fortioribus Adsunt

The gods are with the strong. This Latin phrase pushes us to fight so that we can achieve our goals, since only if we try can we have the fortune to achieve them.

24. Alea jacta is

The die is cast. This phrase is used when an effort has been made and it only remains to observe the result of it.

25. We know what we are, but not what we could be.

William Shakespeare is the author of this phrase, which encourages us not to limit ourselves.

26. To be or not to be

Another phrase from Shakespeare, specifically from his play Hamlet. It is also common to see its translation into Spanish, "To be or not to be".

27. I have not failed. I have found 10,000 solutions that do not work

This phrase is popular thanks to Thomas Edison, and it tells us that error is not something to be ashamed of but something to learn from. The number can vary greatly.

28. I am the master of my destiny, I am the captain of my soul

Only you are going to live your life. You decide how to do it.

29. Never stop dreaming

We all need dreams and goals in our lives. We must not lose hope or stop being excited.

30. I can resist everything except temptation

Another great phrase from Oscar Wilde.

31. Actions speak louder than words

Words can be something very beautiful, but they can be treacherous, while the actions of each one are much more evident and in the end it is what ends up having the most real effect. One of the best phrases to get a tattoo and make our opinion clear about it.

32. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Whether someone or something looks beautiful to us or not will depend on our expectations, tastes and preferences, but it does not make it beautiful or unattractive per se.

33. There is no luckier than the one we make for ourselves

This phrase nIt calls on you to strive and not justify ourselves in chance or luck for not achieving our goals

34. Love est vitae essentia

Love is the essence of life, as this Latin phrase indicates.

35. Live every day as if it were the last

Take advantage of the time you have, because you don't know how long it will last. Live to the max.

36. Letting go is not saying goodbye, but thanks

That a relationship ends does not necessarily imply a cold goodbye, but we must remember the good that said person has given us.

37. One step at a time

We must not rush. The path to be happy and achieve our goals is not usually immediate, but involves a long process with a multitude of intermediate steps.

38. Everything happens for a reason

Everything that happens in our life ends up taking us somewhere. Both the good and the bad are part of our life and it leads us somewhere.

39. Not all who wander are lost

This phrase, written by Tolkien, reflects that the fact of seeking new goals, objectives and illusions does not imply being lost in life.

40. Happiness is a journey, not a destination

Many people become obsessed with wanting to be happy and try to be happy at all costs, forgetting to try to enjoy themselves.

41. Destiny is not a matter of a chance. It’s a matter of choice

This phrase by William Jennings reflects that our life is not fixed. What we live will be largely determined by our choices.

42. Always believe in yourself

Sometimes we can face situations that shake our self-esteem. But we must always believe in ourselves and our possibilities.

43. You only live once

That is why it is necessary to make the most of our time.

44. Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet

Again, in this phrase by Roger Miller we are summoned to live accepting pain and daring to face it.

45. A little stumble can prevent a big fall

Accepting that we make mistakes makes us learn. Avoiding them and not admitting them can mean that in the end they have not been learned and that in case of disaster the situation is insurmountable.

46. Everything is relative

This phrase by Einstein makes us see that there is nothing that is absolute, and our perception of the facts can vary according to the circumstances that surround each situation.

47. The truth will make us free

Knowing the truth allows us to act and adapt successfully.

48. If you believe everything you read, better not read

This Japanese proverb encourages critical thinking and establish our own conclusions, without basing our opinions on what others tell us.

49. Laugh as much as you breathe, love as much as you live

This phrase reflects the need to see the positive side of life, with joy and love being some of the main elements that make us happy.

50. Inhale the future, exhale the past

Let go of what has already happened and try to focus on what is happening and what is to come.

51. There is no happiness without madness

We are not automatons. Follow your instincts and dare.

52. One eye open. The other dreaming

In this sentence we are summoned to find a balance between reality and dreams.

53. The best is yet to come

We have a lot to live, and a positive point of view will make us enjoy it that much more.

54. The wise man can change his mind. The fool, never

This phrase reminds us that it is not bad to be wrong, and that it is good to be able to be flexible and value other points of view. Our opinion is just that, not an absolute truth.

55. The purpose of our lives is to be happy

It is a phrase that pushes us to not forget to live with the goal of being happy and make it be to those around us.

56. Fly high

Don't limit your dreams. Pursue them with intensity.

57. Do not dream your life, live your dream

Don't just imagine what you want, fight for it.

58. If you want peace prepare for war

Life is not easy. Let us be prepared to face the bad.

59. Only God can Judge Me

What others think of a person is indifferent. We all have our own thing, and no one has the right to judge us. Another version that does not refer to God is "Only I can judge myself."

60. Never forget

Never forget who we are, what we have lived and who has accompanied us on our way. One of the best phrases to get tattooed and what can be applied to a multitude of moments, people and situations.

61. Respect is not imposed, it is earned

A memory that gaining the approval and respect of others does not arouse your fear, quite the contrary.

62. Walker, there is no path, the path is made by walking

This part of Antonio Machado's poem tells us that there is no pre-established destiny, but that we carve it out for ourselves.

63. Live and let live

A phrase that encourages us to live our lives without trying to excessively influence others, respecting their freedom.

64. Je ne regrette laugh

Part of the lyrics of the famous song by Edith Piaf, this phrase tells us that we do not regret anything.

65. Never say Never

We do not know what life has in store for us, so we cannot be sure what we will end up doing or thinking.

66. Better to die on your feet than to live on your knees

The freedom to choose is something fundamental so that we can build our own life. This phrase instructs us not to allow people, situations, conditions or diseases to dominate or limit our life.

67. Victoria Concordia Crescit

The one that was Arsenal's slogan It is also a beautiful Latin phrase that tells us that victory is achieved through harmony. The question is not to go to extremes but to find a middle ground.

68. While there is life there is hope

Whatever happens, there will always be new opportunities and elements that allow us to get excited and live.

69. What does not kill you makes you stronger

What hurts us makes us learn and strengthen ourselves.

70. All you need is love

Love is the most important thing, and it is all we need or at least a great part to be happy. In addition, it is the title of a well-known Beatles song.

71. Drop by drop, the river is made

The achievement of a goal is achieved through continuous effort, taking small steps to achieve our goal. This phrase It also reflects that unity is strengthIf we manage to organize with others, it is easier to achieve common objectives and get to the desired point.

72. Mens healthy in healthy body

Generally tattooed by athletes, this phrase reminds us of the benefits of caring for both mind and body and that one affects the other (and vice versa).

73. Do it, or do not, but do not try

This phrase, known for having been pronounced by the character of Yoda in one of the films of the Star Wars saga, tells us not to give up. We must not settle for trying, but we must persist to achieve our goals.

74. Don't worry, be happy

This phrase, known by the song of the same title, encourages us to stop worrying about everything and focus on living. We are facing one of the best phrases in order to remember that the important thing is to try to live our life.

75. Forever / Forever

This phrase is usually used either as a memory of a deceased person or as a promise of love.

76. In a kiss, you'll know everything I kept silence

This beautiful phrase by Pablo Neruda reflects the need to express what we feel and how we usually hide it from those we love.

• Related article: "50 phrases by Pablo Neruda (with great romantic value)"

77. Semper fidelis

Always Faithful. This phrase can have many meanings. It speaks of loyalty and fidelity, which can be towards the couple, towards the family, towards friends, towards a specific ideology or towards oneself.

78. Be yourself

This phrase pushes us not to get carried away by what others believe, but to be authentic and act according to our convictions.

79. When a door closes, a window opens

We may lose opportunities in life. But it is not the end. New ones will always emerge.

80. La vita è bella

We can laugh or cry, we can suffer or be happy... life is full of contrasts, but throughout life we ​​are going to find wonderful things. Even in the worst moments, life is beautiful.