How do you say “No pain, no gain” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is On n'a rien sans rien, which literally means “You have nothing without nothing”. English speakers use no pain, no gain to mean you must suffer some difficulty or work very hard if you want to achieve success or make progress. This is the universal, natural way French speakers express that effort is required to achieve results. In modern fitness culture, however, the English phrase is also frequently borrowed as-is. It is informal, neutral and common in everyday French.
Closest natural French
On n'a rien sans rien
/ɔ̃ na ʁjɛ̃ sɑ̃ ʁjɛ̃/
- Literal meaning
- “You have nothing without nothing”
- Register
- informal, neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
90 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
The English idiom "No pain, no gain" gained immense traction in 1980s fitness culture thanks to its punchy, rhyming monosyllables, though its philosophical roots go back centuries. It specifically highlights the necessity of physical discomfort or hard labor to produce progress. French conveys this exact pragmatic lesson with "On n'a rien sans rien" (literally "you get nothing without nothing"), which relies on a balanced repetition of the word 'rien' rather than an end-rhyme.
While "On n'a rien sans rien" serves as the natural equivalent across work, academics, and daily challenges, sports enthusiasts in France and Quebec often embrace the English catchphrase directly. In gyms and crossfit boxes, native French speakers will frequently chant "No pain, no gain" in English, whereas in casual conversation about careers or personal sacrifices, "On n'a rien sans rien" remains the instinctive native choice.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in French?
On n'a rien sans peine
Literally: “One has nothing without effort/pain”
More literary and traditional, closer in vocabulary to 'pain'.
Il faut souffrir pour être beau
Literally: “One must suffer to be beautiful”
A very common variant specifically applied to physical appearance, dieting, or grooming.
No pain, no gain
Literally: “No pain, no gain”
Directly borrowed in English among gym-goers and athletes across the Francophone world.
Don't translate it literally
Pas de douleur, pas de gain
A clunky, literal word-for-word translation that sounds like bad dubbing and is never used by native speakers.
Word-for-word versions like these are understood as literal statements in French, not as expressions.
In context
English
I know two hours of training is exhausting, but no pain, no gain!
French
Je sais que deux heures d'entraînement, c'est épuisant, mais on n'a rien sans rien !
English
If you want to pass this exam, you'll have to study all weekend. No pain, no gain.
French
Si tu veux réussir cet examen, il va falloir bosser tout le week-end. On n'a rien sans rien.
Related expressions
Last reviewed 2026-09-11