Learn
Watch & LearnLearning Paths
English for Daily LifeEnglish for Social ConnectionEnglish for WorkVOA English
Words and Their StoriesLearning Expressions with VOA
Processed with VS1Talk about wanting someone else’s situation—and why appearances may not tell the whole story.
VOA source audio
Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcript“The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” describes the belief that other people’s lives or choices are better. Speakers often shorten it to “the grass is always greener” or describe someone as a “grass-is-always-greener kind of person.”
Cultural note: This saying can gently criticize envy or constant dissatisfaction. Use it carefully: someone may have a good reason to seek a safer or better situation, so do not use the proverb to dismiss real hardship.
Keep exploringA greener lawn looks appealing from a distance. This familiar image helps speakers question comparisons between our lives and other people’s.
Phrase guide · 3 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Describe the belief that someone else has it better.
Meaning
Other people’s situations seem better than one’s own.
Tone & use
A proverb often used to question idealized comparisons. The full version mentions the other side of the fence; speakers commonly shorten it.
Example
“She thought the new job would be perfect, but the grass is not always greener on the other side.”
Meaning
Compare your situation with what someone else has.
Tone & use
A literal image that can be used figuratively with the grass-is-greener proverb. It does not by itself prove the other situation is better.
Example
“Before looking over the fence at another team’s success, we should understand the work they put in.”
Talk about dissatisfaction without assuming every change is a mistake.
Meaning
Someone who often believes a different situation would be better.
Tone & use
A descriptive label that can sound critical, especially if it suggests a person is never satisfied.
Example
“He is a grass-is-always-greener kind of person, so he keeps changing plans whenever a new option appears.”
Knowledge check
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
Try it · Choose the best expression
1 of 3
