The Princess Bride is one of those books that, even if you haven’t read it, you’ve heard the iconic lines. The action-packed, witty novel with its lovable, memorable characters portrayed by icons such as Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, and Mandy Patinkin has produced some of the most memorable lines that are still being quoted over three decades later.
Here, we’ve compiled a list of the most iconic quotes from the classic novel and film. Readers, be warned – this is a kissing book.
1. “As you wish.”
One of the most poetic declarations of love is the words that poor farm boy Westley says to the beautiful Buttercup as she bosses him around the farm. Eventually, Buttercup begins to realize that those words are Westley’s way of saying that he loves her…along with the startling realization that she loves him too.
2. “Inconceivable!”
This one-word line is used both correctly and incorrectly by the arrogant, self-righteous thief Vizzini multiple times throughout the film. He finds a way to work it into every conversation, exclaiming it at every minor inconvenience. It serves as multiple points of comic relief, and the most laughable moment is when his sidekick, Inigo Montoya, helpfully points out that Vizzini thinks that Vizzini is using the word incorrectly.
3. “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”
Ah, we love a good revenge story! The dashing, quick-witted Inigo Montoya lost his father at the hands of a mysterious six-fingered man. In addition to the loss of his father, Inigo also sustained permanent facial scarring, contributing to his thirst for revenge. Since that day, Inigo perfected his swordsmanship and swore that if he ever saw his father’s killer, he would say those exact words before killing him in a duel. Ultimately, when Inigo does encounter the man and becomes fatally wounded, those words give him the strength he needs to kill him.
4. “Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.”
This bitter line is said by the Man in Black, unknowingly Westley, to his true love, Buttercup, offering a rare moment of seriousness in the film. Westley, who is bitter that Buttercup appeared to move on after his supposed death, says this line in anger to her. Angered by his words and his blunt dismissal of her heartbreak, Buttercup shoves him down the hill, leading to his reveal as her long-lost love, Westley the farm boy.
5. “Bye-bye, boys! Have fun storming the castle!”
This playful and cheery line was said by Miracle Max, played by the comedian Billy Crystal. Crystal improvised most of the lines in his five-minute scene, contributing over 30 hours of footage, making it the most expensive five minutes in film history. The character of Miracle Max is a quick-witted and carefree physician who comically resuscitates Westley while cracking jokes along the way. This line serves as a parting call to the group as they set off to rescue Buttercup from the clutches of the evil Prince Humperdinck.
6. “Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam… And wuv, tru wuv, will fowow you foweva… So tweasure your wuv.”
(Translation: “Marriage. Marriage is what brings us together today. Marriage, that blessed arrangement, that dream within a dream…And love, true love, will follow you forever…So treasure your love.”)
This laughable line was said by the priest who officiated the wedding ceremony between Buttercup and Prince Humperdinck. Whenever this scene comes up, I can’t help but laugh because of the exaggerated, languid pronunciation as well as the annoyance on the impatient Humperdinck’s face. It helps defuse the tension of an unwanted marriage with humor and gives us a line to treasure always.
We hope you enjoyed these laughable and nostalgic quotes from The Princess Bride. Be sure to pick up a copy of the book from our Bookshop. Let us know on our socials: Threads, Instagram, Twitter / X, Facebook, and BlueSky. Are there any quotes you use in your day-to-day life? Happy reading!
For more about these iconic quotes, click here.
This book can be found on our Keeping It…Classic… Recs That Is shelf at Bookshop.
