These timeless Yoda quotes will awaken the Force within you
50 Powerful Yoda Quotes to Master Your Inner Jedi
Updated on Mar. 21, 2025
Who would have ever imagined that a little green character from a film series that kicked off more than 40 years ago would hold up as one of cinema’s most beloved teachers of all time? Yoda was first introduced to Star Wars audiences in The Empire Strikes Back and quickly became the moral compass of the popular franchise. Chances are, you will not only recognize the most famous Yoda quotes—you’ve probably used a few of them yourself too!
This legendary master has trained Jedis for more than 800 years and possesses one of the strongest connections to the Force of any Jedi we’ve seen. His teachings transcend generations and show us how to be patient, to search for the light and to believe all things are possible. Yoda is one of the many reasons the Star Wars franchise has become so popular that it now has its own official holiday on May 4, Star Wars Day.
Read on for some of the best Yoda quotes from the Star Wars universe.
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Yoda quotes from The Empire Strikes Back
1. “Always with you, it cannot be done.”
2. “No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.”
3. “Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you?”
4. “That is why you fail.”
5. “A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack.”
6. “A Jedi’s strength flows from the Force.”
7. “You must unlearn what you have learned.”
8. “Wars not make one great.”
9. “I can’t teach him. The boy has no patience.”
10. “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.”
11. “Away put your weapon. I mean you no harm.”
12. “I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience.”
13. “Much anger in him, like his father.”
14. “For 800 years have I trained Jedi.”
15. “My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained.”
16. “A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind.”
17. “Adventure, excitement—did I crave not these things.”
18. “Will he finish what he begins?”
19. “Afraid you will be … you will be.”
20. “No, why not do or do not. There is no try.”
21. “For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is.”
Yoda quotes about fear
11. “Train yourself to let go of everything you are afraid to lose.” —Revenge of the Sith
12. “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” —The Phantom Menace
13. “Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side are they.” —The Empire Strikes Back
14. “To a dark place this line of thought will carry us. Hmmm. Great care we must take.” —Revenge of the Sith
15. “Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is.” —Revenge of the Sith
Yoda quotes about overcoming failure
16. “The greatest teacher, failure is.” —The Last Jedi
17. “In a dark place we find ourselves, and a little more knowledge lights our way.” —Revenge of the Sith
18. “Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not.” —Revenge of the Sith
19. “Powerful you have become. The dark side I sense in you.” —Attack of the Clones
20. “Feel the Force!” —The Empire Strikes Back
21. “Truly wonderful the mind of a child is.” —Attack of the Clones
22. “The dark side clouds everything. Impossible to see, the future is.” —Attack of the Clones
23. “Ah, strong am I with the Force, but not that strong. Twilight is upon me, and soon, night must fall. That is the way of things. The way of the Force.” —Return of the Jedi
24. “To be Jedi is to face the truth and choose. Give off light, or darkness, Padawan. Be a candle, or the night.” —Star Wars: Yoda: Dark Rendezvous
25. “Control, control—you must learn control!” —The Empire Strikes Back
26. “On many long journeys have I gone. And waited, too, for others to return from journeys of their own. Some return; some are broken; some come back so different only their names remain.” —Star Wars: Yoda: Dark Rendezvous
27. “Pass on what you have learned.” —Return of the Jedi
Yoda quotes about the dark side
28. “In the end, cowards are those who follow the dark side.” —The Clone Wars
29. “Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future.” —The Empire Strikes Back
30. “To answer power with power, the Jedi way this is not. In this war, a danger there is, of losing who we are.” —The Clone Wars
31. “Clear, your mind must be, if you are to discover the real villains behind this plot.” —Attack of the Clones
32. “Hard to see, the dark side is.” —The Phantom Menace
33. “The fear of loss is a path to the dark side.” —Revenge of the Sith
34. “When you look at the dark side, careful you must be. For the dark side looks back.” —Star Wars: Yoda: Dark Rendezvous
35. “Smaller in number are we, but larger in mind.” —The Clone Wars
36. “Always two there are, no more, no less. A master and an apprentice.” —The Phantom Menace
37. “Your path, you must decide.” —Star Wars: Rebels
38. “Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.” —Return of the Jedi
The most classic Yoda—and Star Wars—quote of all
39. “May the Force be with you.” —The Phantom Menace
Why trust us
At Reader’s Digest, we’ve been sharing our favorite quotes for over 100 years. The sayings and quips that appear in the magazine’s “Quotable Quotes” (formerly “Remarkable Remarks”) are curated from interviews and essays originally published in the magazine, reprints from trusted titles and other verified sources. For this piece on Yoda quotes, Carey Reilly tapped her experience as an entertainment reporter and journalist to ensure that all information is accurate. We’ve gone the extra step and had Sharon Boone, a fact-checker with 20-plus years of experience researching for national publications including Glamour, Seventeen, Essence, AARP and more, verify that all quotes are attributed correctly and have credible sourcing. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
