Tell me what company you keep, and I will tell you who you are.

A person's chosen companions can offer clues to their values, habits, and character. The proverb treats close association as a way to understand someone.

It also suggests that the people around us may influence how we behave. Its judgment is not conclusive: sharing someone's company does not mean sharing every quality they have.

Use it when discussing how friendships may reflect or affect a person's choices. It can serve as advice to choose companions carefully, but may sound judgmental when used to assess someone solely by their associations.