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Ladino Forever · Refranes

Ladino proverbs

The proverbs of Ladino Forever: sayings from the Sephardic kitchen table, the wisdom of our grandmothers in Judeo-Spanish, each with its meaning in English and up to six more languages.

  • 142proverbs
  • 10languages
  • 2,927readings
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Refrán del día · November 3
No traves la kuedra muncho ke se aranka Don't pull the rope too hard or it will snap.
Refrán № 73 Ladino
Mala la madre, mala la ija, mala la kolcha ke las kuvija

Bad the mother, bad the daughter, bad the quilt that covers them.

18 Nov 2026
Refrán № 74 Ladino
Todo lo ganado es para el garon

All the earnings is for the throat.

17 Nov 2026
Refrán № 75 Ladino
Pan i kezo i la kara riente

Bread and cheese and a smiling face.

17 Nov 2026
Refrán № 76 Ladino
Para ke se vaya al fregon, ke se vaya al garon

Rather than let it go to the pest, let it go to the lad/man.

17 Nov 2026
Refrán № 77 Ladino
El ken kere lo muncho perye i lo poko

He who wants a lot loses both the much and the little.

17 Nov 2026
Refrán № 78 Ladino
A la haragana de noche le viene la gana

The lazy woman feels like working at night.

17 Nov 2026
Refrán № 79 Ladino
Esta una savor de chupar los dedos

It is a flavor to lick your fingers.

17 Nov 2026
Refrán № 80 Ladino
Kuando el gato no esta baylan los ratones

When the cat is away, the mice dance.

17 Nov 2026
Refrán № 81 Ladino
En kazal sin perros la djente kaminan sin palos

In a village without dogs, people walk without sticks.

17 Nov 2026
Refrán № 82 Ladino
Para dizir todo a la kara, se kere boka emprestada

To say everything to someone's face, you need a borrowed mouth.

17 Nov 2026
Refrán № 83 Ladino
Bivas, engrandeskas i kreskas komo un peshiko an aguas freskas

May you live,bring up and grow like the little fish in sweet waters.

16 Nov 2026
Refrán № 84 Ladino
Ni un dedo aze mano, ni una golondrina enverano

One finger doesn't make a hand nor a swallow summer.

16 Nov 2026
Refrán № 85 Ladino
Dame godrura te dare ermozura

Give me fat and I'll give you beauty.

16 Nov 2026
Refrán № 86 Ladino
Ni al kantador dile kanta ni al baylador dile bayla

D'ont ask a singer to sing nor a dancer to dance.

16 Nov 2026
Refrán № 87 Ladino
No lo yames yerno fista ke tenga el aniyo en el dedo

Do not call him a son in law till he has the ring on his finger.

16 Nov 2026
Refrán № 88 Ladino
El ken del otro aspera ambierto keda

Whoever expects from others stays hungry.

16 Nov 2026
Refrán № 89 Ladino
La mujer destruyedera vazya del marido la aldikera

A wasteful wife empties her husband's pocket.

16 Nov 2026
Refrán № 90 Ladino
Si de tu novya izites tu mujer, aze tambien te tu mujer tu novya

If you made your bride your wife, make your wife your bride too.

16 Nov 2026
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Ladino proverbs, songs, stories and more

Ladino Forever is a home for the Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) language: proverbs, songs, stories and more, gathered by Michael Halphie for Sephardic families around the world.

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