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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.

  • 164proverbs
  • 10languages
  • 5,880readings
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Refrán del día · November 4
Ken oye a la djente se kita de la mujer Whoever listens to people ends up leaving his wife.
Refrán № 19 Ladino
El Dio da muez al ke no tiene dientes

God gives nuts to the toothless one.

38 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 20 Ladino
Si no saves nadar ke bushkas en el borde del mar

If you can't swim what are you doing at the seaside.

38 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 21 Ladino
No importa las veses ke te kayes, si no las veses ke te alevantas

It doesn't matter how many times you fall, but how many times you get up.

38 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 22 Ladino
Ande no ay Madre no ay ni Padre

Where there is no mother, there is no father either.

37 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 23 Ladino
Mas vale poko ke nada

It's better a little than nothing.

36 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 24 Ladino
Sin disiplina no ay milizina

There's no medicine without discipline.

34 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 25 Ladino
La okazyon aze al ladron

Opportunity makes the thief.

33 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 26 Ladino
El novyo es muy ermozo, komo el gato enganyozo

The groom is very handsome, like the deceitful cat.

30 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 27 Ladino
Tornaron kon los mokos enkolgados

They came back with their snot hanging (i.e., dejected / empty-handed).

29 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 28 Ladino
Maldisyon sin razon se va a su patron

A curse without reason goes back to its master.

22 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 29 Ladino
La agua pasa, el lodo keda

The water goes but the mud stays

54 Nov 2026
Refrán № 30 Ladino
El peshe fiele de la kavesa

The fish rots from the head.

51 Nov 2026
Refrán № 31 Ladino
No ay ombre sin solombra

There is no man without a shadow (a flaw).

51 Nov 2026
Refrán № 32 Ladino
Kon paras los mudos kantan

Money makes mutes sing too.

50 Nov 2026
Refrán № 33 Ladino
Aze bien, no mires a ken

Do good, don't look at whom.

49 Nov 2026
Refrán № 34 Ladino
El eskaso no tiene deskanso

The needy have no rest.

48 Nov 2026
Refrán № 35 Ladino
Detras de kada mujer komicha ay un ombre haragan i tembel ke la kita loka

Behind every nagging woman is a lazy, idle man who drives her crazy.

47 Nov 2026
Refrán № 36 Ladino
La mujer buena la kaza yena

A good woman fills the house.

46 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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