Send
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
  • 2,884readings
Send a proverb
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 № 37 Ladino
El ke no oye a su mujerika se trava la orejika

He who doesn't listen to his dear wife gets his little ear pulled.

19 Nov 2026
Refrán № 38 Ladino
El ken del otro aspera ambierto keda

Whoever expects from others stays hungry.

16 Nov 2026
Refrán № 39 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 № 40 Ladino
El korason no esta siempre de akordo kon el meoyo

The heart is not always in agreement with the brain.

30 Nov 2026
Refrán № 41 Ladino
El Leon se konose de la unya

The lion is known by its claw.

21 Nov 2026
Refrán № 42 Ladino
El lovo i la oveja viyenen en konseja

The wolf and the sheep come together in council.

14 Nov 2026
Refrán № 43 Ladino
El lugar del ombre es la plasa i de la mujer es la kaza

A man's place is the square (marketplace) and a woman's place is the home.

34 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 44 Ladino
El melon i la mujer son muy kolay a eskojer, ama el karpuz i el ombre no son

Melon and woman are very easy to choose, but watermelon and man are not.

11 Nov 2026
Refrán № 45 Ladino
El mokozo se burla del tinyozo

The snotty one mocks the scabby one (the pot calling the kettle black).

11 Nov 2026
Refrán № 46 Ladino
El novyo es muy ermozo, komo el gato enganyozo

The groom is very handsome, like the deceitful cat.

18 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 47 Ladino
El padre peka, al ijo se le apega

The father sins, and it sticks to the son.

2 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 48 Ladino
El pan tugerto la lumbre lo enderecha

The fire straightens crooked bread.

16 Nov 2026
Refrán № 49 Ladino
El peshe fiele de la kavesa

The fish rots from the head.

13 Nov 2026
Refrán № 50 Ladino
El riyo pasa la arena keda

The river passes, the sand remains.

12 Nov 2026
Refrán № 51 Ladino
El shastre haragan piedre la alguja i el dedal

The lazy tailor loses the needle and the thimble.

8 Nov 2026
Refrán № 52 Ladino
En kada kaza i en kada kashon ay un dolor de korason

In every house and in every drawer there is a heartache.

21 Nov 2026
Refrán № 53 Ladino
En kazal sin perros la djente kaminan sin palos

In a village without dogs, people walk without sticks.

17 Nov 2026
Refrán № 54 Ladino
En la kayida de tu enemigo no te alegres, ke te viene a la kavesa

D'ont be happy with the fall of your enemy,the same could happen to you.

15 Nov 2026
Explore Ladino Forever

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.

About Ladino Forever and the Ladino language