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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
  • 5,920readings
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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 № 37 Ladino
La mujer es komo la uva, kuando se aruga se aze mas dulse i mas savroza

A woman is like a grape: when she wrinkles, she becomes sweeter and tastier.

45 Nov 2026
Refrán № 38 Ladino
Todos los dedos de la mano no son uno

All the fingers of the hand are not the same.

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

The heart is not always in agreement with the brain.

44 Nov 2026
Refrán № 40 Ladino
Si no ay pasensya no ay erensya

If there is no patience, there is no inheritance.

44 Nov 2026
Refrán № 41 Ladino
Para dizir todo a la kara, se kere boka emprestada

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

42 Nov 2026
Refrán № 42 Ladino
Es mijor un pasharo en la mano ke sien bolando

A bird in the hand is better than a hundred flying.

41 Nov 2026
Refrán № 43 Ladino
Riyir kon todos, yorar solos

Laugh with everyone, cry alone.

40 Nov 2026
Refrán № 44 Ladino
El Leon se konose de la unya

The lion is known by its claw.

40 Nov 2026
Refrán № 45 Ladino
La mujer baylando el marido yorando

The wife dances while the husband cries.

40 Nov 2026
Refrán № 46 Ladino
El buen pleto traye buena paz

A good fight brings a good peace.

39 Nov 2026
Refrán № 47 Ladino
No le mires la kara, mirale la grasya

When the work talks,words are unnecessary.

39 Nov 2026
Refrán № 48 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.

38 Nov 2026
Refrán № 49 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.

38 Nov 2026
Refrán № 50 Ladino
Lo ke no te agrada no lo agas al denfrente

Don't do to the one in front of you what you don't like yourself.

38 Nov 2026
Refrán № 51 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.

38 Nov 2026
Refrán № 52 Ladino
Ni la novya ni la tela no se miran a la kandela

You don't look at a bride nor at a lace in a candlelight.

37 Nov 2026
Refrán № 53 Ladino
Las ideas son komo pulgas, saltan de uno al otro ma no pikan a todos

Ideas are like fleas: they jump from one person to another, but they don't bite everyone.

37 Nov 2026
Refrán № 54 Ladino
A la haragana de noche le viene la gana

The lazy woman feels like working at night.

37 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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