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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
  • 2,963readings
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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 № 109 Ladino
Moz izo hadras i baranas

He made us into rags and tatters (ruined us). (uncertain)

10 Nov 2026
Refrán № 110 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 № 111 Ladino
Ni bivda sin dolor, ni ija sin amor

Neither a widow without pain nor a girl without love.

23 Nov 2026
Refrán № 112 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.

18 Nov 2026
Refrán № 113 Ladino
Ni novya sin velo ni mujer sin selo

Neither a bride without a veil nor a wife without jealousy.

21 Nov 2026
Refrán № 114 Ladino
Ni un dedo aze mano, ni una golondrina enverano

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

17 Nov 2026
Refrán № 115 Ladino
No ay mas sodro del ke no kere oyir

There is no one deafer than he who does not want to hear.

20 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 116 Ladino
No ay ombre sin solombra

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

28 Nov 2026
Refrán № 117 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.

22 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 118 Ladino
No le mires la kara, mirale la grasya

When the work talks,words are unnecessary.

19 Nov 2026
Refrán № 119 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 № 120 Ladino
No traves la kuedra muncho ke se aranka

Don't pull the rope too hard or it will snap.

12 Nov 2026
Refrán № 121 Ladino
Ombre muerto no aze gerra

A dead man makes no war.

22 Nov 2026
Refrán № 122 Ladino
Padre i Madre es una vez

Father and Mother is only once.

38 4 Nov 2026
Refrán № 123 Ladino
Pan i kezo i la kara riente

Bread and cheese and a smiling face.

17 Nov 2026
Refrán № 124 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 № 125 Ladino
Para el bien se kere sensya i para el mal pasensya

For doing good you need knowledge, and for enduring bad you need patience.

7 Nov 2026
Refrán № 126 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.

18 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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