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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
  • 6,027readings
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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 № 109 Ladino
Mal yevando bien esperando

Enduring the bad, hoping for the good.

28 Nov 2026
Refrán № 110 Ladino
Moz izo hadras i baranas

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

28 Nov 2026
Refrán № 111 Ladino
Etchalo al mazalozo a la mar i va tornar kon una perla en la boka

Throw a lucky man into the sea and he'll come back with a pearl in his mouth.

28 Nov 2026
Refrán № 112 Ladino
El ken kere lo muncho perye i lo poko

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

28 Nov 2026
Refrán № 113 Ladino
Bivas, engrandeskas i kreskas komo un peshiko an aguas freskas. Amen

May you live, grow and flourish like a little fish in fresh waters. Amen.

28 Nov 2026
Refrán № 114 Ladino
El mokozo se burla del tinyozo

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

28 Nov 2026
Refrán № 115 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.

27 Nov 2026
Refrán № 116 Ladino
Vende Pipinos vende halva ma no asperes nedava

Sell seeds, sell halva, but do not wait for charity.

27 Nov 2026
Refrán № 117 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.

27 Nov 2026
Refrán № 118 Ladino
El ke bien te kere te aze yorar

He who loves you well makes you cry (tough love).

26 Nov 2026
Refrán № 119 Ladino
La mujer aze, La mujer dezaze

A woman makes, a woman destroys.

26 Nov 2026
Refrán № 120 Ladino
Ni un dedo aze mano, ni una golondrina enverano

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

26 Nov 2026
Refrán № 121 Ladino
El ken del otro aspera ambierto keda

Whoever expects from others stays hungry.

26 Nov 2026
Refrán № 122 Ladino
La madre kon la ija komo piedra en aniyo

Mother and daughter are like a stone in a ring (inseparable, a precious bond).

25 Nov 2026
Refrán № 123 Ladino
Sol i luvya anyos de artura

Sun and rain, years of abundance.

25 Nov 2026
Refrán № 124 Ladino
Esta la tripa en la nariz

The gut is up in the nose (he is fed up, has had enough). (uncertain, idiom)

25 Nov 2026
Refrán № 125 Ladino
La estreya ke le kayga

May his star fall (a curse / wish for bad luck).

25 Nov 2026
Refrán № 126 Ladino
Ay kayades, ija va naser

Be quiet, a daughter is about to be born. (uncertain)

25 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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