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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.

  • 544proverbs
  • 10languages
  • 17,579readings
Refrán del día · November 6
No se si El Mashiah esta en el kamino,ma el azno suyo ya esta de kuando aki I don't know if the Messiah is on the way, but his donkey has been here for a while.
Food 31

31 proverbs · Food

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Refrán № 01 Ladino
La agua pasa, el lodo keda

The water goes but the mud stays

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 02 Ladino
Pan i kezo i la kara riente

Bread and cheese and a smiling face.

55 Nov 2026
Refrán № 03 Ladino
Moz Dieron agua de pozo

They gave us well water. (uncertain, possibly idiomatic)

39 Nov 2026
Refrán № 04 Ladino
El pan tugerto la lumbre lo enderecha

The fire straightens crooked bread.

38 Nov 2026
Refrán № 05 Ladino
Tu marido ke te kera komo la sal

A husband who loves you like salt (dearly, as something essential). (uncertain)

34 Nov 2026
Refrán № 06 Ladino
Lentejas... Si keres las komes i si no las deshas

Lentils... if you want, you eat them, and if not, you leave them (take it or leave it).

32 Nov 2026
Refrán № 07 Ladino
El diya ke no barri vino el kien no asperi

The day I did not sweep, the one I did not expect came.

32 Nov 2026
Refrán № 08 Ladino
La mujer i el vino kitan al ombre del tino

Woman and wine make a man lose his senses.

31 Nov 2026
Refrán № 09 Ladino
Pan es pan, vino es vino, tu te fuites, vino otro vino

Bread is bread, wine is wine; you left, another came.

27 Nov 2026
Refrán № 10 Ladino
Tu pan no me arto, tu palavra me kontento

Your bread does not fill me; your word contents me.

27 Nov 2026
Refrán № 11 Ladino
El selo no kome el korason, kome los guesos

Jealousy does not eat the heart; it eats the bones.

26 Nov 2026
Refrán № 12 Ladino
Este mundo es golondrino ken lo beve de agua i ken lo beve de vino

This world is a fleeting swallow: some drink it with water, some with wine.

26 Nov 2026
Refrán № 13 Ladino
Vestir al uzo, Komer al gusto

Dress according to custom, eat according to taste.

26 Nov 2026
Refrán № 14 Ladino
La mujer es komo la uva, si la miraz bueno se aze vino i si no la miraz bueno se aze vinagre

A woman is like a grape: if you treat her well she becomes wine, and if you do not treat her well she becomes vinegar.

26 Nov 2026
Refrán № 15 Ladino
Un pan en el sesto ni arto ni ambierto

One loaf in the basket: neither full nor hungry.

25 Nov 2026
Refrán № 16 Ladino
Fruta de oy, pan de ayer, karne de antiyer, vino de un anyo antes, azen el ombre sano

Today's fruit, yesterday's bread, the day-before-yesterday's meat and last year's wine make a man healthy.

24 Nov 2026
Refrán № 17 Ladino
Tengo tres deseos, Komer sin engodrar, Amar sin sufrir i Ganar sin lavorar

I have three wishes: to eat without getting fat, to love without suffering, and to earn without working.

23 Nov 2026
Refrán № 18 Ladino
Mas vale pan kon amor ke gayna kon dolor

Better bread with love than a hen with sorrow.

23 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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