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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.

  • 557proverbs
  • 10languages
  • 35,018readings
Refrán del día · November 8
El mal i el bien en la kara se ven Good and evil show on the face.
Family 137

137 proverbs · Family

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Refrán № 37 Ladino
El gato aspera mujer chapachula i puerta avierta

The cat waits for a sloppy woman and an open door. (uncertain)

64 Nov 2026
Refrán № 38 Ladino
Ni bivda sin dolor, ni ija sin amor

Neither a widow without pain nor a girl without love.

64 Nov 2026
Refrán № 39 Ladino
Madre Nikochera le sale ija haragana

A housekeeping mother gets a lazy daughter.

64 Nov 2026
Refrán № 40 Ladino
Kuando una mujer se le yela el korason, se le sana la kavesa

When a woman's heart freezes, her head gets cured.

64 Nov 2026
Refrán № 41 Ladino
Si no ay kalor en el nido lo bushka afuera el marido

If there is no warmth in the nest, the husband looks for it outside.

63 Nov 2026
Refrán № 42 Ladino
Kuando ombre i mujer kazan se eskapa su romansa i sus istorya empesa

When a man and a woman marry, their romance ends and their (real) story begins.

62 Nov 2026
Refrán № 43 Ladino
El ermano kere la ermana i el marido mujer sana

The brother wants his sister (well), and the husband wants a healthy wife.

62 Nov 2026
Refrán № 44 Ladino
Kunyadika Kulevrika

Little sister-in-law, little snake.

62 Nov 2026
Refrán № 45 Ladino
Kresen los ijos, pujan las ansias

As the children grow, the worries grow.

62 Nov 2026
Refrán № 46 Ladino
Ijos no tengo inyetos me yoran

I have no children, yet grandchildren cry for me.

61 Nov 2026
Refrán № 47 Ladino
El ombre sembra, el ijo fragua i el inyeto se lo goza

The man sows, the son builds, and the grandson enjoys it.

61 Nov 2026
Refrán № 48 Ladino
Fidel marido es bien rekerido

A faithful husband is highly sought after.

61 Nov 2026
Refrán № 49 Ladino
Ermuera dolor de muela

A daughter-in-law is a toothache.

61 Nov 2026
Refrán № 50 Ladino
Ken no kere kosfuegrar demanda muncha dota i ashugar

He who does not want a father-in-law/in-laws demands a large dowry and trousseau.

60 Nov 2026
Refrán № 51 Ladino
A la mujer paridera del aver se le apega

Wealth/good fortune sticks to a woman who bears many children.

60 Nov 2026
Refrán № 52 Ladino
Azlaha i beraha en el pecho del papa

Success and blessing on the father's chest (Ladino blessing: luck and blessing upon the father).

60 Nov 2026
Refrán № 53 Ladino
Kuando da el padre al ijo riye el padre riye el ijo, Kuando da el ijo al padre yora el padre i yora el ijo

When the father gives to the son, the father laughs and the son laughs; when the son gives to the father, the father cries and the son cries.

60 Nov 2026
Refrán № 54 Ladino
La madre es el fondamiento del nido

The mother is the foundation of the nest.

60 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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