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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
  • 35,508readings
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 № 55 Ladino
Ken madruga desayuna

He who rises early has breakfast.

60 Nov 2026
Refrán № 56 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 № 57 Ladino
La madre es el fondamiento del nido

The mother is the foundation of the nest.

60 Nov 2026
Refrán № 58 Ladino
Tu marido ke te kera komo la sal

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

59 Nov 2026
Refrán № 59 Ladino
La mujer i el vino kitan al ombre del tino

Woman and wine make a man lose his senses.

59 Nov 2026
Refrán № 60 Ladino
Ken tiene marido de servir no puede muncho durmir

Whoever has a husband to serve cannot sleep much.

59 Nov 2026
Refrán № 61 Ladino
Ijo mio Manuel, tu padre te keriya haham yo merkader, agora estas en legen

My son Manuel, your father wanted you a hakham and I a merchant; now you are in the legion.

59 Nov 2026
Refrán № 62 Ladino
La estreya ke le briya

May his star shine (a blessing / wish for good luck).

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 63 Ladino
Ken aze paz entre marido i mujer merese Ganeden

Whoever makes peace between husband and wife deserves Paradise.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 64 Ladino
Si mi padre no me kaza le komo la kaza

If my father doesn't marry me off, I'll eat up the house.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 65 Ladino
El konsejo de la mujer es poko,ken no lo toma es loko

A woman's advice is little; whoever doesn't take it is a fool.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 66 Ladino
Ken tiene ijos de kazar i en Shabat deve de lavorar

Whoever has children to marry off must work even on Shabbat.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 67 Ladino
El padre kon el ijo komo piedra en aniyo

Father and son are like a stone in a ring.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 68 Ladino
La mujer aze, La mujer dezaze

A woman makes, a woman destroys.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 69 Ladino
Marido es dolor de oyido

A husband is an earache.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 70 Ladino
Mas vale ser ijo de un prove, ke esklavo de un riko

Better to be the son of a poor man than the slave of a rich man.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 71 Ladino
Al marido komo lo auzates al ijo komo lo kriates

You get the husband as you accustom him, the son as you raise him.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 72 Ladino
El melon i la mujer son muy kolay a eskojer, ama el karpuz i el ombre no son

Melon and woman are very easy to choose, but watermelon and man are not.

58 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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