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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
  • 36,191readings
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 № 73 Ladino
Ni la esfuegra puede ser madre ni la ermuera ija

A mother-in-law can't be a mother, nor a daughter-in-law a daughter.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 74 Ladino
La aluenga de la mujer es su espada ke no desha farujentear

A woman's tongue is her sword, which does not let her rust.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 75 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 № 76 Ladino
Kuando fui ermuera no topi esfuegra i kuando fui esfuegra no topi ermuera

When I was a daughter-in-law I found no mother-in-law, and when I was a mother-in-law I found no daughter-in-law.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 77 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 № 78 Ladino
El ganar i el peryer son ermanos

Winning and losing are brothers.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 79 Ladino
Madrasta el nombre ya abasta

For a stepmother, the name alone is enough.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 80 Ladino
Kuando aharvan al ijo, a la madre le erguele

When the son is beaten, the mother is hurt.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 81 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
Refrán № 82 Ladino
Barre la ermuera komo ve la esfuegra

The daughter-in-law sweeps as the mother-in-law sees fit.

57 Nov 2026
Refrán № 83 Ladino
La madre mokoza alava a su ija la tinyoza

The snotty mother praises her scabby daughter.

57 Nov 2026
Refrán № 84 Ladino
No kontes los sekretos de tu alma ni a tu ermana

Do not tell the secrets of your soul, not even to your sister.

57 Nov 2026
Refrán № 85 Ladino
Ken no tiene ermana no tiene nada

Whoever has no sister has nothing.

57 Nov 2026
Refrán № 86 Ladino
Bien ke no se vendio en su tiempo, te vende a ti

Even though he didn't sell out in his own time, he will sell you out. (uncertain)

57 Nov 2026
Refrán № 87 Ladino
La ija en la fasha, el ashugar en la kasha

The daughter in swaddling clothes, the trousseau in the chest.

56 Nov 2026
Refrán № 88 Ladino
Mujer ke save Latin,no tiene ni marido ni buena fin

A woman who knows Latin has neither a husband nor a good end.

56 Nov 2026
Refrán № 89 Ladino
Mis ijos kazados mis males doblados

My children married, my troubles doubled.

56 Nov 2026
Refrán № 90 Ladino
Esfuegra i ermuera son amigas solo en pintura

Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are friends only in a painting.

56 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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