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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.

  • 556proverbs
  • 10languages
  • 34,171readings
Refrán del día · November 8
Asukar en la boka no ayuda si tu korason es amargo Sugar in the mouth does not help if your heart is bitter.
Food 33

33 proverbs · Food

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Refrán № 01 Ladino
La agua pasa, el lodo keda

The water goes but the mud stays

79 Nov 2026
Refrán № 02 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).

71 Nov 2026
Refrán № 03 Ladino
Pan i kezo i la kara riente

Bread and cheese and a smiling face.

70 Nov 2026
Refrán № 04 Ladino
Moz Dieron agua de pozo

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

63 Nov 2026
Refrán № 05 Ladino
Como el vino son los amores, cuanto mas viejos son mas mijores

Love is like wine: the older, the better.

63 Nov 2026
Refrán № 06 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.

61 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 07 Ladino
Pasensya es pan i sensia

Patience is bread and knowledge.

61 Nov 2026
Refrán № 08 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.

60 Nov 2026
Refrán № 09 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.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 10 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 № 11 Ladino
La vida es un biskocho, ken la kome krudo ken kocho

Life is a biscuit: some eat it raw, some baked.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 12 Ladino
El selo no kome el korason, kome los guesos

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

56 Nov 2026
Refrán № 13 Ladino
Tu marido ke te kera komo la sal

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

56 Nov 2026
Refrán № 14 Ladino
La mujer i el vino kitan al ombre del tino

Woman and wine make a man lose his senses.

56 Nov 2026
Refrán № 15 Ladino
En frente de mi vino no vendas vinagre

In front of my wine, don't sell vinegar.

56 Nov 2026
Refrán № 16 Ladino
El pan tugerto la lumbre lo enderecha

The fire straightens crooked bread.

56 Nov 2026
Refrán № 17 Ladino
Tu pan no me arto, tu palavra me kontento

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

56 Nov 2026
Refrán № 18 Ladino
Ay unos ke molinan kafe i ay otroz ke molinan agua

There are those who grind coffee and those who grind water.

55 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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