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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
  • 36,544readings
Refrán del día · November 8
El mal i el bien en la kara se ven Good and evil show on the face.
Love 36

36 proverbs · Love

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Refrán № 19 Ladino
Barre la ermuera komo ve la esfuegra

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

57 Nov 2026
Refrán № 20 Ladino
Kada dia no es boda

Every day is not a wedding.

60 Nov 2026
Refrán № 21 Ladino
Antes de kazar la muchacha tiene siete brasos i una boka, despues de kazar tiene un braso i siete bokas

Before marriage a girl has seven arms and one mouth; after marriage she has one arm and seven mouths.

55 Nov 2026
Refrán № 22 Ladino
El viejo kere honor, el mansevo kere amor

The old man wants honor, the young man wants love.

65 Nov 2026
Refrán № 23 Ladino
Kuando el ambre entra por la puerta, el amor sale por la ventana

When hunger comes in through the door, love goes out through the window.

59 Nov 2026
Refrán № 24 Ladino
El amor es temporario komo el ayre del enverano pasa i se va

Love is temporary, like the winter wind: it passes and goes.

58 Nov 2026
Refrán № 25 Ladino
Ande ay ija de kazar el Dio deve ayudar

Where there is a daughter to marry off, God must help.

62 Nov 2026
Refrán № 26 Ladino
Ni mierkoles sin sol, ni ija sin amor

No Wednesday without sun, no daughter without love.

76 Nov 2026
Refrán № 27 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.

61 Nov 2026
Refrán № 28 Ladino
Mas vale pan kon amor ke gayna kon dolor

Better bread with love than a hen with sorrow.

56 Nov 2026
Refrán № 29 Ladino
Madre miya mi kerida, para ke me parites

My dear mother, why did you give birth to me?

71 Nov 2026
Refrán № 30 Ladino
El ke bien te kere te aze yorar

He who loves you well makes you cry (tough love).

72 Nov 2026
Refrán № 31 Ladino
Si de tu novya izites tu mujer, aze tambien te tu mujer tu novya

If you made your bride your wife, make your wife your bride too.

41 Nov 2026
Refrán № 32 Ladino
Ni novya sin velo ni mujer sin selo

Neither a bride without a veil nor a wife without jealousy.

73 Nov 2026
Refrán № 33 Ladino
El amor es dolor de kulo ke no desha durmir a dinguno

Love is a pain in the backside that lets no one sleep.

63 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 34 Ladino
Ni la novya ni la tela no se miran a la kandela

You don't look at a bride nor at a lace in a candlelight.

69 Nov 2026
Refrán № 35 Ladino
Ni bivda sin dolor, ni ija sin amor

Neither a widow without pain nor a girl without love.

66 Nov 2026
Refrán № 36 Ladino
Ande ay amor ay dolor

Where there's love there's pain.

64 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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