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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
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Refrán del día · November 8
El mal i el bien en la kara se ven Good and evil show on the face.
Topics 557
Refrán № 19 Ladino
Ken mete kara toma marido i kaza, ken no, keda en kaza

Whoever dares gets a husband and a home; whoever doesn't, stays at home (fortune favors the bold).

79 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 20 Ladino
El lugar del ombre es la plasa i de la mujer es la kaza

A man's place is the square (marketplace) and a woman's place is the home.

79 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 21 Ladino
Kuando los echos avlan, las palavras sovran

When the work talks,words are unnecessary.

75 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 22 Ladino
La ke amariyo vistyo de su ermozura se trivio

She who dressed in yellow dared (to show) her beauty.

75 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 23 Ladino
Kada gayna kanta en su gaynero

Every hen crows in her own henhouse.

74 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 24 Ladino
Sin disiplina no ay milizina

There's no medicine without discipline.

72 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 25 Ladino
Tripa vaziya korason sin alegria

An empty belly, a heart without joy.

70 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 26 Ladino
Maldisyon sin razon se va a su patron

A curse without reason goes back to its master.

70 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 27 Ladino
La okazyon aze al ladron

Opportunity makes the thief.

70 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 28 Ladino
El ke no kere ver es siego

He who doesn't want to see is blind.

68 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 29 Ladino
No importa las veses ke te kayes, si no las veses ke te alevantas

It doesn't matter how many times you fall, but how many times you get up.

68 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 30 Ladino
Tornaron kon los mokos enkolgados

They came back with their snot hanging (i.e., dejected / empty-handed).

68 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 31 Ladino
El Dio da muez al ke no tiene dientes

God gives nuts to the toothless one.

67 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 32 Ladino
Si no saves nadar ke bushkas en el borde del mar

If you can't swim what are you doing at the seaside.

64 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 33 Ladino
No ay mas sodro del ke no kere oyir

There is no one deafer than he who does not want to hear.

64 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 34 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.

63 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 35 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 № 36 Ladino
Ken rey es, de la kara se le ve

Whoever is a king, it shows in his face.

62 1 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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