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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
  • 49,554readings
Refrán del día · November 9
Ni la esfuegra se aze madre ni la ermuera se aze ija A mother-in-law doesn't become a mother, nor a daughter-in-law a daughter.
Topics 557
Refrán № 397 Ladino
El ke se mete a bever no konta los vazos

He who starts drinking doesn't count the glasses.

122 Nov 2026
Refrán № 398 Ladino
El savyo es el ke se ambeza una koza de kada persona

The wise one is he who learns something from every person.

93 Nov 2026
Refrán № 399 Ladino
La mujer i el vino kitan al ombre del tino

Woman and wine make a man lose his senses.

79 Nov 2026
Refrán № 400 Ladino
El gato aspera mujer chapachula i puerta avierta

The cat waits for a sloppy woman and an open door. (uncertain)

84 Nov 2026
Refrán № 401 Ladino
Kuando ombre i mujer kazan se eskapa su romansa i sus istorya empesa

When a man and a woman marry, their romance ends and their (real) story begins.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 402 Ladino
La tierra vale tanto, komo el ombre ke la lavora

The land is worth as much as the man who works it.

98 Nov 2026
Refrán № 403 Ladino
Ken no gusto amargura no puede apresiar lo dulse

Whoever has not tasted bitterness cannot appreciate sweetness.

99 Nov 2026
Refrán № 404 Ladino
El ombre es mas fuerte ke la piedra i mas delikado ke la roza

Man is stronger than stone and more delicate than a rose.

78 Nov 2026
Refrán № 405 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.

81 Nov 2026
Refrán № 406 Ladino
Si no ay kalor en el nido lo bushka afuera el marido

If there is no warmth in the nest, the husband looks for it outside.

89 Nov 2026
Refrán № 407 Ladino
Kuento de kaza no sale a la plasa

Household matters don't go out to the square (don't air your dirty laundry).

87 Nov 2026
Refrán № 408 Ladino
Lavoro empesado no se mostra ni a esfuegra, ni a kunyada, ni a vizina ayreada

Unfinished work should not be shown to the mother-in-law, the sister-in-law, or the nosy neighbor. (uncertain: "ayreada")

73 Nov 2026
Refrán № 409 Ladino
Mira la madre, toma la ija

Look at the mother, take the daughter (like mother, like daughter).

95 Nov 2026
Refrán № 410 Ladino
Mijor ser solo ke mal akompanyado

Better to be alone than in bad company.

80 Nov 2026
Refrán № 411 Ladino
Kuando ase luvia yoran los sielos i riye la tierra

When it rains, the skies weep and the earth laughs.

86 Nov 2026
Refrán № 412 Ladino
Tu marido ke te kera komo la sal

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

79 Nov 2026
Refrán № 413 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).

96 Nov 2026
Refrán № 414 Ladino
El ke emprestado viste, en medyo de la kaleja lo disvisten

He who wears borrowed clothes gets undressed in the middle of the street.

112 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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