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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
  • 50,604readings
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 № 415 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 № 416 Ladino
La kampana chika no se oye kuando bate la kampana grande

The small bell cannot be heard when the big bell rings.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 417 Ladino
A la ora de la pichada fraguar la privada

At the time of the pee, build the toilet (acting too late, when the need is already urgent).

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 418 Ladino
Kara alegre, dos kandelas

A cheerful face is worth two candles.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 419 Ladino
Avaz sin aroz es komo boda sin tanyedor

Beans without rice are like a wedding without a musician.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 420 Ladino
De tu patada veremos hayre

From your kick we will see good.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 421 Ladino
El pueder es kerer

To be able is to want.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 422 Ladino
Eskrito esta en la palma lo ke va pasar la alma

What will happen to the soul is written in the palm.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 423 Ladino
El buey tiene la aluenga larga, ma avlar no save

The ox has a long tongue, but does not know how to speak.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 424 Ladino
En la kayida de tu enemigo no te alegres, ke te viene a la kavesa

D'ont be happy with the fall of your enemy,the same could happen to you.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 425 Ladino
Akontese en un punto lo ke no akontese en mil anyos

What happens in a moment does not happen in a thousand years.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 426 Ladino
El Dio me guadra de mis amigos i yo me guadro de mis enemigos

May God protect me from my friends, and I will protect myself from my enemies.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 427 Ladino
Amigos i ermanos seremos, ma las bolsas no tokaremos

Friends and brothers we will be, but we will not touch each other's purses.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 428 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.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 429 Ladino
Kuando te yaman azno, mira ver si tienes kola

When they call you a donkey, check whether you have a tail.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 430 Ladino
Laz aldikeras del riko si se vazyan, no pueden inchir laz aldikeras del prove

If the rich man's pockets are emptied, they cannot fill the poor man's pockets.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 431 Ladino
Es bueno tomar bendisyon de padre i de madre

It is good to receive the blessing of father and mother.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 432 Ladino
El Dio ke guadre de marido eskaso

May God protect us from a stingy husband.

76 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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