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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
  • 49,700readings
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
La mujer puede trokar la kolor de su pelo, ama nunka no puede trokar el karakter de su selo

A woman can change the color of her hair, but she can never change the character of her jealousy.

72 Nov 2026
Refrán № 416 Ladino
Aze bien, no mires a ken

Do good, don't look at whom.

106 Nov 2026
Refrán № 417 Ladino
El padre peka, al ijo se le apega

The father sins, and it sticks to the son.

133 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 418 Ladino
Madre miya mi kerida, para ke me parites

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

93 Nov 2026
Refrán № 419 Ladino
Bivas, engrandeskas i kreskas komo un peshiko an aguas freskas. Amen

May you live, grow and flourish like a little fish in fresh waters. Amen.

92 Nov 2026
Refrán № 420 Ladino
El peshe fiele de la kavesa

The fish rots from the head.

112 Nov 2026
Refrán № 421 Ladino
Tornaron kon los mokos enkolgados

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

94 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 422 Ladino
La okazyon aze al ladron

Opportunity makes the thief.

95 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 423 Ladino
El melon i la mujer son muy kolay a eskojer, ama el karpuz i el ombre no son

Melon and woman are very easy to choose, but watermelon and man are not.

77 Nov 2026
Refrán № 424 Ladino
Moneda se gana kon moneda

Money is earned with money.

91 Nov 2026
Refrán № 425 Ladino
El riyo pasa la arena keda

The river passes, the sand remains.

79 Nov 2026
Refrán № 426 Ladino
El shastre haragan piedre la alguja i el dedal

The lazy tailor loses the needle and the thimble.

76 Nov 2026
Refrán № 427 Ladino
No traves la kuedra muncho ke se aranka

Don't pull the rope too hard or it will snap.

87 Nov 2026
Refrán № 428 Ladino
Al enemigo azelo amigo

Turn the enemy into a friend.

95 Nov 2026
Refrán № 429 Ladino
El gameo no ve su korkova

The camel doesn't see its own hump.

386 2 Nov 2026
Refrán № 430 Ladino
Kara tuerta ventura derecha

Crooked face, straight fortune.

94 Nov 2026
Refrán № 431 Ladino
A la boka serrada no entra moshka

No fly enters a closed mouth.

81 Nov 2026
Refrán № 432 Ladino
Despues ke la perdio su valor supo

Only after he lost it did he know its value.

85 Nov 2026
Explore Ladino Forever

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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