Send
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
  • 39,584readings
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 № 127 Ladino
Ken se kaza kon amor bive kon dolor

He who marries for love lives with pain.

73 Nov 2026
Refrán № 128 Ladino
El Dio es tadrozo ma no es olvidozo

God is slow, but He is not forgetful.

73 Nov 2026
Refrán № 129 Ladino
Le prometyeron a Rahel, le dyeron a Lea

They promised him Rachel, they gave him Leah.

73 Nov 2026
Refrán № 130 Ladino
Kuando el gato no esta baylan los ratones

When the cat is away, the mice dance.

73 Nov 2026
Refrán № 131 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.

73 Nov 2026
Refrán № 132 Ladino
Para dizir todo a la kara, se kere boka emprestada

To say everything to someone's face, you need a borrowed mouth.

73 Nov 2026
Refrán № 133 Ladino
Al azno metele semer de oro, no troka siempre keda azno

Put a golden pack-saddle on a donkey; it does not change, it always stays a donkey.

73 Nov 2026
Refrán № 134 Ladino
Ijos no tengo inyetos me yoran

I have no children, yet grandchildren cry for me.

72 Nov 2026
Refrán № 135 Ladino
Ken no kere kosfuegrar demanda muncha dota i ashugar

He who does not want a father-in-law/in-laws demands a large dowry and trousseau.

72 Nov 2026
Refrán № 136 Ladino
Kazala a tu ija komo puedes, a tu ijo komo keres

Marry off your daughter as you can, your son as you wish.

72 Nov 2026
Refrán № 137 Ladino
Ken se kaza i fragua El Dio lo apiyada

God takes pity on whoever marries and builds.

72 Nov 2026
Refrán № 138 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.

72 Nov 2026
Refrán № 139 Ladino
No le mires la kara, mirale la grasya

When the work talks,words are unnecessary.

72 Nov 2026
Refrán № 140 Ladino
Vende Pipinos vende halva ma no asperes nedava

Sell seeds, sell halva, but do not wait for charity.

72 Nov 2026
Refrán № 141 Ladino
El mokozo se burla del tinyozo

The snotty one mocks the scabby one (the pot calling the kettle black).

72 Nov 2026
Refrán № 142 Ladino
Los amigos se konosen kuando se aparese la difikultad

Friends are known when difficulty appears.

72 Nov 2026
Refrán № 143 Ladino
Estate kon los ke modren i no kon los ke se modrieron

Stay with those who bite, not with those who have been bitten.

71 Nov 2026
Refrán № 144 Ladino
Moz Dieron agua de pozo

They gave us well water. (uncertain, possibly idiomatic)

71 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.

About Ladino Forever and the Ladino language