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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.

  • 164proverbs
  • 10languages
  • 6,093readings
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Refrán del día · November 4
Ken oye a la djente se kita de la mujer Whoever listens to people ends up leaving his wife.

45 proverbs in Family

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Refrán № 01 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).

22 Nov 2026
Refrán № 02 Ladino
La mujer i el vino kitan al ombre del tino

Woman and wine make a man lose his senses.

18 Nov 2026
Refrán № 03 Ladino
El gato aspera mujer chapachula i puerta avierta

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

25 Nov 2026
Refrán № 04 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.

16 Nov 2026
Refrán № 05 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.

14 Nov 2026
Refrán № 06 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")

16 Nov 2026
Refrán № 07 Ladino
Mira la madre, toma la ija

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

15 Nov 2026
Refrán № 08 Ladino
Tu marido ke te kera komo la sal

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

19 Nov 2026
Refrán № 09 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.

16 Nov 2026
Refrán № 10 Ladino
El padre peka, al ijo se le apega

The father sins, and it sticks to the son.

61 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 11 Ladino
Madre miya mi kerida, para ke me parites

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

31 Nov 2026
Refrán № 12 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.

21 Nov 2026
Refrán № 13 Ladino
El Dio aprova a los buenos a padre aresentado da ijo alokado

God tests the good: to a settled father he gives a crazy son.

37 Nov 2026
Refrán № 14 Ladino
La madre kon la ija komo piedra en aniyo

Mother and daughter are like a stone in a ring (inseparable, a precious bond).

25 Nov 2026
Refrán № 15 Ladino
Ijos no tengo inyetos me yoran

I have no children, yet grandchildren cry for me.

29 Nov 2026
Refrán № 16 Ladino
La estreya ke le briya

May his star shine (a blessing / wish for good luck).

30 Nov 2026
Refrán № 17 Ladino
La estreya ke le kayga

May his star fall (a curse / wish for bad luck).

25 Nov 2026
Refrán № 18 Ladino
Ay kayades, ija va naser

Be quiet, a daughter is about to be born. (uncertain)

26 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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