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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.

  • 142proverbs
  • 10languages
  • 3,011readings
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Refrán del día · November 3
No traves la kuedra muncho ke se aranka Don't pull the rope too hard or it will snap.
Refrán № 37 Ladino
El es pedo en chini

He is a fart in porcelain (a nobody, worthless). (uncertain, idiom)

12 Nov 2026
Refrán № 38 Ladino
Moz izo hadras i baranas

He made us into rags and tatters (ruined us). (uncertain)

10 Nov 2026
Refrán № 39 Ladino
El Dio ke moz guadre de kaza i de dorama

May God protect us from the house and from the "dorama". (uncertain)

11 Nov 2026
Refrán № 40 Ladino
El mokozo se burla del tinyozo

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

11 Nov 2026
Refrán № 41 Ladino
Para el bien se kere sensya i para el mal pasensya

For doing good you need knowledge, and for enduring bad you need patience.

7 Nov 2026
Refrán № 42 Ladino
Bien ke no se vendio en su tiempo, te vende a ti

Even though he didn't sell out in his own time, he will sell you out. (uncertain)

9 Nov 2026
Refrán № 43 Ladino
La ke se alava kon su boka es loka

He who praises himself with his own mouth is a fool.

53 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 44 Ladino
La mujer guadra el sekreto ke no save

A woman keeps the secret she doesn't know.

65 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 45 Ladino
De boka a boka se va fin a Roma

From mouth to mouth, one gets all the way to Rome (by asking, you can find your way anywhere).

10 Nov 2026
Refrán № 46 Ladino
Dos gayos en una kaza no kaven

Two roosters don't fit in one house.

34 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 47 Ladino
El lugar del ombre es la plasa i de la mujer es la kaza

A man's place is the square (marketplace) and a woman's place is the home.

35 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 48 Ladino
El eskaso no tiene deskanso

The needy have no rest.

32 Nov 2026
Refrán № 49 Ladino
La mujer es komo la uva, kuando se aruga se aze mas dulse i mas savroza

A woman is like a grape: when she wrinkles, she becomes sweeter and tastier.

31 Nov 2026
Refrán № 50 Ladino
El korason no esta siempre de akordo kon el meoyo

The heart is not always in agreement with the brain.

30 Nov 2026
Refrán № 51 Ladino
Si no ay pasensya no ay erensya

If there is no patience, there is no inheritance.

26 Nov 2026
Refrán № 52 Ladino
A karne dura diente agudo

Tough meat calls for a sharp tooth.

53 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 53 Ladino
El ganar i el pedrer son haverim

Gaining and losing are companions.

26 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 54 Ladino
La mujer buena la kaza yena

A good woman fills the house.

29 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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