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.

  • 164proverbs
  • 10languages
  • 6,133readings
Send a proverb
Refrán del día · November 4
Ken oye a la djente se kita de la mujer Whoever listens to people ends up leaving his wife.
Refrán № 37 Ladino
El ke da un groshiziko tanye el chufletiko

He who gives a little coin plays the little whistle (he who pays calls the tune).

24 Nov 2026
Refrán № 38 Ladino
El ke emprestado viste, en medyo de la kaleja lo disvisten

He who wears borrowed clothes gets undressed in the middle of the street.

19 Nov 2026
Refrán № 39 Ladino
El ke no oye a su mujerika se trava la orejika

He who doesn't listen to his dear wife gets his little ear pulled.

38 Nov 2026
Refrán № 40 Ladino
El ke se mete a bever no konta los vazos

He who starts drinking doesn't count the glasses.

23 Nov 2026
Refrán № 41 Ladino
El ken del otro aspera ambierto keda

Whoever expects from others stays hungry.

26 Nov 2026
Refrán № 42 Ladino
El ken kere lo muncho perye i lo poko

He who wants a lot loses both the much and the little.

29 Nov 2026
Refrán № 43 Ladino
El korason no esta siempre de akordo kon el meoyo

The heart is not always in agreement with the brain.

44 Nov 2026
Refrán № 44 Ladino
El Leon se konose de la unya

The lion is known by its claw.

40 Nov 2026
Refrán № 45 Ladino
El lovo i la oveja viyenen en konseja

The wolf and the sheep come together in council.

31 Nov 2026
Refrán № 46 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.

55 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 47 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 № 48 Ladino
El mokozo se burla del tinyozo

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

28 Nov 2026
Refrán № 49 Ladino
El novyo es muy ermozo, komo el gato enganyozo

The groom is very handsome, like the deceitful cat.

30 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 50 Ladino
El ombre es mas fuerte ke la piedra i mas delikado ke la roza

Man is stronger than stone and more delicate than a rose.

23 Nov 2026
Refrán № 51 Ladino
El padre peka, al ijo se le apega

The father sins, and it sticks to the son.

61 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 52 Ladino
El pan tugerto la lumbre lo enderecha

The fire straightens crooked bread.

32 Nov 2026
Refrán № 53 Ladino
El peshe fiele de la kavesa

The fish rots from the head.

51 Nov 2026
Refrán № 54 Ladino
El riyo pasa la arena keda

The river passes, the sand remains.

33 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