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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.

  • 143proverbs
  • 10languages
  • 3,235readings
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Refrán del día · November 3
Le prometyeron a Rahel, le dyeron a Lea They promised him Rachel, they gave him Leah.
Refrán № 127 Ladino
Para ke se vaya al fregon, ke se vaya al garon

Rather than let it go to the pest, let it go to the lad/man.

20 Nov 2026
Refrán № 128 Ladino
Pesa el plomo, pesa el oro, pesa al ombre mas ke todo

Do weigh up the lead,the gold,most of all weigh up the man.

23 Nov 2026
Refrán № 129 Ladino
Riyir kon todos, yorar solos

Laugh with everyone, cry alone.

20 Nov 2026
Refrán № 130 Ladino
Si de tu novya izites tu mujer, aze tambien te tu mujer tu novya

If you made your bride your wife, make your wife your bride too.

17 Nov 2026
Refrán № 131 Ladino
Si no ay pasensya no ay erensya

If there is no patience, there is no inheritance.

28 Nov 2026
Refrán № 132 Ladino
Si no saves nadar ke bushkas en el borde del mar

If you can't swim what are you doing at the seaside.

24 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 133 Ladino
Sin disiplina no ay milizina

There's no medicine without discipline.

19 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 134 Ladino
Sin lavar la kara ya empeso kon sus hohentas

Before washing his face he starts nagging.

13 Nov 2026
Refrán № 135 Ladino
Sol i luvya anyos de artura

Sun and rain, years of abundance.

12 Nov 2026
Refrán № 136 Ladino
Tanto grita el ladron ke se espanta el patron

The thief shouts so loudly that the owner gets frightened.

15 Nov 2026
Refrán № 137 Ladino
Todo lo ganado es para el garon

All the earnings is for the throat.

21 Nov 2026
Refrán № 138 Ladino
Todos los dedos de la mano no son uno

All the fingers of the hand are not the same.

24 Nov 2026
Refrán № 139 Ladino
Tornaron kon los mokos enkolgados

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

15 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 140 Ladino
Tripa vaziya korason sin alegria

An empty belly, a heart without joy.

27 1 Nov 2026
Refrán № 141 Ladino
Un ombre sin amigo es komo la mano derecha sin la siedra

A man without a friend is like the right hand without the left.

20 Nov 2026
Refrán № 142 Ladino
Vende Pipinos vende halva ma no asperes nedava

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

15 Nov 2026
Refrán № 143 Ladino
Ya Avlo ya lo espajo

Now I've spoken, now I've cleared it up. (uncertain)

14 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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