The Ladino Language

A good place to start is with a dictionary. You will learn that Ladino is a form of medieval Spanish, with many admixtures of Hebrew, Arabic, Turkish and other languages. Ladino was written in Hebrew script.

I Remember Rhodes, by Rebecca Amato Levy (New York, Sepher-Hermon Press, 1987). will introduce you to the sounds (if not the written Hebrew script) of Ladino.


Reflective Questions

  1. Does Ladino sound like Spanish to you?
  2. How is it similar to Spanish, and how is it different?
  3. What language is or was spoken by the family you are studying?

For an example of music of the Sephardim (in various languages, including Ladino) go to: