Ladino (Djudezmo or Judeo-Espanyol ) is a Jewish language spoken by the Sephardic Jews.
It is also spoken by the minor Jewish communities in Turkey , Israel , Netherlands , Greece and the United States . For the most of its speakers, today, Ladino is the second language.
A Western Romance language, Ladino is closely related to and mutually intelligible with the Spanish . However, there are many loan words from Hebrew, Portuguese, Arabic, and Turkish.
[edit ] Pronunciation Guide Ladino spelling, as Spanish does, has the pleasant characteristic of being very phonetic, with only a few clearly-defined exceptions. This means that if you know how to pronounce the letters of a word, it's relatively easy to sound out the word itself.
[edit ] Vowels a like 'a' in "father".
e like 'e' in "met", although often taught as 'a' in "spain".
i like 'ee' in "see".
o like 'o' in "score", especially when stressed.
u like 'oo' in "hoop".
y like 'ee' in "see". Very rarely used at the middle or ending of words.
[edit ] Consonants b like 'b' in "bed"
c 'c' is solely used in combination as 'ch'.
ch like 'ch' in "touch": muncho
d like 'd' in "dog"
dj like 'j' in John. Djudezmo
f like 'f' in "fine": faro
g like 'g' in "good": ganyar
h like 'h' in "hit": haham
j like 's' in the "pleasure":judyo
k like 'k' in "kid": kilo
l like 'l' in "love": malo
m like 'm' in "mother": mano
n like 'n' in "nice": noche, ancla
p like 'p' in "pig": Pesah
r is pronunced as 'r' in Spanish: persona
s like 'ss' in "hiss": sopa
sh like 'sh' in "shining": yanashear
t like 't' in "top": Tora
v like 'v' in "valid": bever
y like 'y' in "yes": yuvyar .
z like 'z' in "zoo"
[edit ] Accents and stress [edit ] Phrase list [edit ] Basics Hello/Hi Shalom (Shah-lom )
How are you? (informal ) Ke haber? (KEH HA-bear )
How are you? (formal ) Komo estash? (KOH-mo ehs-TASH? )
Very well, thank you Muy byen, grasyas. (MOOEY BYEHN, GRAH-syahs )
What is your name? (informal ) Komo te yamas? (KOH-moh TEH YAH-mahs? )
What is your name? (formal ) Komo vos yamash? (KOH-moh VOS YAH-mash )
Who are you? (informal ) Ken [eres/sos]? (KEN EH-rehs? )
My name is ______ Me yamo ______ (MEH YAH-moh _____ )
I am ______ Yo so ______ (YO SO ______ )
Nice to meet you Enkantado/a (ehn-kahn-TAH-doh /ehn-kahn-TAH-dah )
It's a pleasure to meet you Muncho plazer. (MOON-choh plah-zehr )
Please Por favor (POHR fah-vOHR )
Thank you Grasyas (GRAH-syahs )
You're welcome De nada (DEH NAH-dhah )
Yes Si (SEE )
No No (NOH )
Excuse me! (begging pardon ) [Pardon/Perdon]! (pahr-DOHN/per-DOHN )
I'm sorry Lo syento (LOH SYEHN-toh )
Goodbye Adyo (ah-DYOH )
I can't speak Ladino (well) No (f)avlo (byen) ladino. (NOH (F)AV-loh (BYEHN) la-dee-noh)
Do you speak English? (informal) (F)Avlas inglez? ((F)AH-vlahs een-GLEHZ? )
Do you speak English? (formal) (F)Avlates inglez? ((F)AH-blah-tes oos-TEHD een-GLEHZ? )
Is there someone here who speaks English? Ay alguno ke (f)avla inglez? (I AHL-goo-noh KEH (F)AH-Vlah een-GLEHZ? )
Help! Ayuda! (ah-YOO-dah! )
Good morning Buenos diyas (BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs )
Good afternoon / Good evening Buenas tardes (BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs )
Good evening / Good night Buenas noches (BWEH-nahss NOH-chehss )
I don't understand No entyendo (NOH ehn-TYEHN-doh )
Where is the toilet? Ande esta el banyo? (AHN-deh ehss-TAH EHL BAH-nyoh? )
[edit ] Problems Leave me alone. Deshame en paz. (DEH-shah-meh ehn PAHS )
Don't touch me! No me tokes! (noh meh TOH-kehs! )
Police! Polis! (poh-lees! )
[edit ] Numbers ½ - medio
0 - zero
1 - uno
2 - dos
3 - trez
4 - kuatro
5 - sinko
6 - sesh
7 - syete
8 - ocho
9 - mueve
10 - dyez
