A shelling-separating machine for almonds and other soft-shelled nuts is provided incorporating operational and functional features which ensure the obtaining of the kernel in optimal conditions, while at the same time allowing for an effective separation of the almonds and other hard-shelled nuts that may accompany the soft-shelled nuts. At the inlet end, the machine provides a device for continuously feeding the product for the purpose of eliminating obstructions inside such machine. At the outlet end, the machine provides a retaining device which can be manually or automatically actuated and which keeps the outlet closed in order to retain the non-shelled product until the operational conditions recommend the actuation and opening of such retaining device to allow the non-shelled product to exit the machine, preferably by the overflow with respect to a previously established level.