Speak of the devil and he shall appear Meaning in English

expression

US

SPEEK uhv thu DEV-uhl and hee SHAL uh-PEER

UK

SPEEK ov thu DEV-uhl and hee SHAL uh-PEER

Definition

This expression is used when someone you are talking about suddenly appears. It’s often said as a joke in social situations.

Usage & Nuances

Informal; often shortened to 'speak of the devil' in speech. Use when the discussed person arrives or messages, not for serious or negative gossip. Similar expressions exist in many languages, but local versions may differ in imagery or humor.

• Spanish: hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma - hablando del diablo, por la puerta asoma
• Portuguese (BR): falando no diabo, ele aparece - quem fala do diabo, vê o rabo
• Portuguese (PT): quem fala do diabo, vê-lhe o rabo - fala-se no diabo, aparece-lhe o rabo
• Chinese (Simplified): 说曹操，曹操到
• Chinese (Traditional): 說曹操，曹操到
• Hindi: जिसका नाम लो, वह हाज़िर
• Arabic: اذكر الشيطان يطلع لك
• Bengali: মাছের কথা বললেই মাছি হাজির
• Russian: легок на помине
• Japanese: 噂をすれば影
• Vietnamese: nói đến Tào Tháo, Tào Tháo đến
• Korean: 호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다
• Turkish: İti an, değneği hazırla
• Urdu: جس کا ذکر کرو، وہ حاضر
• Indonesian: baru disebut sudah datang

Example Sentences

Speak of the devil and he shall appear—we were just talking about you!

basic

Whenever this happens, we say, 'speak of the devil and he shall appear.'

basic

He walked in right after we mentioned him—speak of the devil and he shall appear!

basic

Well, speak of the devil and he shall appear! We were just about to call you.

natural

Every time we gossip in the office, someone pops in—speak of the devil and he shall appear!

natural

We joke all the time—speak of the devil and he shall appear really comes true with Sarah!

natural