Who the devil Meaning in English
expression
ˈhu/ /ˈðə/, /ðə/, /ði/ /ˈdɛvəɫ
HOO thuh DEV-uhl
hˈuː/ /ðə, ði/ /dˈɛvəl
HOO thuh DEV-uhl
Definition
An informal and slightly old-fashioned way to ask 'who' with strong surprise, frustration, or annoyance.
Usage & Nuances
Mildly impolite, but less harsh than profane alternatives. Used mainly in spoken English, often when surprised or irritated. Synonymous with 'who on earth', 'who the heck'. Rare in modern speech; 'who the heck'/'who the hell' are more common.
Spanish: quién demonios - quién diablosPortuguese (BR): quem diabos - quem é o diaboPortuguese (PT): quem diabo - quem raioChinese (Simplified): 到底是谁 - 究竟是谁Chinese (Traditional): 到底是誰 - 究竟是誰Hindi: आखिर है कौनArabic: من الشيطان (من بحق الجحيم)Bengali: কে শয়তান (আসলে কে)Russian: кто, черт возьмиJapanese: いったい誰Vietnamese: ai mà quỷ - ai vậy trờiKorean: 도대체 누구Turkish: kim şeytanUrdu: آخر ہے کونIndonesian: siapa sebenarnya
Example Sentences
Who the devil is knocking at the door so late?
basic
Who the devil left these lights on?
basic
Who the devil are you talking to on the phone?
basic
Who the devil thought leaving milk out was a good idea?
natural
Every time I fix something, who the devil comes and breaks it again?
natural
You promised to be here; who the devil are you with instead?
natural