Meaning
"Speak of the devil" is what you say when someone appears right after you mentioned them. You're talking about a friend, the door opens, and there they are. The old idea behind it was a superstition: say the devil's name, and he'll show up. The older version went on to warn that he "shall appear", but today almost everyone stops after "devil".
It sounds dramatic, but it's playful and friendly, not an insult. You say it with a smile, often straight to the person who has arrived, and then you tell them what you were saying, ideally something nice. It works with friends and coworkers. It also works when their name pops up on your phone. In very formal settings, skip it and say "Oh, we were just talking about you."
In a conversation
- Rohan
- Sofia
- Rohan
- Sofia
- Rohan
Say it out loud
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
Check yourself
Practice · 3 min
Listen, then say each line with a smile. The stress falls on "speak" and "dev".
Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.