Idiom
Speak of the devil
By EasySay. Published . Updated .
Speak of the devil is what people say when someone arrives just as they are talking about them.
Two friends mention Lena, the door opens, and Lena walks in: “speak of the devil.” Longman labels it spoken, and it is said as the person you just mentioned arrives. You can use it with friends, family and kind colleagues.
Written for EasySay, in our own words.
In short
- AvoidIt is friendly, so smile when you say it.
- Or saySpeak of an angel
Speak of the devil: what it is, and what it is not
- IS
- Said with a smile when someone arrives as you talk about them.
- IS
- Longman labels it spoken.
- IS NOT
- About a real devil appearing: it is said when someone arrives as you talk about them.
- DEPENDS
- Longman gives “talk of the devil” as a form marked British English.
- DEPENDS
- Longman labels “speak of the devil” spoken, and marks “talk of the devil” British English.
Meaning: Said with a smile when someone arrives as you talk about them.
How do people say it?
- In conversation:
We were just talking about you. Speak of the devil.
- At work:
Speak of the devil. We were just reading your email, Priya.
Check yourself
What should I know?
The words say
To speak, and the devil himself appears.
It really means
The person you are talking about has just arrived or written.
What do dictionaries say?
- In Australia
- Longman labels it spoken. The dictionaries we checked give it no Australian label, so it is general English, not only from Australia.
- In the UK
- Longman gives “talk of the devil” as a form marked British English.
- In the US
- Longman labels “speak of the devil” spoken, and marks “talk of the devil” British English.
What mistakes should I avoid?
- It is friendly, so smile when you say it. A flat voice can make it sound strange.
- Use it only when the person arrives or writes. Do not use it about someone far away.
- The word “devil” may bother some listeners. With them, simply say “here you are”.
The phrase is a small piece of theatre with three beats: the naming, the entrance, the line.
Two people talk about Lena; the door opens; someone says the words and the room smiles, Lena included. The timing does all the work.
Said at the right second, it turns a bare coincidence into a warm hello. Said late, after the hellos are done, it falls flat.
So listen for the knock, the ping or the footstep, and spend the line at once. It keeps for seconds only.
The devil inside it is part of a fixed saying, and the saying only marks that the person you mentioned has arrived. Still, ears differ, and a wise speaker reads the room. With a child or an elder, a different greeting such as “here you are” costs nothing.
It sits well beside “break the ice” and “spill the beans”, two more phrases about the small theatre of talking. Breaking the ice starts a cold room; spilling the beans lets a secret slip; speaking of the devil greets the person the talk has summoned.
All three run on timing and tone rather than grammar, which is why learners should practise them aloud. Say each to a friend this week and watch the smiles. That is the test, and the reward.
What else can I say?
- Speak of an angel The gentle form, for careful ears.
- Here you are Plain and warm.
- Fancy seeing you British; happy surprise.
More idioms
- Spill the beans To tell a secret, usually by mistake or too early.
- Break the ice To ease tension when people meet, so they relax and talk.
More examples
- In a text:
Speak of the devil, you just texted as I was typing to you.
Questions people ask
Is it an insult?
No. It is friendly and said with a smile. The devil in the phrase is part of a fixed saying, and the saying only marks that the person arrived.
What if the word “devil” bothers someone?
Say “here you are”, or just greet the person by name. Both keep the warmth.
Does the person need to walk in?
They need to arrive somehow: a knock, a call, a text. The arrival at the right second is the whole point.
Sources and dates
- EasySay's own writing for the idioms, EasySay. Licence: original writing for EasySay. Checked .
- Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English: usage labels, Pearson Education. Licence: our own words, from the facts in the source. Checked .
Cite this page
EasySay. "Speak of the devil". https://easysay.org/idioms/speak-of-the-devil. Last updated 23 October 2026.
https://easysay.org/idioms/speak-of-the-devil