Speak of the devil
Significado: Said when the person you were just talking about unexpectedly shows up.
A lighthearted exclamation used when someone appears right after being mentioned in conversation. Always used in a surprised, amused tone. The full form 'speak of the devil and he shall appear' is rarely used — Americans almost always shorten it.
Ejemplos
- We were just talking about you! Speak of the devil. 我们刚才正说你呢!说曹操曹操到。¡Justo estábamos hablando de ti! Hablando del rey de Roma (Speak of the devil).ちょうどあなたの話をしてたんだよ!噂をすれば(Speak of the devil)。마침 네 이야기를 하고 있었어! 호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다더니.
- Speak of the devil — here comes Sarah now. 说曹操曹操到——萨拉来了。Hablando del rey de Roma (Speak of the devil) — ahí viene Sara.噂をすれば(Speak of the devil)——ほら、サラが来たよ。소문 내니까 온다——저기 사라가 오네.
- I was telling them about your cooking and speak of the devil, you walked in. 我正跟他们说你做的菜呢,说曹操曹操到,你就进来了。Les estaba contando lo bien que cocinas y, hablando del rey de Roma (speak of the devil), entraste por la puerta.あなたの料理の話をしてたら、噂をすれば(speak of the devil)、本人が入ってきた。네 요리 이야기를 하고 있었는데 소문 내니까, 본인이 들어왔어.
Pronunciación
Guía de uso
Contexto: casual, social, surprised
Tono: amused, surprised
✓ Correcto
- Speak of the devil! We were just talking about you.Speak of the devil! We were just talking about you.(说曹操曹操到!我们刚才正说你呢。)¡Hablando del rey de Roma! Justo estábamos hablando de ti. (Speak of the devil! We were just talking about you.)Speak of the devil!ちょうどあなたの話をしてたんだよ。호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다! 마침 네 이야기 하고 있었어.
- Well, speak of the devil.Well, speak of the devil.(哎呀,说曹操曹操到。)Vaya, hablando del rey de Roma. (Well, speak of the devil.)おや、噂をすれば(Well, speak of the devil)。이야, 소문 내니까 온다.
✗ Incorrecto
- Don't use it negatively — it's always lighthearted in American usage.不要用于负面场合——在美国的用法中始终是轻松愉快的。No lo uses de forma negativa — en el uso americano siempre es desenfadado.否定的な意味で使わないこと——アメリカでは常に軽い冗談として使われる。부정적으로 쓰지 않는다——미국에서는 항상 가벼운 뉘앙스로 쓰인다.
Origen e historia
From the old English proverb 'speak of the devil and he shall appear,' dating back to the 17th century. The American usage is always lighthearted and never superstitious.
Contexto cultural
Era: Traditional
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used nationwide
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