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  What it means

  Literally “like devils,” this idiom functions as an intensifier meaning “extremely,” “like hell,” or “terribly.” It is used to amplify adjectives or verbs — for example, “boli jak diabli” means “it hurts like hell,” and “zimno jak diabli” means “it’s freezing cold.” The phrase conveys strong emphasis and carries a slightly vulgar, colloquial edge. It is very common in informal spoken Polish among all age groups when expressing strong sensations or states.

  Vocabulary

  • jak — like, as
  • diabli — devils (nominative plural of 'diabeł')
  • diabeł — devil

  Grammar note

  The word 'diabli' is the nominative plural of 'diabeł' (devil), a masculine animate noun. The idiom acts as an adverbial intensifier and is placed after the adjective or verb it modifies. It does not change form regardless of the grammatical context of the surrounding sentence. Compare with similar intensifiers: 'jak cholera' (like cholera) and 'jak szatan' (like Satan).

  Cultural context

  This is a mildly vulgar, very colloquial expression common in everyday speech among friends and family. It falls into a category of Polish intensifiers that reference the devil or hell, a rich tradition in Polish slang. While not considered a serious swear word, it is inappropriate in formal or professional contexts. The closest English equivalents are 'like hell,' 'like crazy,' or 'as hell' (e.g. 'cold as hell').

  Intermediate

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