• Listen

  What it means

  Literally “like a hundred devils,” this idiom means doing something with extreme speed, intensity, or untamed force. It expresses wild, frantic energy. Poles use it to describe someone running, working, or behaving with explosive power. Pędził jak sto diabłów means “He was running like a bat out of hell.” The hyperbole of a hundred devils creates a vivid picture of unstoppable, chaotic energy.

  Vocabulary

  • jak — like, as (comparative conjunction)
  • sto — one hundred
  • diabłów — of devils (genitive plural of diabeł)
  • diabeł — devil

  Grammar note

  After the numeral sto (100), Polish requires the genitive plural of the following noun: diabłów, not diabły. This is a consistent rule — numbers from 5 upward trigger the genitive plural. The phrase jak sto diabłów functions as an adverbial modifier: Pracował jak sto diabłów — the phrase modifies how he worked, not what he worked on.

  Cultural context

  This is a colorful, colloquial expression firmly in the informal register. It is not vulgar, but it carries raw, energetic force. It is common in storytelling, sports commentary, and descriptions of frantic activity. The imagery of a swarm of devils suggests chaos and unstoppable power. Close English equivalents are 'like a bat out of hell,' 'like mad,' or 'like crazy.'

  Intermediate

Noticed a typo, a wrong translation, or anything that doesn't look right? We'd love to fix it — just let us know via the contact page. Thank you!