Masz diable kaftan!
Listen
What it means
Literally “there, devil, take this coat!” Means you’ve met your match, the tables have turned — said when someone who has been causing trouble finally gets what they deserve or faces a worthy opponent.
Vocabulary
- masz — take / here you go (imperative use of 'mieć')
- diabeł — devil
- kaftan — kaftan / coat
Grammar note
'Masz' here is used as an imperative meaning 'take this / here you go'. 'Diable' is the vocative of 'diabeł'.
Cultural context
From a Polish folk tale where a peasant outsmarts the devil and throws his coat at him in triumph. Used when an underdog finally turns the tables.
Advanced
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!
More Polish idioms
- Literally "one's whole life flew past before the eyes," this phrase describes the vivid, involuntary …
- Literally "for an example," na przykład is the standard Polish phrase for "for example" or "for …
- Literally "in the last/recent times," ostatnimi czasy is a common temporal phrase meaning "lately," …
- Literally "in the manner of Judas," this adverb describes acting in a treacherous, backstabbing way …