Tam, gdzie diabeł mówi dobranoc
Listen
What it means
Literally “where the devil says goodnight.” This common Polish phrase describes a place that is extremely remote, isolated, or “at the edge of the world.” It suggests a lonely place so far from civilization that even the devil must stop there for the night.
Vocabulary
- diabeł — devil
- dobranoc — goodnight
- pustkowie — wilderness / wasteland
Grammar note
This is a subordinate clause acting as a location adverbial. It is grammatically simple but highly idiomatic.
Cultural context
Polish has many folk expressions for remote places. This one is fairly polite; a much cruder version mentions dogs barking with their backsides.
Beginner
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 …