du-te dracului
/ˌdu.te ˈdra.ku.luj/
The English phrase "go to hell" is translated into Romanian as du-te dracului. Wiktionary also lists du-te dracu' and du-te naibii.
Meaning: interjection (verb)
Ways to say it
| Romanian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| du-te dracului | /ˌdu.te ˈdra.ku.luj/ | |
| du-te dracu' | ||
| du-te naibii | ||
| du-te naiba | ||
| du-te în iad | rare |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase du-te dracului is literally composed of the imperative du-te (go yourself) and dracului (to the devil).
Which one should you use?
du-te dracului is the standard form, whereas du-te dracu' is a more common, clipped and slightly more aggressive version used in everyday speech. du-te naibii and du-te naiba are other variations. The phrase du-te în iad is a literal translation of "go to hell" using the word for hell (iad), but it is rarely used in natural Romanian conversation compared to the variants involving the devil.
How do you pronounce it?
The phrase has 5 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word naiba likely traveled from Arabic into Romanian via Ottoman Turkish and the Romani language.
- Using naiba can sometimes be used in a non-aggressive way to express frustration or surprise, such as saying 'the devil takes it'.
- The phrasing du-te uses a reflexive pronoun, meaning the speaker is literally telling the person to 'send themselves' away.
Examples in context
- Du-te dracului, nu mă mai deranja!Go to hell, don't bother me anymore!
- Dacă mai spui așa ceva, du-te dracului.If you say something like that again, go to hell.
Example conversation
Alexandru and Andreea are having a heated argument.
- AlexandruNu am timp să discut cu tine.I don't have time to discuss with you.
- AndreeaAtunci du-te dracului, Alexandru!Then go to hell, Alexandru!
- AlexandruNu te regreta că am plecat.You won't regret that I left.
- AndreeaPleacă imediat din casă!Get out of the house immediately!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “go to hell” translations and entries du-te dracului, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries du-te dracului, naiba, CC BY-SA 4.0.
