hablando del rey de Roma
/aˌblando del ˌrei de ˈroma/
In Spanish, the phrase used to say "speak of the devil" is hablando del rey de Roma. If unsure, use hablando del rey de Roma. Wiktionary also lists habla del rey de Roma, y asoma.
Meaning: expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| hablando del rey de Roma | /aˌblando del ˌrei de ˈroma/ |
| habla del rey de Roma, y asoma |
This expression is the standard idiomatic equivalent used when a person happens to arrive or appear just as they are being mentioned in a conversation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase hablando del rey de Roma literally translates to "speaking of the king of Rome".
Which one should you use?
While the English idiom refers to a demonic figure, the Spanish version uses a royal figure. You may encounter the full, traditional version of the idiom: habla del rey de Roma, y asoma, which means "Speak of the king of Rome and he appears through the door".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, hablando del rey de Roma is widely used as the equivalent of "speak of the devil".
How do you pronounce it?
/aˌblando del ˌrei de ˈroma/
Did you know?
- The word habla in this phrase is related to the English word 'fable', as both stem from the Latin 'fābula' meaning a story or discourse.
- In Spanish, referencing the 'king of Rome' functions as a general placeholder for any person, regardless of their actual status or location.
- Even though the phrase mentions Rome, it is a purely idiomatic expression used across the Spanish-speaking world and does not require any actual knowledge of Italian history.
Examples in context
- Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma.Speak of the devil and he is sure to appear.This sentence shows the full traditional version of the idiom using hablando del rey de Roma.Tatoeba #576901 by Shishir, translation #28533 by Zifre
- Hablando del rey de Roma.Speak of the devil.This sentence shows the short version of the idiom using hablando del rey de Roma.Tatoeba #536129 by darinmex, translation #536128 by darinmex
- Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta se asoma.Speak of the devil…Tatoeba #1285486 by enteka, translation #1285545 by enteka
- Hablando del rey de Roma, ¡mira quién llegó!Speak of the devil, look who's here!
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are talking about their friend Carlos when he walks into the cafe.
- DanielEstábamos hablando de Carlos justo ahora.We were just talking about Carlos right now.
- Sofía¡Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma!Speak of the devil, here he comes!
- Daniel¡Qué coincidencia que haya llegado precisamente ahora!What a coincidence that he arrived exactly now!
- SofíaSí, parece que nos escuchó.Yes, it seems he heard us.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “speak of the devil” translations and entries hablando del rey de Roma, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Roma, de, del, habla, hablando del rey de Roma, rey, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
