It’s the figure in folklore, religion, and expressions of shock or mischief. In German, it’s der Teufel. This is your German word of the day, and it shows up everywhere—from church sermons to fairy tales to everyday idioms that have nothing to do with horns and pitchforks.

The noun Teufel means devil, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. While it has religious origins, it’s just as common in figurative speech and strong emotional reactions.

It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Teufel (not sure how gender works in German? Our video lesson makes it surprisingly easy).

Pronunciation

Teufel is pronounced [TOY-fel].

• Teu like “toy,”

• fel like “fəl” (a soft, short "uhl" sound),

• Stress is on the first syllable: TOY-fel

It’s bold, strong, and often delivered with a bit of drama.

Example sentences:

Der Teufel steckt im Detail.
The devil is in the details.

Was zum Teufel ist hier los?
What the hell is going on here?

Nuance and usage tips

Teufel can refer to:

1. The literal devil in religious or mythological contexts:

   • Angst vor dem Teufel – fear of the devil

   • Er verkaufte seine Seele dem Teufel – he sold his soul to the devil

2. A figurative or humorous expression of frustration, shock, or mischief:

   • zum Teufel gehen – to go to hell / disappear

   • der arme Teufel – the poor devil (sympathetic, informal)

   • ein kleiner Teufel – a cheeky little rascal

3. In idioms:

   • Teufelskreis – vicious circle

   • den Teufel an die Wand malen – to expect the worst / be overly pessimistic

   • Teufelskerl – daring fellow (complimentary, old-fashioned or humorous)

How does this word come up in real conversations?

Often! It’s part of colorful language and strong emotion:

“Ich hab mich zu Tode erschreckt—ich dachte, der Teufel holt mich!”
– I was scared to death—I thought the devil was coming for me!

“Teuflisch clever, der Typ.”
– That guy’s devilishly clever.

It’s also common in jokes, cartoons, and moral storytelling.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Paula: Wer hat das Fenster offen gelassen?
Leon: Keine Ahnung – der Teufel vielleicht?
Paula: Ha-ha. Sehr witzig.
Leon: Na, war ja nur ein Scherz!

Paula: Who left the window open?
Leon: No idea—maybe the devil?
Paula: Ha-ha. Very funny.
Leon: Come on, it was just a joke!

Grammatical case examples:

Nominative:
Der Teufel schläft nie, sagt man.
The devil never sleeps, they say.

Accusative:
Ich fürchte den Teufel nicht.
I’m not afraid of the devil.

Dative:
Mit dem Teufel will ich nichts zu tun haben.
I want nothing to do with the devil.

Genitive:
Der Pakt des Teufels war unterschrieben.
The devil’s pact was signed.

Masculine case pattern: der, den, dem, des

Word variations and language tidbits

Common related expressions:

• Teufelskreis – vicious circle

• Teufelszeug – dangerous stuff (slang)

• Teufelskerl – daring guy

• Teufelchen – little devil (often affectionate or playful)

• Höllenteufel – hell-devil (comic-book villain type of expression)

Cultural note: In many German fairy tales and fables, the Teufel plays a trickster or punisher role. But in modern usage, it’s often tongue-in-cheek or exaggerated for drama.

📘 Duden entry
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Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Teil means? That one’s just one part of the bigger picture.
And what about Tier? Let’s just say… not every animal is as scary as the Teufel.