PrettyFluent
This is just a lesson preview. Get the interactive lesson free on PrettyFluent
🔥👇

How to Say ‘Go to hell’ in French

Va au diable

vah oh dyab-l

[vah oh dyab-l]

🇫🇷 In France: Old-fashioned compared with stronger modern insults, so it can sound dramatic or almost theatrical. Still hostile, but less crude than [Va te faire foutre].

Phrase Breakdown

Va

[vah]

go

Imperative of aller, meaning go.

Example

Si tu es fâché, tu peux dire va au diable, mais c'est rude.

If you're angry, you can say go to the devil, but it's rude.

au

[oh]

to the

Contraction meaning to the.

Example

Dans va au diable, au veut dire to the.

In go to the devil, au means to the.

diable

[dyab-l]

devil

Means devil; used in the expression go to hell or go to the devil.

Example

Il m'a lancé va au diable avant de partir.

He threw go to hell at me before leaving.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered speech recognition to perfect your accent

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Custom Scenarios

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Download PrettyFluent on the App StoreGet Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

Moved to Lyon for a culinary apprenticeship. The food and restaurant scenarios were exactly what I needed — my French colleagues were genuinely impressed.

Tom H., 38, Chef

Studying in Paris and the academic French I learned in school was useless for daily life. This app filled the gap in weeks, not months.

Nina W., 29, Graduate Student

Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer