a face pe dracu-n patru
to go to great lengths, to move heaven and earth
Advanced Phrase
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Pronunciation
/a ˈfa.tʃe pe ˈdra.kun ˈpa.tru/
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Cultural Note
Literally 'to split the devil in four,' this vivid idiom means to make extreme efforts to accomplish something. It reflects the Romanian folk tradition of invoking supernatural imagery in everyday speech. The expression suggests doing something so difficult that even the devil himself would be divided by the effort.
📝 Example Sentences
A făcut pe dracu-n patru să ajungă la timp.
He moved heaven and earth to arrive on time.
Fac pe dracu-n patru pentru copiii mei.
I go to great lengths for my children.
A trebuit să facem pe dracu-n patru ca să obținem biletele.
We had to move mountains to get the tickets.