HeyRuaHow to say “open-mouthed” in Irish
- Irish:
- béaloscailte
- English:
- open-mouthed, indiscreet
- Word type:
- adjective
- More open-mouthed:
- níos béaloscailte
- Most open-mouthed:
- is béaloscailte
- Pronunciation:
- “BAYL-us-kal-cha” /ˈbʲeːlˠɔsˠkəlʲtʲə/
What does “béaloscailte” mean?
“Béaloscailte” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.
- open-mouthed
- Having your mouth open, especially from surprise or amazement.Also: gaping, agape, dumbfounded, gobsmacked.
1 other meaning: indiscreet
- 2indiscreet
- Unable to keep a secret; tending to blurt things out.Also: loose-tongued, blabbing.
“Béaloscailte” after a noun
An Irish adjective comes after its noun. Here is béaloscailte after páiste (child, masculine), after bean (woman, feminine) and after a plural.
séimhiú (the h) the ending
After a feminine noun the adjective gets a séimhiú, an h after its first letter: bean bhéaloscailte. After a masculine noun it stays as it is: páiste béaloscailte.
With a plural noun the adjective takes its plural form, béaloscailte. It also gets an h after a plural that ends in a slender consonant; after other plurals it does not: mná béaloscailte.
More open-mouthed, most open-mouthed, very open-mouthed
Bhí Seán níos béaloscailte ná aon duine eile. Seán was more open-mouthed than anyone else.
| more open-mouthed | níos béaloscailte | in the past tense: ní ba bhéaloscailte |
|---|---|---|
| most open-mouthed | is béaloscailte | in the past tense: ba bhéaloscailte |
| as open-mouthed as | chomh béaloscailte le | no change after chomh |
| very open-mouthed | an-bhéaloscailte | an- lenites, except d, t and s |
| too open-mouthed | róbhéaloscailte | ró- lenites |
“Béaloscailte” in a sentence: Irish examples
With a masculine noun, a feminine noun, a plural, a comparison and on its own.
Other adjectives in Irish
More everyday Irish adjectives to learn next.
Open-mouthed in Irish: frequently asked questions
What is the Irish for open-mouthed?
The Irish for open-mouthed is béaloscailte (pronounced “BAYL-us-kal-cha”). It comes after the noun: páiste béaloscailte, an open-mouthed child; bean bhéaloscailte, an open-mouthed woman.
How do you say more open-mouthed and most open-mouthed in Irish?
níos béaloscailte is more open-mouthed and is béaloscailte is most open-mouthed. In the past tense they become ní ba bhéaloscailte and ba bhéaloscailte.
Why does béaloscailte become bhéaloscailte?
After a feminine singular noun an adjective is lenited: it gets an h after its first letter. So bean bhéaloscailte (an open-mouthed woman) but páiste béaloscailte (an open-mouthed child), because páiste is masculine.
How do you say very open-mouthed in Irish?
an-bhéaloscailte. Too open-mouthed is róbhéaloscailte, and as open-mouthed as is chomh béaloscailte le.
Does béaloscailte have more than one meaning?
Yes. Béaloscailte can mean open-mouthed or indiscreet, depending on context; the first is the most common.
How is béaloscailte formed?
It combines béal (mouth) with oscailte (open), so béaloscailte literally means mouth-open. It is often used with le hiontas (with wonder), as in béaloscailte le hiontas.
