Bedeutung
to talk too much or brag.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The phrase is deeply tied to Janteloven. Bragging is socially discouraged, making this a common 'corrective' phrase. Similar to Denmark, Norwegians use 'stor i kjeften' (big in the trap) to describe the same behavior, reflecting shared Scandinavian values of humility. While 'big mouth' is used, American culture is often more tolerant of self-promotion, so the phrase might be used less critically than in Denmark. In Japan, silence is even more highly valued than in Denmark. Having a 'big mouth' (ōguchi) is a significant social faux pas.
Use with 'vist'
Adding 'vist' (apparently/seemingly) softens the blow: 'Han har vist en lidt stor mund.'
Avoid 'kæft' in public
While 'stor kæft' is common, it is considered vulgar and can lead to confrontations.
Bedeutung
to talk too much or brag.
Use with 'vist'
Adding 'vist' (apparently/seemingly) softens the blow: 'Han har vist en lidt stor mund.'
Avoid 'kæft' in public
While 'stor kæft' is common, it is considered vulgar and can lead to confrontations.
The 'Lidt' trick
Danes love understatements. Saying someone has a 'lidt' (little) big mouth is often a stronger, more sarcastic insult than saying they have a 'meget' (very) big mouth.
Janteloven
Remember that this phrase is a primary tool for enforcing social modesty in Denmark.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.
Han praler altid med sin nye bil, han har virkelig en ___ ___.
The idiom is 'en stor mund' in the indefinite form.
Which situation best fits the phrase 'at have en stor mund'?
Hvilken situation passer bedst?
One of the primary meanings is being indiscreet/gossiping.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the phrase.
A: 'Han siger, han kan løbe en marathon på to timer.' B: 'Ja, han ___ ___ ___ ___.'
The present tense 'har' is used to describe a current personality trait.
Match the idiom to the correct meaning.
Match: 1. At have en stor mund | 2. At tage munden for fuld
These are two closely related but distinct 'mouth' idioms.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Mouth Idioms Comparison
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenHan praler altid med sin nye bil, han har virkelig en ___ ___.
The idiom is 'en stor mund' in the indefinite form.
Hvilken situation passer bedst?
One of the primary meanings is being indiscreet/gossiping.
A: 'Han siger, han kan løbe en marathon på to timer.' B: 'Ja, han ___ ___ ___ ___.'
The present tense 'har' is used to describe a current personality trait.
Match: 1. At have en stor mund | 2. At tage munden for fuld
These are two closely related but distinct 'mouth' idioms.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
12 Fragen90% of the time, yes. It can be a playful tease between very close friends, but proceed with caution.
No, that is not an idiom. You would say 'han er meget stille' or 'han siger ikke så meget.'
'Stor mund' is more about the person's character and gossip, while 'stortalende' is specifically about the act of bragging in a pompous way.
Absolutely not. It is too informal and aggressive.
Not necessarily in volume, but in the 'size' of their claims and the frequency of their talking.
You could say 'Han har tendens til at overdrive' (He has a tendency to exaggerate).
Yes, if a child is bragging about their toys, you might say it jokingly.
Yes, it's a standard way to describe 'the braggart' character in plays and novels.
De har store munde. However, the idiom is almost always used in the singular about an individual.
No, it is 100% figurative in 99% of conversations.
It's about the same, but because of Danish modesty culture, it might feel slightly more biting.
Yes, it is very common in political commentary to say a politician has a 'stor mund' but no results.
Verwandte Redewendungen
at tage munden for fuld
similarto overpromise
at holde mund
contrastto keep quiet
at tage bladet fra munden
contrastto speak one's mind
at snakke over sig
similarto say too much
at være stortalende
synonymto be boastful
