Significado
Literally 'his mouth is long'. Means rude/talkative.
Contexto cultural
Respect for elders is the cornerstone of Ethiopian culture. Any verbal defiance is seen as a failure of the family to raise the child correctly. The concept of 'Wax and Gold' (Sem-enna-Worq) means people often use idioms to hide insults. 'Long mouth' is a more direct, 'wax' level insult. Among the youth, the phrase is sometimes used jokingly among close friends, but it still carries a sting. The phrase is often used by first-generation parents to criticize their Westernized children who are more likely to 'speak their mind'—which is interpreted as having a 'long mouth.'
Be Careful!
Calling someone 'አፈ ረጅም' to their face is a serious insult. Use it only when complaining to friends.
Gender Matters
Always remember to change 'Afu' to 'Afwa' if you are talking about a woman. It's the most common mistake for learners.
Significado
Literally 'his mouth is long'. Means rude/talkative.
Be Careful!
Calling someone 'አፈ ረጅም' to their face is a serious insult. Use it only when complaining to friends.
Gender Matters
Always remember to change 'Afu' to 'Afwa' if you are talking about a woman. It's the most common mistake for learners.
The Power of Silence
In Ethiopia, being called 'ዝምተኛ' (quiet) is usually a compliment. 'Long mouth' is the opposite of that ideal.
Ponte a prueba
Fill in the correct form of 'mouth' (Af) with the possessive suffix.
ሳራ በጣም ትናገራለች፤ ____ ረጅም ነው።
Since Sara is female, we use the feminine suffix '-wa'.
What does 'አፉ ረጅም ነው' mean in this context?
ልጁ ለአባቱ አልታዘዝም አለ። አፉ ረጅም ነው።
In the context of not obeying a father, it means being rude or disrespectful.
Match the Amharic phrase to its English equivalent.
Match the following:
These are common 'mouth' related idioms in Amharic.
Complete the dialogue.
A: ያ ሰራተኛ ሁልጊዜ ከአለቃው ጋር ይከራከራል። B: አዎ፣ ____ ____ ____።
Arguing with a boss is a classic 'long mouth' behavior.
In which situation is it appropriate to say 'አፏ ረጅም ነው'?
Select the best scenario:
Gossiping is a primary meaning of this idiom.
🎉 Puntuación: /5
Ayudas visuales
Mouth Idioms
Banco de ejercicios
5 ejerciciosሳራ በጣም ትናገራለች፤ ____ ረጅም ነው።
Since Sara is female, we use the feminine suffix '-wa'.
ልጁ ለአባቱ አልታዘዝም አለ። አፉ ረጅም ነው።
In the context of not obeying a father, it means being rude or disrespectful.
Empareja cada elemento de la izquierda con su par de la derecha:
These are common 'mouth' related idioms in Amharic.
A: ያ ሰራተኛ ሁልጊዜ ከአለቃው ጋር ይከራከራል። B: አዎ፣ ____ ____ ____።
Arguing with a boss is a classic 'long mouth' behavior.
Select the best scenario:
Gossiping is a primary meaning of this idiom.
🎉 Puntuación: /5
Preguntas frecuentes
14 preguntasUsually no. It's a negative term. If you want to say they talk a lot in a fun way, say 'ወሬ ይወዳል' (He likes gossip/talk).
No, it can be used for adults, especially those who gossip or are rude to their bosses.
You would say 'አፌ ረጅም ነው' (Afe rejimm new), but people rarely say this about themselves unless they are apologizing for being rude.
Not really. If you want to be polite, just say 'እሱ ብዙ ይናገራል' (He talks a lot).
Yes, it covers both 'loudmouth' and 'someone who can't keep a secret.'
Only if you are talking to a very close friend and complaining about them. Never say it to the boss!
አፋቸው ረጅም ነው (Afachew rejimm new).
It's an idiom, which is a step above slang but still very informal.
Literally, yes. Figuratively, no.
አፉ አጭር ነው is not used. The opposite is 'ጭምት' (reserved/quiet).
Yes, especially in dialogue to show a character is rude.
Not necessarily, just rudeness and excessive talking.
Yes, it's very common in texting when gossiping about someone.
Yes, it's about a 7/10 on the offensiveness scale if said directly to someone.
Frases relacionadas
አፈ ጮሌ
similarSmooth talker / Sharp-tongued
አፉን ዘረጋ
builds onTo talk back defiantly
አፉን ዘጋ
contrastTo shut one's mouth
ዝምተኛ
contrastA quiet person
ወሬኛ
similarGossip
አፈ በላ
specialized formSomeone who eats their words/promises
