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  What it means

  Literally “an unboiled tongue,” this idiom describes someone whose mouth works faster than their brain — someone who blurts out rude, inappropriate, or hurtful things without thinking first. The image draws on the idea of scalding the tongue, as if boiling it would make it more restrained. It is commonly used to criticize someone who is brash, tactless, or offensive in their speech. You might hear: “On ma niewyparzony język” (He has an unboiled tongue), meaning he says whatever comes to mind regardless of social norms.

  Vocabulary

  • niewyparzony — unboiled, unscalded (figuratively: unfiltered, brash)
  • język — tongue; also: language
  • wyparzyć — to scald, to boil (source verb of the participle)

  Grammar note

  The adjective 'niewyparzony' is a negated past passive participle from 'wyparzyć' (to scald). The prefix 'nie-' negates the participle, giving the literal sense 'not scalded.' It agrees with 'język' (masculine nominative singular) in gender, number, and case. In use: 'mieć niewyparzony język' (to have an unboiled tongue) — the accusative 'niewyparzony język' becomes the direct object of 'mieć.'

  Cultural context

  A colloquial, mildly critical expression used in everyday speech. It is less harsh than calling someone 'wulgarny' (vulgar) but conveys that someone speaks without social awareness or tact. The closest English equivalents are 'has no filter' or 'has a sharp tongue.' It is appropriate in informal and semi-formal registers.

  Intermediate

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