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Nos quedamos boquiabiertos al ver su última pirueta antes del clavado.

Nos quedamos boquiabiertos al ver su última pirueta antes del clavado.
We were left speechless upon seeing their last pirouette before the dive.
From Lesson 459:Maximum degree (de lo más...)·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about Nos quedamos boquiabiertos al ver su última pirueta antes del clavado.

What kind of word is boquiabiertos and how does it change for gender or number?
It is a compound adjective made from boca (mouth) and abiertos (open), literally meaning 'open-mouthed' or 'speechless'. Since it describes the subject nos, it must agree in gender and number. If a group of women were speaking, they would say Nos quedamos boquiabiertas.
Why use Nos quedamos instead of Estábamos or Fuimos for 'We were'?
The reflexive verb quedarse (to stay/remain) is often used to express a resulting state or a sudden reaction to an event. Here, it translates beautifully to 'We were left' or 'We ended up' speechless as a direct result of seeing the dive.
The current lesson is about de lo más + adjective. How could I use that structure here?
You could replace boquiabiertos with a phrase like de lo más sorprendidos (extremely surprised). Note that we generally would not say de lo más boquiabiertos because being 'open-mouthed' is an absolute physical state rather than a gradable quality. Remember that the adjective following de lo más still agrees with the subject (nos).
Why does the sentence use al ver rather than cuando vimos?
Both are perfectly correct and mean the same thing. However, using al + infinitive is a very common and efficient way in Spanish to express 'upon seeing' or 'when seeing'. It creates a tighter link between the action (seeing) and the reaction (being left speechless).
Is clavado the standard word for a swimming dive everywhere?
Clavado is the standard term in Latin America, coming from the verb clavar (to nail), vividly describing 'nailing' the entry into the water. If you travel to Spain, you will typically hear salto used instead.

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