Breakdown of Bojim se da ne razbijem novi toplomjer.
nov
new
ne
no, not
bojati se
to be afraid
da
that (conjunction)
Questions & Answers about Bojim se da ne razbijem novi toplomjer.
Why is there a ne in da ne razbijem when the English translation says "I might break" instead of "I might not break"?
After verbs expressing fear or worry like bojati se, Croatian often uses an extra, untranslated ne in the da clause to express that something bad might happen (similar to the English word "lest"). It doesn't actually negate the action. To say you are afraid you won't break it, you would use the future tense instead: Bojim se da ga neću razbiti.
Why is the perfective verb razbijem used here in the present tense?
You are talking about a potential, completed future event—breaking the thermometer once. While perfective verbs generally can't be used in the present tense for independent statements, it is completely standard to use their present tense in subordinate da clauses to express a hypothetical or future completed action.
Doesn't the verb bojati se (to be afraid) require the genitive case?
Why does novi toplomjer look like it is in the nominative case when it is the direct object being broken?