Breakdown of Hlavní postava má strach.
mít
to have
hlavní
main
strach
the fear
postava
the character (in a story)
Questions & Answers about Hlavní postava má strach.
Why does Czech say má strach instead of using je?
Because mít strach is a fixed and very common Czech expression meaning to be afraid / to feel fear.
Literally, it is to have fear:
- má = has
- strach = fear
So Czech often uses mít where English uses be:
- Má hlad. = He/She is hungry. (literally: has hunger)
- Má žízeň. = He/She is thirsty.
- Má strach. = He/She is afraid.
Using je strach would not work here.
What case is hlavní postava in?
It is in the nominative, because it is the subject of the sentence — the person/thing doing or experiencing the action/state.
Here:
- hlavní = main
- postava = character
So hlavní postava is the subject: the main character.
Also, postava is a feminine singular noun, so the whole subject phrase is feminine singular.
What case is strach in?