Bedeutung
Feeling distressed or troubled.
Kultureller Hintergrund
In Slovak villages, 'smútok' was a communal event. If one family had their 'head in sadness', the whole village would know and often help. This idiom carries that weight of public, visible distress. There is a shared 'Danubian melancholy' in literature (Kafka, Krasko) where characters are often depicted in this state of mental paralysis due to bureaucracy or fate. On Slovak social media (Facebook/Instagram), you'll see this phrase used in memes about the national football team or rising gas prices. Many 'trávnice' (meadow songs) describe a girl having her head in sadness because her lover has gone to war or to another village.
Use with 'z' (from)
To say WHAT you are worried about, use 'z' + genitive. E.g., 'Mám hlavu v smútku z peňazí.'
Not for physical pain
If your head actually hurts, say 'Bolí ma hlava'. Don't use this idiom!
Bedeutung
Feeling distressed or troubled.
Use with 'z' (from)
To say WHAT you are worried about, use 'z' + genitive. E.g., 'Mám hlavu v smútku z peňazí.'
Not for physical pain
If your head actually hurts, say 'Bolí ma hlava'. Don't use this idiom!
The 'Nemaj' trick
Use 'Nemaj hlavu v smútku' as a very natural way to comfort a Slovak friend.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'mať'.
Môj brat ______ hlavu v smútku, lebo stratil kľúče.
The subject 'môj brat' (my brother) is 3rd person singular, so we use 'má'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Select the right idiom usage:
The idiom always uses the preposition 'v' and the locative case 'smútku'.
Match the situation to the phrase.
Jana failed her final exam. How does she feel?
Failing an exam is a significant problem that causes distress, making this the perfect idiom.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Prečo tak smutne pozeráš? B: ____________________.
The speaker asks why they look sad, so the answer should explain the distress.
Match the Slovak phrase to its English equivalent.
Match these:
These are distinct idioms with different meanings.
🎉 Ergebnis: /5
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
5 AufgabenMôj brat ______ hlavu v smútku, lebo stratil kľúče.
The subject 'môj brat' (my brother) is 3rd person singular, so we use 'má'.
Select the right idiom usage:
The idiom always uses the preposition 'v' and the locative case 'smútku'.
Jana failed her final exam. How does she feel?
Failing an exam is a significant problem that causes distress, making this the perfect idiom.
A: Prečo tak smutne pozeráš? B: ____________________.
The speaker asks why they look sad, so the answer should explain the distress.
Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:
These are distinct idioms with different meanings.
🎉 Ergebnis: /5
Häufig gestellte Fragen
12 FragenYes, very common in headlines about the economy, sports losses, or social crises.
It sounds a bit dramatic for small things, but you can use it sarcastically.
'Som smutný' is just a feeling. 'Mám hlavu v smútku' implies you are stuck on a problem.
Majú hlavu v smútku.
It's neutral. You can use it in most situations except very formal legal ones.
No, that doesn't exist. For happiness, we say 'Som v siedmom nebi' (I'm in seventh heaven).
Not necessarily, but it means you look like you might.
In this idiom, yes. It's the locative case.
Yes, it's a great way to describe a project that is going poorly.
Mať hlavu hore (to keep one's head up).
Yes, it's been used for hundreds of years.
Yes, though they might prefer 'som v prdeli' in very casual settings.
Verwandte Redewendungen
vešať hlavu
similarTo lose hope/be discouraged
mať ťažkú hlavu
similarTo worry about a difficult choice
mať hlavu v oblakoch
contrastTo be a dreamer/not paying attention
lámať si hlavu
builds onTo rack one's brain
