뜻
To be very scared.
문화적 배경
In Croatia, the heart is seen as the center of all emotions, not just love. Idioms involving the heart (srce) are used for courage, fear, kindness, and even anger. Across the Balkan region, somatic idioms (using body parts) are extremely common. People often describe emotional states as physical movements of organs. In Dalmatia, you might hear variations of this phrase mixed with local dialects (Ikavian), but the 'heart in heels' metaphor remains universal. The similarity with German 'Herz in die Hose' reflects the long historical and cultural ties between Croatia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Use with 'sići'
To sound more like a native, use 'Srce mi je sišlo u pete' when describing the exact second you got scared.
Not for Love
Don't use this to say your heart 'fell' for someone. That's 'zaljubiti se'.
뜻
To be very scared.
Use with 'sići'
To sound more like a native, use 'Srce mi je sišlo u pete' when describing the exact second you got scared.
Not for Love
Don't use this to say your heart 'fell' for someone. That's 'zaljubiti se'.
Expressiveness
Don't be afraid to use this idiom! Croatians love expressive language, and it shows you understand the culture.
Dative Clitics
Remember: mi (me), ti (you), mu (him), joj (her). Practice switching these!
셀프 테스트
Fill in the missing word in the idiom.
Kad sam vidio duha, srce mi je bilo u _______.
The correct idiom is 'srce u petama' (heart in heels).
Which sentence correctly uses the dative clitic?
How do you say 'His heart is in his heels'?
Croatian uses the dative clitic 'mu' (to him) for body parts.
Match the situation to the feeling.
You are about to jump with a parachute for the first time.
Skydiving causes extreme fear/adrenaline, which fits 'srce u petama'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Jesi li se uplašio grmljavine? B: Jesam, _______.
The speaker is confirming they were scared using the idiom.
🎉 점수: /4
시각 학습 자료
연습 문제 은행
4 연습 문제Kad sam vidio duha, srce mi je bilo u _______.
The correct idiom is 'srce u petama' (heart in heels).
How do you say 'His heart is in his heels'?
Croatian uses the dative clitic 'mu' (to him) for body parts.
You are about to jump with a parachute for the first time.
Skydiving causes extreme fear/adrenaline, which fits 'srce u petama'.
A: Jesi li se uplašio grmljavine? B: Jesam, _______.
The speaker is confirming they were scared using the idiom.
🎉 점수: /4
자주 묻는 질문
12 질문No, it is almost exclusively used for fear or negative anxiety. For a good surprise, you might say 'Ostao sam bez teksta' (I was left without words).
Both are used! 'U petama' (Locative) describes the state of being scared. 'U pete' (Accusative) is used with verbs of motion like 'sići' (to go down).
Yes, it is a standard idiom understood from Zagreb to Split to Osijek.
No, that would be understood but it's not the correct idiom. Stick to 'petama' (heels).
You can use it to show a bit of personality if you're asked how you feel, but don't overdo it. It's quite informal.
There isn't one direct idiom, but 'Biti hladne glave' (To have a cold head/be calm) is a good contrast.
No, 'srce' is always neuter. The idiom doesn't change based on your gender.
Usually, it's for a specific moment or event, but it can describe a period of high stress (e.g., during a war or crisis).
Heels are the very bottom/back of the foot, symbolizing the furthest point the heart can flee to.
Yes, people might say 'Odsjekla su mi se jaja' (vulgar, male) or 'Ukenjao sam se' (I pooped myself - very informal).
Yes: 'Srce nam je bilo u petama' (Our hearts were in our heels). Note that 'srce' stays singular if you're talking about a group feeling as one.
Yes, many pop and folk songs use it to describe the thrill or fear of a situation.
관련 표현
Odsjekle su mi se noge
similarMy legs were cut off (I'm paralyzed by fear)
Srce mi je stalo
similarMy heart stopped
Srce mi kuca kao ludo
similarMy heart is beating like crazy
Srce na dlanu
contrastHeart on the palm
Biti hrabar
contrastTo be brave
