únavou

Únavou is the instrumental singular form of the Czech feminine noun únava, which means fatigue or exhaustion. In Czech grammar, instrumental forms are used to indicate the means by which an action is carried out or to describe the accompanying state in predicative or descriptive contexts. As the instrumental of únava, únavou appears in literary, formal, or specialized language where fatigue is the means, cause, or accompanying condition being referenced.

Etymology and related forms: The noun únava derives from the Proto-Slavic root related to weariness and effort. The standard plural instrumental form is únavami, and the related singular forms include únava (nominative), únavy (genitive), únavě (dative and locative in some forms), and únavu (accusative). The word is commonly used across Czech texts to discuss physical or mental tiredness as a state rather than as a verb.

Usage notes: Únavou is primarily found in contexts that require the instrumental case. It may appear in literary descriptions, formal prose, or evaluative statements about fatigue as a condition affecting actions or perception. In everyday speech, speakers more often use other constructions or synonyms to express fatigue, but únavou remains a standard grammatical option in appropriate registers.

See also: únava, unavený, exhaustion in medical or psychological terminology, Czech grammar—instrumental case.

The term highlights how Czech uses case forms to express nuance about means and accompaniment, with únavou specifically marking fatigue when treated as an instrumental element in a sentence.