frikën

Frikën is the definite singular form of the Albanian noun frikë, meaning fear, dread, or anxiety. In Albanian, frikë is a common abstract noun used to describe emotional states as well as concerns about risk or danger. The form frikën appears in standard prose and speech when fear is the direct object or appears with definite specification, for example in phrases like frikën e tij (his fear) or frikën nga diçka (the fear of something).

Pronunciation is roughly [fri.kən] in standard Albanian.

Frikë is considered native to Albanian, and its etymology is not fully settled. It forms part of a core set of terms for emotions in the language, and while it has parallels in the broader Indo-European vocabulary for fear, the modern form frikë does not always show clear cognates in neighboring languages.

Usage of frikën can denote fear as a psychological state, or anxiety about a situation. In literature and speech, it may appear in expressions about overcoming fear or managing risk, and it features in proverbs and folk language about courage and prudence.

See also: Albanian language, frikë