smutný

Smutný is a Czech adjective meaning sad or sorrowful. It describes a person’s mood, a mood of a scene, or a more general sense of melancholy. It can modify nouns in phrases such as smutný muž (a sad man), smutná zpráva (a sad/not good news), or smutné časy (dark or difficult times). The adverb form is smutně: Vypadá smutně (He looks sad). The related noun is smutek (sorrow, sadness). The related adjective smuteční often refers to mourning or funeral contexts, as in smuteční obřad (funeral service).

Grammatical notes: In Czech, adjectives agree with the noun in gender, number, and case. For example: smutný muž (masculine singular), smutná žena (feminine singular), smutné dítě (neuter singular), jsou smutní (they are sad). The word is used in both neutral and expressive styles, including literature and media.

Etymology and related terms: smutný derives from the noun smutek (sorrow) with the common adjectival suffix -ný. It has cognates in other Slavic languages, such as Slovak smutný and Polish smutny. Synonyms include žalostný, ponurý, nešťastný; antonyms include veselý, radostný, šťastný. The term contrasts with positive descriptors depending on meaning, and it can describe both emotional states and atmospheres.