"Bojíte se o svou manželku?"

[DaffyDuck978329]

This should really be: Are you afraid of your wife.

[BoneheadBass]

That would be a different sentence. The BÁT SE O construction (with the accusative) means to "be afraid for." BÁT SE alone (with the genitive) means "to be afraid of." Confusing!

[Carrie533002]

And it all means the same!

[Carrie533002]

No, it doesn’t. "Be afraid for" means, that you’re afraid something might happen to your wife. "Being afraid of" means you’re afraid of that person and something might happen to you.

[2200Lucia60]

I think you can say "I'm afraid your wife...[ >> then action here, for instance, "...won't recognize me"]. The sentence "I'm afraid FOR your wife" sounds complicated to me. But maybe I am only not expert in English enough.

[BoneheadBass]

"Afraid for" is a perfectly normal construction in English; Carrie533002 provided a good explanation. In your suggested sentence, I think že would be used in Czech to introduce the second clause, like "that" is in English. As for example, "I am afraid THAT (something)..." would be Bojím se, že...

[2200Lucia60]

Thanks for the explanation, BHBass. I admit that there's something missing in mine.