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"help! (emergency cry)" in seven languages

Meaninghelp! (emergency cry)

Spanish

¡socorro!

/soˈkoro/

inherited

French

au secours !

/o səkuʁ/

inherited

Italian

aiuto!

/aˈjuto/

other source · Latin ADIŪTĀRE 'to help'

Portuguese

socorro!

/soˈkohu/

inherited

Romanian

ajutor!

/aʒuˈtor/

other source · Latin ADIŪTŌRIUM 'help' (inherited)

Catalan

auxili!

/əwˈksili/

other source · Latin AUXILIUM 'help' (learned)

Socors! (inherited from SUCCURRERE) exists too but is rarer.

English

help

/hɛlp/

native English · Old English helpan

English → Italianhelp! (emergency cry)aiuto!Not relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: succor, current; aid (it).What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

SUCCURRERE‘to run to (someone's) aid’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

The Spanish and French cry for help is a 'running to' (SUCCURRERE, from CURRERE 'to run'). Italian shouts aiuto!, from ADIŪTĀRE — the verb behind Spanish ayuda and French aide.

English relatives: succor, current; aid (it)

Learn it

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In a sentence

  • es¡Socorro! ¡Llamen a una ambulancia!
  • frAu secours ! Appelez une ambulance !
  • itAiuto! Chiamate un'ambulanza!
  • ptSocorro! Chamem uma ambulância!
  • roAjutor! Chemați o ambulanță!
  • caAuxili! Truqueu una ambulància!
  • enHelp! Call an ambulance!

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