cry for help
der Hilfeschrei, die Hilfeschreie
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cry for help
A loud call with which someone in an emergency asks for help.
Die Spaziergänger hörten einen Hilfeschrei vom See und alarmierten die Feuerwehr.
The walkers heard a cry for help from the lake and alerted the fire department.
cry for help
A statement or behavior that shows great distress and is understood as a request for support.
Die Psychologin verstand den Rückzug des Jugendlichen als stummen Hilfeschrei.
The psychologist understood the teenager's withdrawal as a silent cry for help.
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Hilfeschreie |
| genitive | des Hilfeschreies |
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Hilfeschrei | die Hilfeschreie |
| accusative | den Hilfeschrei | die Hilfeschreie |
| dative | dem Hilfeschrei | den Hilfeschreien |
| genitive | des Hilfeschreies des Hilfeschreis | der Hilfeschreie |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
'Hilfeschrei' is made up of 'Hilfe' (help) and 'Schrei' (cry). The compound originally refers to a cry that calls for help and can therefore also be used figuratively for a clear sign of distress.
Plötzlich war aus dem Wald ein lauter Hilfeschrei zu hören.
Suddenly, a loud cry for help could be heard from the forest.
Verbs of hearing or calling are often used with an audible cry. When 'Hilfeschrei' appears with words such as 'stumm' (silent), 'indirekt' (indirect), or 'als … verstehen' (to understand something as …), it usually has the figurative meaning.
Die Nachbarn hörten einen Hilfeschrei aus der Wohnung.
The neighbors heard a cry for help coming from the apartment.
Die Lehrerin verstand die plötzlich schlechten Noten als indirekten Hilfeschrei.
The teacher understood the sudden poor grades as an indirect cry for help.
For a concrete call, common combinations include 'einen Hilfeschrei hören' (to hear a cry for help), 'einen Hilfeschrei ausstoßen' (to let out a cry for help), and 'auf einen Hilfeschrei reagieren' (to respond to a cry for help).
Die Einsatzkräfte reagierten sofort auf den Hilfeschrei.
The emergency responders reacted immediately to the cry for help.
In its figurative meaning, 'Hilfeschrei' is often used with adjectives such as 'stumm' (silent), 'indirekt' (indirect), or 'verzweifelt' (desperate). Typical sentence patterns are 'etwas als Hilfeschrei verstehen' (to understand something as a cry for help) and 'etwas als Hilfeschrei erkennen' (to recognize something as a cry for help).
Seine aggressiven Nachrichten waren ein verzweifelter Hilfeschrei.
His aggressive messages were a desperate cry for help.
Die Ärztin verstand die Schlafprobleme als Hilfeschrei.
The doctor understood the sleep problems as a cry for help.
