← Back to Fala2Me
be helpless
[/biː ˈhelpləs/]
verb phrase
ser impotente / estar desamparado
1.
to be unable to help oneself or others; to lack the power or ability to act
When the child fell into the water, the adults felt helpless.
Quando a criança caiu na água, os adultos se sentiram impotentes.
2.
to be in a state of vulnerability or dependence; defenseless
The elderly woman was helpless without her walking cane.
A mulher idosa estava desamparada sem sua bengala.
3.
to be overcome by emotion and unable to control oneself
He was helpless with laughter at the funny joke.
Ele não conseguia parar de rir com a piada engraçada.
NYC Slang
be outta luck / be stuck
Synonyms
be powerless
be defenseless
be vulnerable
be unable
Antonyms
be capable
be powerful
be able
be competent
Regional Variations
General Brazilian Portuguese
ser impotente / estar desamparado
most common usage
Rio de Janeiro
estar ferrado
colloquial slang usage
São Paulo
estar impotente
formal usage
Portugal
ser impotente / estar desprotegido
European Portuguese preference
Related Idioms & Phrases
be left in the lurch
be at someone's mercy
have one's hands tied
be up the creek without a paddle
estar de mãos atadas
estar à mercê de alguém
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →