Maðurinn kallar á hjálp.

Breakdown of Maðurinn kallar á hjálp.

maðurinn
the man
kalla á hjálp
to call for help

Questions & Answers about Maðurinn kallar á hjálp.

Why does the sentence use á instead of a word that translates directly to "for"?
Prepositions rarely translate word-for-word between languages. While á most often means "on", the verb kalla (to call out or shout) specifically pairs with á when you are calling for someone or something.
Does kallar mean "calls" as in making a phone call?
No, kalla specifically means to call out or shout using your physical voice. If the man were calling for help on a telephone, you would use the verb hringja instead.
What grammatical case is the word hjálp in here?
It is in the accusative case, because the preposition á triggers the accusative in this specific phrase. You might not notice the change because hjálp (a feminine noun) has the exact same spelling in both its nominative (dictionary) and accusative forms.

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