"I ask for help."

Translation: Mi petas helpon.

[GaySuperman]

Why is it not por helpon?

[mizinamo]

"Por" is not usually used with "peti" - you either "peti iun pri io" or "peti ion de iu".

So you can "peti helpon" or "peti pri helpo". (And no accusative, as Mutusen said.)

[Majklo_Blic]

Because peti is exactly like the Spanish pedir: the preposition is already included in the verb.

[Mutusen]

Because you cannot use the accusative after por.

[Kent-o]

I, too, thought (still think...) it should be "por" and not "pri." I'm asking "for" help, not "about" help.
I also didn't understand the response about the accusative, since there is no accusative here.

[mizinamo]

I also didn't understand the response about the accusative, since there is no accusative here.

alrowden asked:

Why is it not por helpon?

helpon is in the accusative case.

[ZachariahBoyd]

What about, "Mi demandas helpon." It didn't register as correct, but didn't know if it could be considered correct or not.

[mizinamo]

No - "demandi" is to ask questions, not to request things (such as help) - that should be "peti".

[Nadario]

Thinks of petas as "beg for". So This sentence would read "I beg for for help". Ĉu ne?