# pericol v. primejdie



## mihi

Hi all,

Quick question. What is the difference in nuance between _pericol _and _primejdie_?

Is _primejdie _the more common, everyday word, and _pericol _the more literary or legal sounding one?

Thank you so much for any help you can give!


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## jazyk

Here they write _pericol_ is a new word taken from French, that a hundred years ago people used only _primejdie_.

Here they say that _pericol_ is an artificial word introduced in the language by people who felt the language needed to be Latinized, Frenchified or Americanized.

I think I see the word _pericol_ more often, but _primejdie_ is also extremely common. I am sure, though, there are collocations in which one is favored over the other.


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## irinet

Hi,
Of what I know, _primejdie (<sl., great danger, jeopardy) _is a hypernym for _pericol (<lat., danger, at peril), risc/k, aggravated circumstances... .
_
Proverb
_1. Paza bună, trece *primejdia* rea = Forewarned is forearmed._
Signs warning of the peril
2. _*Pericol* de incendiu/electrocutare/moarte! - Fire/electrocution/deadly danger/peril..._

a) Yet, we say that persons are _periculoase (dangerous), _not _primejdioase. _

b) On the other hand, _c_ircumstances can be both _primejdioase _or _periculoase: You are in great peril = Ești/te afli în __mare__ *pericol *_or_* primejdie*.
_
And yes, both are literary. Both are in use as adjectives (periculos/primejdios) or nouns.

Extra information.

We also have the verbs '_a primejdui' (_no longer in daily use or rare use)_ & 'a periclita' _(in use), meaning 'to put in danger' or we use the phrase 'a pune în primejdie' such as, 'someone's life' = to put sm's life in danger.
_
_


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## farscape

Highlighting something irinet mentioned already:  in technical "jargon" we use Pericol (Pericol de explozie, Pericol de incendiu, în caz de Pericol, etc.) and not Primejdie  - maybe because it has fewer letters or maybe because Primejdie has an archaic nuance.


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