A1🔤 Letters O & P
Italian word
panico
panic, terror
Looks like
panic
sudden overwhelming fear (same concept BUT false friend in register)
⚠️ The trap
This is mostly a true friend in meaning, but learners sometimes over-use it. 'Avere un attacco di panico' = 'to have a panic attack'. The real trap is pronouncing it identically to English and forgetting the Italian stress: PÀ-ni-co.
To say "sudden overwhelming fear (same concept BUT false friend in register)" in Italian:
panico (correct equivalent)
"panico" in English means:
panic, terror
Example
"È entrata nel panico quando non trovava le chiavi."
"She panicked when she couldn't find her keys."
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