God/Heaven help somebody: o que isso significa?

Whether you're religious or not, you've certainly said the expression of today many times in your life. The expression is: God/Heaven help somebody. Let's understand how and when it is used.

Imagine you have a little brother who's always getting into trouble. This time, you catch him dropping your mother's very expensive vase; a vase that's been passed down through three generations and therefore has a great emotional value in your family. So you tell him: God/Heaven help you when mom finds out about that. You're dead!

You use that expression when you're worried about someone in a very unpleasant situation like the one your little brother is in. As a second example, just imagine how awful it is to be a homeless person. God help anyone who's in a situation like that. See? It's like you're showing empathy for someone living in a very dangerous situation. You don't have to be a religious person to talk like that. That's it for today guys. Take care!