Poratka

Poratka is a Polish noun meaning aid, relief, or assistance provided to someone in need. It is derived from the verb poratować, meaning to help, rescue, or support. In older or formal Polish, poratka designated a specific act of charitable relief, often administered by churches, charitable institutions, or local authorities. The word appears in historical documents, sermons, and literature to denote targeted assistance given during hardship, famine, or crisis.

In modern usage, poratka is uncommon outside historical or dialect contexts. More common terms for aid are pomoc or wsparcie. Poratka tends to emphasize a concrete act of relief rather than sustained support. Phrases such as poratka biednym (aid to the poor) or poratka w potrzebie (relief in need) illustrate its usage, though literary or archival examples are more typical than everyday speech.

Etymology and related forms: The term is connected with poratować “to aid” and is related to other forms in the same word family used in older texts.

See also: Pomoc, Wsparcie, Filantropia, Caritas.