手伝ってくれますか？
Tetsudatte kuremasu ka?
In Japanese, "can you help me?" is expressed as 手伝ってくれますか？ (Tetsudatte kuremasu ka?)
The phrase is a request for someone to assist with a task or a piece of work.
What does it mean word for word?
The part くれますか literally means "will you give (the favor) to me?"
Which one should you use?
The verb 手伝う (to help) is used specifically for assisting with a task or physical labor, rather than providing general support or advice. To ask "Can I receive your help?", you can use お手伝いいただけますか？ For "Could you help me, please?", use 助けていただけませんか？
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For much more polite and formal situations, such as when speaking to superiors or strangers, use 手伝っていただけますか？ If you are speaking to friends or family, you can use the informal 手伝ってくれる？ by dropping the polite ます and the particle か. Other informal options include 助けてくれる？
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 手伝う is used for assisting with tasks or labor.
How do you pronounce it?
Tetsudatte kuremasu ka?
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the word 助けて (tasukete) used for 'help' often implies a life-threatening emergency or a cry for rescue from a dire situation. If you use it to ask for help with simple chores, it might sound like you are drowning.
- Japanese culture often emphasizes 'reading the air' (kuuki wo yomu), so instead of a direct 手伝ってくれますか？, many people will use a hesitant opening like ちょっといいですか (chotto ii desu ka), which means 'is a little moment okay?'
- In professional settings, instead of asking 'can you help me', Japanese employees often use the phrase 相談したいことがあります meaning 'there is something I want to consult about'. This frames the request as seeking wisdom rather than asking for labor.
Examples in context
- お手伝いいただけますか？この荷物を持ってください。Can you help me? Please carry this baggage.
- お願いです。助けていただけませんか？Please, can you help me?
- ちょっと手伝ってくれる？Can you help me for a moment?
- 今、助けてくれる？Can you help me right now?
- 荷物を運ぶのを手伝ってくれますか？Nimotsu o hakobu no o tetsudatte kuremasu ka?Can you help me carry these bags?
- この作業を手伝ってくれますか？Kono sagyou o tetsudatte kuremasu ka?Can you help me with this task?
- 少しだけ手伝ってくれますか？Sukoshi dake tetsudatte kuremasu ka?Can you help me just a little bit?
Example conversation
In a classroom, a male student is struggling with heavy boxes.
- 大翔 Hiroto美咲さん、少し手伝ってくれますか？Misaki-san, sukoshi tetsudatte kuremasu ka?Misaki, can you help me a little?
- 美咲 Misakiはい、いいですよ。Hai, ii desu yo.Yes, of course.
- 大翔 Hirotoありがとうございます。助かります。Arigatou gozaimasu. Tasukarimasu.Thank you. That helps a lot.
- 美咲 Misakiいえいえ、大丈夫ですよ。Iie iie, daijoubu desu yo.No problem, it's fine.
