Hilfe
/ˈhɪlfə/
The English phrase help is translated into German as Hilfe.
Hilfe is a noun meaning help or assistance. It is the noun form derived from the verb helfen (to help). In an emergency, shouting the single word Hilfe! is the standard way to call for help.
Meaning: transitive: provide assistance to (someone or something) (verb)
Which one should you use?
While Hilfe is the general word for help, Beistand is a more formal term used specifically for assistance or support in legal, official or emotional contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Austria, the word Hilfe! is used to mean help.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Hilfe is feminine, so it uses feminine articles such as die or eine. The related verb helfen is a dative verb, which means the person receiving the help must be expressed in the dative case (for example, jemandem helfen).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhɪlfə/
Did you know?
- The word Hilfe shares an ancient ancestor, the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱelb-, which is also related to the English word 'help'.
- The phrase Ich kann nicht helfen can mean both that a person is unable to provide assistance and that they cannot help their own habits or feelings.
- In German, the word Hilfe can be used as a prefix in dozens of compound nouns, such as Erste-Hilfe-Kurs for a first aid course.
Examples in context
- Er bat um Hilfe.He asked for help.This sentence shows how to use Hilfe when someone has asked for assistance.Tatoeba #8839659 by wolfgangth, translation #842906 by J_S
- Er rief um Hilfe.He called for help.This sentence demonstrates calling out for Hilfe.Tatoeba #7712457 by wolfgangth, translation #299444 by CK
- Tom rief um Hilfe.Tom yelled for help.This sentence shows a more forceful way of calling for Hilfe.Tatoeba #1931151 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1023872 by CK
- Entschuldigung, könnten Sie mir helfen? Ich habe meine Tasche verloren.Excuse me, could you help me? I have lost my bag.
- Kannst du mir bitte helfen? Ich komme mit meinen Hausaufgaben nicht weiter.Can you please help me? I'm stuck with my homework.
- 1720 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas is struggling to carry a heavy box.
- LukasKannst du mir bitte kurz Hilfe leisten?Can you please give me some help for a moment?
- JuliaKlar, ich komme sofort!Sure, I'm coming right now!
- LukasDanke, ich brauchte wirklich Hilfe bei dem Paket.Thanks, I really needed help with the package.
- JuliaKein Problem, Lukas.No problem, Lukas.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Hilfe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Hilfe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
