adiuvō
To help in Latin can be expressed by the verbs adiuvō or iuvō.
Meaning: transitive: provide assistance to (someone or something) (verb)
Ways to say it
| Latin |
|---|
| adiuvō |
| iuvō |
The verb adiuvō is a transitive verb, meaning it is used to provide assistance to someone or something by taking a direct object in the accusative case.
Which one should you use?
While both verbs mean to help, adiuvō is more focused on providing practical assistance or support. In contrast, iuvō often carries a sense of providing pleasure, comfort or relief.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The dictionary form adiuvō is the first-person singular present indicative ('I help'), whereas the present infinitive adiuvāre is used to express the concept of 'to help'. For the noun form, auxilium is a second-declension neuter noun used to refer to the actual aid or assistance provided.
Did you know?
- Roman soldiers used the word auxilium to describe non-citizen troops who provided specialized support to the legions.
- The Latin noun auxilium is the root of the English word 'auxiliary' and the musical term 'auxiliary percussion'.
Examples in context
- Adiuva me, quaeso.Help me, please.
- Amīcum meum adiuvō.I help my friend.
- Puellam parvam adiuvō.I help the little girl.
Example conversation
Aurelia and Marcus are cleaning a room together.
- AureliaAdiuvāsne mē?Are you helping me?
- MarcusIta, ego tē adiuvō.Yes, I am helping you.
- AureliaGrātiās tibi agō, Marcē.Thank you, Marcus.
- MarcusLibenter, Aurēlia.You're welcome, Aurelia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “help” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
