ayuda por favor
/aʝuda poɾ faboɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "help please" is translated into Spanish as ayuda por favor.
This phrase is used as a request for assistance when someone is in need of help. While ayuda por favor is a polite request for assistance, the single word ¡Socorro! is the standard, high-urgency cry used in life-threatening emergencies.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, an informal way to ask for help is saying ¿Me echas una mano? ("Can you give me a hand?"), whereas in South American countries, people say ¿Me das una mano? to mean "Can you give me a hand?"
How does it change in a sentence?
In written Spanish, an exclamation of this phrase should be preceded by an inverted exclamation mark.
How do you pronounce it?
/aʝuda poɾ faboɾ/
Did you know?
- The expression echar una mano uses the verb echar, which usually means 'to throw' or 'to cast', rather than 'to give'.
- The word por in por favor comes from the Latin prō, which originally meant 'on behalf of' or 'for the sake of'.
- The word ayuda is a 'deverbal' noun, meaning it was created directly from the verb ayudar to name the concept of the assistance itself.
Example conversation
Sofía cannot open a heavy door and asks Alejandro for assistance.
- SofíaAyuda por favor, Alejandro.Help please, Alejandro.
- Alejandro¿Qué pasa, Sofía?What's happening, Sofía?
- SofíaNo puedo abrir esta puerta.I cannot open this door.
- AlejandroYo te ayudo ahora.I will help you now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ayuda, favor, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
