puedo ayudar
/pwedo aʝudaɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I can help" is translated into Spanish as puedo ayudar.
puedo ayudar is used when you want to offer your assistance to someone.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of puedo (I can/am able) and ayudar (to help).
How does it change in a sentence?
To specify whom you are helping, you can add an object pronoun to the end of the infinitive ayudar. Use puedo ayudarte to mean "I can help you" in an informal way (singular), or puedo ayudarle for a formal singular "you". To specify the gender of a single person being helped, use puedo ayudarla for her and puedo ayudarlo for him. To refer to a group, use puedo ayudarles to mean "I can help them" or "I can help you all".
Did you know?
- While English uses 'help' as a broad term, in some Spanish-speaking contexts, you might hear people use 'echar una mano', which literally means 'to throw a hand'.
- The verb ayudar descends from the Latin word adiūtāre, which is closely related to the English word 'adjutant'. An 'adjutant' is a military officer who acts as an assistant to a senior officer.
- While puedo ayudar is used across the Spanish-speaking world, the use of the pronoun les in puedo ayudarles to mean 'you all' is primarily common in Latin America. In Spain, puedo ayudaros is the standard informal plural form.
Examples in context
- Veré si puedo ayudar.I'll see if I can help out.This sentence shows how to use puedo ayudar in a conditional context.Tatoeba #7262808 by arh, translation #3892698 by CK
- Puedo ayudar si quieres.I can help if you want.This sentence shows how to offer help specifically if the other person wants it using puedo ayudar.Tatoeba #9041139 by Shishir, translation #2301252 by CK
- Puedo ayudarte si quieres.I can help you if you want me to.This sentence demonstrates the use of puedo ayudar when specifying an object.Tatoeba #10179372 by Jeigmz, translation #6255812 by CK
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena sees Alejandro struggling with heavy bags.
- ElenaHola, puedo ayudar con las bolsas.Hi, I can help with the bags.
- AlejandroSí, por favor, pesan mucho.Yes, please, they are very heavy.
- ElenaNo hay problema, yo puedo ayudar.No problem, I can help.
- AlejandroMuchas gracias, Elena.Thank you very much, Elena.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ayudar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
