quiero ayudarte
/kjeɾo aʝudaɾte/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I want to help you" is translated into Spanish as quiero ayudarte.
A statement used to express a desire to provide assistance to another person.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of quiero (I want), ayudar (to help) and the suffix -te (you).
Which one should you use?
Quiero ayudarte uses the informal singular 'tú' form, whereas quiero ayudaros would be used for a group of people in Spain (plural/informal).
How does it change in a sentence?
The object pronoun 'te' can be placed before the conjugated verb 'quiero' instead of attached to the end of the infinitive 'ayudar', as in te quiero ayudar.
How do you pronounce it?
/kjeɾo aʝudaɾte/
Did you know?
- The word quiero comes from the same root as the word querer, which can mean both 'to want' and 'to love'. Depending on the context and region, saying te quiero can transition from expressing a desire to help to expressing deep affection.
- In Spanish, the word ayuda has a double meaning: it refers to the act of helping and also to a 'grant' or 'subsidy' provided by a government or organization.
- While quiero ayudarte literally means 'I want to help you', using the word querer can sometimes sound too demanding or blunt in Spanish. To be more polite, speakers often use the conditional querría ayudarte or the phrase me gustaría ayudarte to soften the offer.
Examples in context
- Quiero ayudarte, pero no puedo.I want to help you, but I can't.This sentence shows how to express a limitation in your ability to help.Tatoeba #2015335 by marcelostockle, translation #2014695 by CK
- Quiero ayudarte con los deberes.I want to help you with your homework.This sentence shows how to offer help with a specific task like homework.Tatoeba #580304 by Shishir, translation #252850 by Eldad
- Quiero ayudarte.I want to help you.This is a simple statement of intent to help.Tatoeba #2090165 by Shishir, translation #2011411 by CK
- Permítame ayudarle con su presentaciónLet me help you with your presentation
- Quiero ayudarte con la mudanzaI want to help you with the move
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena sees Mateo struggling with many heavy boxes.
- ElenaMateo, veo que llevas mucho peso.Mateo, I see you are carrying a lot of weight.
- MateoSí, son más pesadas de lo que pensaba.Yes, they are heavier than I thought.
- ElenaQuiero ayudarte con esas cajas.I want to help you with those boxes.
- MateoMuchas gracias, Elena, eres muy amable.Thank you very much, Elena, you are very kind.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
