Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bitte hilf mir | informal | |
| bitte helfen Sie mir | /ˈbɪtə ˈhɛlfn̩ ziː miːɐ̯/ (word by word) | formal |
You can also use variations such as Könnten Sie mir bitte helfen? to say "Could you please help me?" or the informal Kannst du mir bitte helfen? for "Can you please help me?"
Which one should you use?
Use bitte helfen Sie mir in formal situations and bitte hilf mir when speaking informally.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bitte helfen Sie mir is the formal way to say "please help me" and should be used when addressing a stranger, a superior or someone you do not know personally. In contrast, bitte hilf mir is used when addressing a friend, a family member or a child. Another informal option is Hilf mir bitte.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Swiss German, you may hear Chönted Si mir bitte helfe? instead of the standard formal Bitte helfen Sie mir. In Bavarian, the phrase Machst ma a Gnada und hilfst ma? can be used to mean "Could you please do me a favor and help me?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb helfen (to help) is an irregular verb. It changes its stem vowel from e to i when used in the singular informal imperative form hilf. The pronoun mir (me) is the dative case of ich, which is the case required by the verb helfen.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Bitte helfen Sie mir!Please help me!This example shows the formal way to say "Please help me!"Tatoeba #3543621 by annalog, translation #3601633 by clairyfairycake
- Bitte hilf mir beim Kochen.Please help me cook.This example shows how to use the informal form when asking for help with a specific task like cooking.Tatoeba #1486304 by Dejo, translation #325796 by CK
- Bitte hilf mir! Ich sterbe!Please help me. I'm dying.This example shows the informal form used in an emergency.Tatoeba #3300301 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3300290 by Hybrid
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Maximilian are at a train station with heavy luggage.
- LauraMaximilian, bitte hilf mir mal kurz!Maximilian, please help me for a moment!
- MaximilianNatürlich, Laura, was soll ich tun?Of course, Laura, what should I do?
- LauraTrag bitte diesen schweren Koffer für mich.Please carry this heavy suitcase for me.
- MaximilianGerne, ich helfe dir sofort.Gladly, I will help you immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “please help me” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (bitte, helfen, Sie, mir) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Sie, bitte, helfen, mir, sie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
