Use 手伝う when you help someone do a task, from cooking to moving.
The idea
手伝う is a godan verb. Mark the task with を, as in 料理を手伝う; a person helped can also take を. The polite form is 手伝います and the て form is 手伝って.
| Dictionary form | Polite non-past | Polite negative | Polite past | て form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 手伝う | 手伝います | 手伝いません | 手伝いました | 手伝って |
Examples
- 私は母の料理を手伝います。I help my mother with the cooking.
- 明日、友達の引っ越しを手伝います。Tomorrow I will help a friend with the move.
- 昨日、掃除を手伝いました。Yesterday I helped with the cleaning.
- 今日は買い物を手伝いません。Today I will not help with the shopping.
- 荷物を運ぶのを手伝ってください。Please help me carry the luggage.
- 友達がパーティーの準備を手伝ってくれました。A friend helped me prepare for the party.
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Watch out
Do not use に to mark the task here. 手伝ってください is a request for help; 手伝ってくれました describes help someone gave the speaker.
Try it yourself
＿。（手伝う→ます）
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手伝います
手伝います is the polite non-past; context determines whether the help is present or future.
＿。（手伝う→て）
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手伝って
手伝って is the て form: the final う changes to って.
母の料理＿手伝いました。（を／に）
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を
を marks 料理 as the task helped with; に does not fit this pattern.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
＿。（手伝う→ます）
＿。（手伝う→て）
母の料理＿手伝いました。（を／に）
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write a sentence about a task you help with, then turn it into a polite request.