helfen
to help, assist · to be effective, to do good
Helfen means 'to help' someone. It is used for giving assistance, support, or relief. Germans use it in everyday situations, from offering help to saying something is useful.
What helfen means
- to help, assist — General assistance to a person or with a task.
- to be effective, to do good — When something (e.g., a remedy, action) has a positive effect.
Heard in real German videos
Lines where helfen was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Ich kann dir nicht helfen.I can't help you.
- Ich wollte dir doch nur helfen.I was only trying to help you.
- Schreien hilft dir auch nicht.Screaming won't help you either.
Example sentences
- Kannst du mir bitte helfen?Can you please help me?
- Er hilft seiner Mutter im Garten.He helps his mother in the garden.
- Diese Tabletten helfen gegen Kopfschmerzen.These tablets help against headaches.
- Schreien hilft dir auch nicht.Screaming won't help you either.
Grammar
| Present (ich/du/er) | helfe / hilfst / hilft |
|---|---|
| Simple past | half |
| Perfect | hat geholfen |
| Separable | no |
| Case | dative (person helped) |
The person you help is in the dative case: Ich helfe dir (not dich).
Common phrases
- jemandem helfento help someone
- Hilfe!Help!
- Das hilft nichts.That doesn't help.
- sich nicht zu helfen wissento be at a loss
The mistake English speakers make
Using the accusative instead of dative for the person: 'Ich helfe dich' is wrong; say 'Ich helfe dir'.
Don’t confuse it with
- unterstützen — Unterstützen is more formal and often implies moral or financial support, while helfen is general everyday help.
Questions learners ask
What case does 'helfen' take?
Helfen takes the dative case for the person being helped: Ich helfe dem Mann.
How do you conjugate 'helfen' in the present tense?
ich helfe, du hilfst, er/sie/es hilft, wir helfen, ihr helft, sie helfen.
What is the difference between 'helfen' and 'unterstützen'?
Helfen is general help, while unterstützen is more formal and often implies support in a broader sense.