Verb · A1 · Spanish glossary

Ayudar: to help

ayudar

Pronunciation: ah-yoo-DAHR (stress the capital letters)

Ayudar means “to help” in English.

Quick answer

  • Meaning: to help
  • How to say it: ah-yoo-DAHR
  • Present: yo ayudo, tú ayudas
  • Level: Beginner (A1)

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What “ayudar” means and how to use it

Ayudar means “to help.” The person you help is usually introduced with “a” or replaced by me, te, lo, la.

How to conjugate “ayudar”

Present tense and key past forms
WhoSpanishEnglish
yoayudoI
túayudasyou (informal)
él, ella, ustedayudahe, she, you (formal)
nosotrosayudamoswe
ellos, ustedesayudanthey, you all
Past (preterite)yo ayudé, él ayudóI / he or she
Past participleayudadoused with haber

Examples with audio

  • ¿Me puedes ayudar?Can you help me?
  • Ayudo a mi mamá en la cocina.I help my mom in the kitchen.
  • Necesitamos ayudar a los vecinos.We need to help the neighbors.

Usage tip

Say “ayudar a” plus an infinitive for “to help do something”: te ayudo a cocinar. The noun is la ayuda.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say “to help” in Spanish?

“to help” in Spanish is “ayudar.” It is pronounced ah-yoo-DAHR, with the stress on the syllable in capital letters.

How do you pronounce “ayudar”?

Say ah-yoo-DAHR. The syllable in capital letters gets the stress. Press the speaker button at the top of this page to hear it.

What is the past tense of “ayudar”?

In the preterite, “yo” is “ayudé” and “él” is “ayudó.” The past participle is “ayudado.”

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