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A friendly figure extends a hand to assist a young boy who is getting up from the ground. The boy is grasping the helper's hand.

ayudarle

ah-yoo-DAR-leh

Verbal PhraseA1regular ar
to help him?masculine singular recipient,to help her?feminine singular recipient,to help you (formal singular)?Usted form
Also:to give assistance to him/her?general context

Quick Reference

infinitiveayudar
gerundayudando
past Participleayudado

📝 In Action

Mi abuelo no puede caminar bien; tengo que ir a **ayudarle**.

A1

My grandfather can't walk well; I have to go help him.

Si necesitas **ayudarle** a tu jefa, avísame.

A2

If you need to help your boss (her), let me know.

Señor García, estoy aquí para **ayudarle** con su maleta.

A1

Mr. García, I am here to help you (formal) with your suitcase.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • auxiliarle (to assist him/her)
  • socorrerle (to aid/succor him/her (often in emergency))

Antonyms

  • obstaculizarle (to hinder him/her)

Common Collocations

  • ayudarle a salir – to help him/her leave
  • ayudarle a entender – to help him/her understand

💡 Grammar Points

Pronoun Attachment

When a verb is in its base form (infinitive), the little word le that shows who receives the action is always attached directly to the end, forming one word: ayudarle.

The Meaning of 'Le'

The word le in ayudarle stands for the person receiving the help. It can mean 'him,' 'her,' or 'you' (when speaking formally, Usted).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Misplaced Pronoun

Mistake: "Quiero le ayudar."

Correction: Quiero ayudarle. (When you have two verbs, the pronoun usually goes before the first verb, OR attached to the second one (the infinitive).)

Confusing Direct/Indirect

Mistake: "Voy a ayudarlo (intending to mean 'I will help him')."

Correction: Voy a ayudarle. (In most Spanish dialects, 'ayudar' takes the *le* for people, showing they are the recipient of the help, not the thing being helped.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Placement Flexibility

You can also place the le before the main conjugated verb: 'Le quiero ayudar' means the same as 'Quiero ayudarle'. Choose the position that sounds best to you!

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ayudarle

Question 1 of 2

Which English phrase is NOT a possible translation for 'ayudarle'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

ayuda(help, aid) - noun
ayudante(assistant, helper) - noun
ayudar(to help (infinitive)) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it 'ayudarle' and not 'ayudarlo'?

'Ayudarle' uses *le* because the person receiving the help is considered the recipient of the action (the indirect object). While 'ayudarlo' (using *lo*) technically means 'to help it' or 'to help him' (direct object), Spanish speakers almost always use *le* when the recipient is a person, which is known as 'leísmo de cortesía' or simply standard usage for this verb.

Does 'ayudarle' always refer to one person?

Yes. The *le* refers to a single recipient: him, her, or a formal 'you' (Usted). If you wanted to help several people (them), you would use the plural form: *ayudarles*.