A friendly anthropomorphic bear character extending a strong hand downwards to a small anthropomorphic fox character who is sitting on the ground next to a fallen log, offering assistance to stand up.

ayudarme

ah-yoo-DAR-meh

Verb (Infinitive with attached object pronoun)A1regular ar

to help me?The action of offering or requesting assistance directed towards the speaker.

Also:to help myself?Used reflexively, meaning the speaker is the one receiving the benefit of the action.

Quick Reference

infinitiveayudar

gerundayudando

past Participleayudado

📝 In Action

¿Podrías ayudarme a mover la mesa?

Could you help me move the table?

Necesito estudiar para poder ayudarme en el futuro.

I need to study so I can help myself in the future.

Debemos aprender a ayudarnos y no esperar siempre a otros.

We must learn to help ourselves and not always wait for others. (This demonstrates the reflexive use with 'nos' attached)

Word Connections

Synonyms

auxiliarme (to assist me)
echarme una mano (to lend me a hand)

Antonyms

obstaculizarme (to hinder me)

Common Collocations

poder ayudarme – to be able to help me
voy a ayudarme – I am going to help me/myself

💡 Grammar Points

Pronoun Sticking

This word is formed by combining the base verb 'ayudar' (to help) and the object pronoun 'me' (me) glued to the end. This 'sticking' only happens when the verb is in its basic infinitive form, or the -ndo form (gerund), or an affirmative command.

Dual Placement Rule

When 'ayudarme' follows another conjugated verb (like 'poder' or 'necesitar'), you have two choices for where to put the 'me': either attached ('Necesito ayudarme') or before the first verb ('Me necesito ayudar').

❌ Common Pitfalls

Misplacing the Pronoun

Mistake: "Yo quiero me ayudar."

Correction: Yo quiero ayudarme. OR Yo me quiero ayudar. (The 'me' must attach to the end of the infinitive or precede the first conjugated verb; it cannot sit between them.)

Confusing it with the Command

Mistake: "¿Puedes ayudarme, por favor? (Used instead of a command in high urgency)"

Correction: ¡Ayúdame, por favor! (When giving a direct, immediate order, use the imperative: '¡Ayúdame!', which is a single word with an accent mark.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Infinitive After Prepositions

If you use a preposition like 'para' (in order to) before the verb, you must use the infinitive structure with the pronoun attached: 'Llamé para ayudarme' (I called in order to help me).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ayudarme

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'ayudarme' as the infinitive form?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

ayuda(help (noun)) - noun

ayudar(to help) - verb

ayudante(assistant) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'ayudarme' and '¡Ayúdame!'?

'Ayudarme' is the basic, unconjugated form ('to help me'), used after other verbs (e.g., 'Necesito ayudarme'). '¡Ayúdame!' is a direct command ('Help me!'). '¡Ayúdame!' requires a written accent mark because the stress shifts when the pronoun is added to the command form.

Why is the pronoun attached to the end of the verb here?

Spanish rules require that object pronouns (like 'me', 'te', 'lo', etc.) attach to the end of three specific verb forms: the infinitive ('ayudarme'), the gerund or -ndo form ('ayudándome'), and affirmative commands ('¡Ayúdame!').