How to Say "to aid" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to aid” is “ayudar” — use 'ayudar' for general, everyday situations where you need or offer assistance, ranging from simple requests to more formal or official contexts.
ayudar
ah-yoo-DAHRa.ʝuˈðaɾ
Examples
¿Me puedes ayudar, por favor?
Can you help me, please?
Mi hermano me ayudó a mudar los muebles.
My brother helped me move the furniture.
Siempre ayudo a mis abuelos con las compras.
I always help my grandparents with the shopping.
Helping People? Use 'a'!
When you're helping a specific person or pet, you must put the little word 'a' right after 'ayudar'. Think of it as a pointer to who's getting the help. For example: 'Ayudo a mi mamá' (I help my mom).
Helping *to do* something
If you're helping someone do another action, you also use 'a' before the next verb. For example: 'Te ayudo a limpiar' (I'll help you to clean).
Forgetting the 'personal a'
Mistake: “Voy a ayudar mi amigo.”
Correction: Voy a ayudar **a** mi amigo. Remember, Spanish uses this special 'a' to mark a person who receives the action of many verbs, and 'ayudar' is one of them!
auxiliar
ow-ksee-lyahrawksiˈljaɾ
Examples
Los paramédicos llegaron para auxiliar a las víctimas.
The paramedics arrived to help the victims.
Debemos auxiliar a quienes más lo necesitan.
We must assist those who need it most.
El gobierno prometió auxiliar a las pequeñas empresas.
The government promised to aid small businesses.
Auxiliar vs Ayudar
While both mean 'to help,' 'auxiliar' is much more formal and often implies an emergency or a professional duty.
Using 'A' with People
When you help a person, you must use the word 'a' before their name or the person mentioned, like in 'auxiliar a Juan'.
The 'Help!' Mistake
Mistake: “If you are in danger, don't yell '¡Auxiliar!'”
Correction: Yell '¡Auxilio!' (Help!). 'Auxiliar' is the action of helping, while 'auxilio' is the cry for help.
Don't overuse 'auxiliar'
Related Translations
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