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JAPANESE VERB

てつだう

手伝う

to help

  • #108 most used
  • Godan verb (u-verb)

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present and future

now, habits, and what is to come

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI help
NegativeI don’t help

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI helped
NegativeI didn’t help

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formhelping, and…
Doing now (て います)I am helping
Please (て ください)please help

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can help
NegativeI can’t help

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI want to help
NegativeI don’t want to help

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s help

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

  1. If (ば) if I help
  2. If, when (たら) if I help

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

  1. Do it (なさい) help (do it)
  2. Plain command help!
  3. Please don’t please don’t help

Passive and causative

受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am helped
CausativeI make someone help

How to use てつだう

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present and future

    しゅうまつ は はは の みせ を てつだいます。

    At the weekend I help at my mother's shop.

  2. Past

    ベン の ひっこし を てつだった。

    I helped Ben move.

  3. Te-form

    すみません、 ちょっと てつだって ください。

    Excuse me, could you help me a moment?

  4. Potential

    あした なら てつだえます よ。

    I can help tomorrow, if that works.

  5. Want to

    わたし も なにか てつだいたい です。

    I'd like to help with something too.

  6. Volitional

    いっしょ に さとう さん を てつだおう。

    Let's help Mrs. Sato together.

  7. Conditional

    みんな で てつだえば、 すぐ おわります。

    If we all help, it'll be done in no time.

  8. Commands and requests

    テレビ を けして、 おとうさん を てつだいなさい。

    Turn off the TV and help your father.

  9. Passive and causative

    こども に かたづけ を てつだわせて います。

    I have the children help with the tidying up.

Good to know

  • てつだう is helping with a task; たすける is rescuing someone in trouble.

Where you hear てつだう

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Japanese · Beginner Level 2

  • まいにち、 おばあちゃん を てつだいます。 I help my grandmother every day.
  • ベン さん の ひっこし を てつだいました。 I helped Ben move.
  • あした、 りょうり を てつだいます。 Tomorrow I'll help with the cooking.

Japanese · Intermediate Level 1

  • しゅうまつ は やど を てつだう。 At weekends I help at the inn.
  • きのう、 あさごはん を てつだった。 Yesterday I helped with breakfast.
  • あした も てつだう よ。 I'll help tomorrow too.
1
The Morning After

Beginner Level 2 · てつだいます

Free 30
Another Year

Beginner Level 2 · てつだって くれません か？

Needs a subscription 11
Mrs. Sato's Back

Intermediate Level 1 · てつだう

Needs a subscription 12
A Favour

Intermediate Level 1 · てつだって くれる？ · てつだって もらえない？

Needs a subscription 27
Telling the Families

Intermediate Level 1 · てつだった

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: godan verb (u-verb).