A hallmark of being a language learner is needing to accept help from time to time. It’s a great sense of accomplishment when you get to use your new language to help someone else. Learn to ask ¿Necesitas ayuda? (Do you need help?) in casual Spanish, or ¿(Usted) necesita ayuda? to offer to help someone you don’t know well. Learn even more to be confident in helping with directions, meeting basic needs, and giving simple advice in Spanish.
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Use necesitar to ask ‘Do you need help?’ in Spanish
Learning to ask “Do you need help?” in Spanish includes another good sentence starter, necesitar (to need). Necesitar is a common regular -AR verb in Spanish.
Learning this verb will help you master the pattern for countless other Spanish verbs, so it’s well worth the effort. You’ll also be able to talk about what you need with the yo (I) form of the verb, necesito (I need).
necesitar (to need; present tense)
| yo necesito | I need | nosotros necesitamos | we need |
| tú necesitas | you need (informal) | vosotros necesitáis | you need (informal, plural – Spain only) |
| él/ella necesitausted necesita | he/she needsyou need (formal) | ellos/ellas necesitanustedes necesitan | they needyou need (plural) |
The choice of which form of necesitar to use depends on your subject. When asking “Do you need help?”, the subject will be whoever you’re asking.
- ¿Tú necesitas ayuda? = Do you need help? (asking one person that you know well).
- ¿Usted necesita ayuda? = Do you need help? (asking one person, more formal)
- ¿Vosotros necesitáis ayuda? = Do you need help? (in Spain, asking a group, informally)
- ¿Vosotras necesitáis ayuda? = Do you need help? (in Spain, asking an exclusively female group, informally)
- ¿Ustedes necesitan ayuda? = Do you need help? (asking a group in Latin America, or asking a group formally in Spain)
And if you’re wondering, how do you say “you need help” in Spanish, just make the question into a statement, taking away the Spanish question marks in writing, and with your intonation in spoken Spanish.
- Necesitas ayuda. = You need help.
Polite responses to ‘Do you need help?’
You might hear one of the following responses to your question. These will also work for you if you ever need to respond to the question “Do you need help?” yourself.
Listen out for expressions of courtesy, like “no thanks,” or you can choose the most appropriate combination of basic Spanish phrases for the situation.
| Spanish | English |
| Gracias, muy amable. | Thank you, that’s very kind. |
| No, gracias. No necesito ayuda. | No, thanks. I don’t need help. |
| Sí/no, gracias. | Yes/no, thank you. |
| Por favor | Please |
Asking ‘Can you help me?’ in Spanish
When someone needs help they may ask “Can you help me?” or let you know “I need help” in Spanish. In the table, you’ll find some common phrases you might hear if someone needs your assistance. They will also come in handy should you ever need to ask for help.
You’ll notice that many of these phrases use the conjugated forms of the verbs poder (to be able/can), necesitar (to need), and ayudar (to help).
| Spanish | English |
| ¡Ayuda!/¡Auxilio!/¡Socorro! | Help! (Urgent cries for help in an emergency) |
| ¿Me ayudas con…? | Can you help me with…? |
| ¿Me das una mano? | Can you lend me a hand? |
| ¿Me echas una mano? | Can you give me a hand? |
| ¿Me podría ayudar? | Could you help me? |
| ¿Me puedes ayudar? | Can you help me? |
| Necesito ayuda, por favor. | I need help, please. |
| ¿Podría ayudarme? | Could you help me? |
| ¿Puede/puedes ayudarme? | Can you help me? |
| ¿Puede/puedes echarme una mano? | Can you lend me a hand? |
Phrases for common scenarios where people need help
Once you’ve established that someone needs help, you’ll need some phrases to be able to provide assistance. There are a few common scenarios in which you might need to help Spanish-speakers, like giving directions, assisting in an emergency, or helping to find lost loved ones in busy public spaces.
Phrases for offering to help with directions
If the person asks any form of a “where is” question in Spanish, such as ¿Dónde está..? (where is) or ¿Cómo llego a…? (how do I get to), you’ll want to know how to give some basic directions in Spanish.
| Informal Spanish | Formal Spanish | English |
| Cruza… | Cruce… | Cross… |
| Gira a la izquierda/a la derecha. | Gire a la izquierda/a la derecha. | Turn to the left/to the right. |
| Pasa por… | Pase por… | Pass by… |
| Sigue caminando. | Siga caminando. | Keep walking. |
| Sigue recto. | Siga recto. | Keep going straight ahead. |
| Toma la primera/la segunda calle. | Tome la primera/la segunda calle. | Take the first/second street. |
You can also describe the locations themselves, specifically where they are located in relation to other places. These phrases will help you describe where the destination is when the people you’re helping have a known point of reference.
| Spanish | English |
| Está a # minutos caminando/manejando. | It’s # minutes away on foot/by car. |
| Está al lado de… | It’s next to… |
| Está cerca de… | It’s near… |
| Está enfrente de… | It’s in front of the |
| No está lejos. | It’s not far. |
Phrases to help with urgent needs
When someone is in need of help in Spanish, they’ll be grateful for your ability to speak the language. You can refer them to the professionals, of course, but it’s wonderful to have someone on your side in an emergency from the beginning.
| Spanish | English |
| Llamo a emergencias. | I’m calling 911. |
| Puedo llamar a la policía/una ambulancia. | I can call the police/an ambulance. |
| Puedo llamar a asistencia vial (Mexico)/asistencia de carretera. | I can call roadside assistance. |
| Puedo traducir un poco. | I can translate a little. |
Phrases for helping a lost child or group member
In public areas, like parques de diversiones (amusement parks) or ferias (fairs), it’s easy to get separated. Reassure a lost child that you will help them connect with their parents or help adults locate a lost child. It’s best to connect immediately with an employee of the facility or someone with a nametag, as they have resources to reunite loved ones quickly.
| Spanish | English |
| ¿Cómo se llama?/What are their names? | What is his/her name?/What are their names? |
| ¿Estás perdido/perdida? | Are you lost? |
| No te preocupes. | Don’t worry. |
| No tengas miedo. | Don’t be afraid. |
| ¿Qué lleva puesto? | What is he/she wearing? |
| ¿Sabes dónde están tus padres/tus adultos? | Do you know where your parents/adults are? |
| Te puedo ayudar a buscarlo/buscarla/buscarlos/buscarlas. | I can help you look for him/her/them. |
How to say ‘lend a hand’ in Spanish
If the situation is less urgent, such as a person lifting something heavy or awkward, you might offer your assistance in a friendly way.
In these low-pressure situations, asking “Do you need help?” in Spanish is as easy as ¿Te echo una mano?, which covers ways to be helpful in Spanish. You can also say ¿Te doy una mano? (Can I give you a hand?)
Some equivalent slang expressions you might hear include:
- echar un cabo (to throw an end piece)
- echar un cable (to throw a cable/wire)
- echar un capote (to throw a cloak/hooded cape).
The literal translation of “to lend” in Spanish, prestar, is also a good verb to know if you want to talk about lending money or belongings.
When knowing another language is helpful
Being able to speak another language is a skill that can be helpful in assisting others, forming connections, and creating goodwill. If you know the phrases for “Do you need help?” in Spanish and how to respond, you’ll be prepared both to offer and request assistance.
Rosetta Stone teaches you functional phrases and common verbs in context, so that in an emergency situation, you’re able to speak naturally, without the added pressure of having to recall verb conjugation charts and vocabulary lists.
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