手伝う

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 宿題を手伝ってください。▶ —
   Please help me with my homework.
2. 友達の引っ越しを手伝いました。▶ —
   I helped my friend move.

Collocations

Mnemonic

てつだう — 手伝う, Yamato. A godan -u verb. Unpack the two parts ── 手 (hand) + 伝う (to follow along) = 'to help by following with one's hand'. The compound is its own picture. The sense splits finely ── 手伝う tetsudau: everyday help ── 宿題を手伝う (help with homework), 引っ越しを手伝う (help with a move). 助ける tasukeru: rescue in crisis ── 溺れた人を助ける (save a drowning person). Where Korean 'dopda' covers both fields, Japanese splits everyday assistance and crisis rescue into two verbs. A point where it meets the 授受動詞 of K-27-G ── 手伝ってもらう (have someone help me), 手伝ってあげる (help someone). Direction is laid onto the act of helping. お手伝いさん otetsudai-san is the polite word for a housekeeper.

Quick check

1. For "rescue a drowning person", which verb fits?

   • 助ける tasukeru (crisis rescue)
   • 手伝う tetsudau (daily help, wrong context)
   • 使う (use, irrelevant)
   • 貸す (lend, irrelevant)