German course

Lesson 35 of 240

New here? This is lesson 35 of a free 240-lesson German course.

Start hereHow this works

Can you help me in German

Priya is back at Bäckerei Krause with a bag in each hand. She cannot push the door, and she needs a short way to ask for help.

Renate is behind the glass. Anton sits at his corner table, Milchkaffee still full. He does not stand up.

You will call for help, say you are stuck, ask Renate, and thank her for the help.

She is a regular now, so she uses du with Renate. Keep the thanks short.

By the end of this lesson

Ask someone you know for help, say you are stuck, and thank them for helping.

  • Hilfe, bitte!Help, please!
  • Kannst du mir helfen?Can you help me?
  • Ich brauche Hilfe.I need help.
  • Wer kann mir helfen?Who can help me?
  • Danke für deine Hilfe.Thanks for your help.
  • Ich komme nicht weiter.I'm stuck.

Scene — the bakery door

Priya stands outside Bäckerei Krause with a bag in each hand. She cannot push the door.

Renate knows her now and is already looking her way. Anton sits at the corner table on two chairs, his Milchkaffee still untouched.

Priya waits outside the bakery with bags in both hands as Renate and Anton notice her from inside.

Learn — asking for help

Six short lines cover a call for help, saying you are stuck, asking someone you know, and thanking them for it.

Learn each one as a ready piece for the bakery door.

  1. Priya turns toward the bakery interior and urgently asks for help while holding both bags.

    Hilfe, bitte!

    Help, please!

    When to use it: Call this out when you need help right now.

    Learn it as one piece for a quick call.

    Say it: Hilfe puts the stress on the first syllable.

  2. Priya looks through the glass toward Renate while Anton looks up from his corner table.

    Kannst du mir helfen?

    Can you help me?

    When to use it: Ask this of a friend, or of Renate now that you are a regular.

    Learn it as one piece with people you know.

  3. Priya is stuck at the closed door, with both hands occupied by bags.

    Ich brauche Hilfe.

    I need help.

    When to use it: Say this when you need someone to help you.

    Learn it as one piece when you need help.

    Say it: Ich uses the soft ch, as in ich, not ach.

  4. Renate waits at the doorway while Priya turns toward her, still holding both bags.

    Wer kann mir helfen?

    Who can help me?

    When to use it: Ask this when you look around for anyone who can help.

    Learn it as one piece when you look around.

  5. Renate opens the door to help Priya enter as one bag begins to slip.

    Danke für deine Hilfe.

    Thanks for your help.

    When to use it: Thank a friend or Renate this way after they help you.

    Learn it as one piece after someone you know helps.

    Say it: für has a rounded ü sound.

  6. Priya stands just inside with her bag steadied, gratefully acknowledging Renate's help.

    Ich komme nicht weiter.

    I'm stuck.

    When to use it: Say this when you are stuck and cannot go on.

    Learn it as one piece when you are stuck.

Story — both hands full

Watch Priya at the bakery door with both hands full. She is a regular now, and Renate is already looking.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Priya is a regular now. She stands at the glass with a bag in each hand.
  2. PriyaHilfe, bitte!Help, please!
  3. Anton looks up from his chair. He does not stand.
  4. PriyaWer kann mir helfen?Who can help me?
  5. Renate is already at the door. She uses du with Priya now.
  6. PriyaIch komme nicht weiter.I'm stuck.
  7. Renate waits. Priya still has both bags.
  8. PriyaIch brauche Hilfe.I need help.
  9. PriyaKannst du mir helfen?Can you help me?
  10. RenateKlar.Sure.
  11. Renate opens the door. A bag slips.
  12. PriyaDanke für deine Hilfe, das ist so nett.Thanks for your help, that is so kind.
  13. Renate will not wait for more.
  14. RenateGern geschehen.You're welcome.

Practice — call and thank

Ten quick exercises wait here. You will listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Hilfe, bitte!Drop the English here
    Kannst du mir helfen?Drop the English here
    Ich brauche Hilfe.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its German, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You are face to face with a friend. Ask this person if they can help you.

  4. Fill the gap

    I need help.

    Ich brauche ____.

  5. What does it mean?

    Wer kann mir helfen?

  6. Swap the word

    Use the lesson's phrase to thank your friend for the help.

    Danke für deine ____.

  7. Pick the reply

    Renate says:

    So, die Tür ist auf.

    There, the door is open.

    And you reply with:

  8. Build the line

    I'm stuck.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  9. True or false?

    Say this when you agree to help.

  10. What do you say?

    A friend just thanked you for opening the door.

Say it — say it back

Now you're Priya at the bakery door with full hands. You are a regular, so you ask Renate with du.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. Priya (you)Call for help. Both of your hands are full.

    Hilfe, bitte!

    Help, please!

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Hilfe, bitte!Help, please!
Kannst du mir helfen?Can you help me?
Ich brauche Hilfe.I need help.
Wer kann mir helfen?Who can help me?
Danke für deine Hilfe.Thanks for your help.
Ich komme nicht weiter.I'm stuck.
Next: lesson 36Borrow a phone

Save your progress — it’s free

Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.

Want the next lesson in your inbox?

Get the next lesson by email, one a day.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these help lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your help lines ready for the door.

Open Yak Cards