Simplified Chinese - Lesson 9 of 156: Asking For Help

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

请快帮帮我

Qǐng kuài bāngbang wǒ!

Help, please.

Meaning: Help, please.

When to use: Use this to ask for immediate help when something urgent is happening (late for a train, lost passport, injury). Adding 请 keeps it polite while 快 adds urgency.

Tip: Overusing 请 without 快 when the situation is urgent — learners sometimes sound too calm.

对不起，请快帮帮我，我的护照不见了！

Duìbuqǐ, qǐng kuài bāngbang wǒ, wǒ de hùzhào bù jiàn le!

Excuse me, please help quickly, my passport is missing!

车祸了！请快帮帮我，快叫救护车！

Chēhuò le! Qǐng kuài bāngbang wǒ, kuài jiào jiùhùchē!

There's been an accident! Please help quickly, call an ambulance!

你能帮我一下吗？

Nǐ néng bāng wǒ yíxià ma?

Can you help me?

Meaning: Can you help me?

When to use: A polite way to ask a stranger or colleague for assistance. 一下 softens the request.

不好意思，你能帮我一下吗？我的手机掉在座位下面。

Bù hǎoyìsi, nǐ néng bāng wǒ yíxià ma? Wǒ de shǒujī diào zài zuòwèi xiàmiàn.

Excuse me, can you help me a bit? My phone fell under the seat.

你能帮我一下吗？我不太会用这个机器。

Nǐ néng bāng wǒ yíxià ma? Wǒ bù tài huì yòng zhège jīqì.

Can you help me a little? I don't really know how to use this machine.

我需要帮忙

Wǒ xūyào bāngmáng.

I need help.

Meaning: I need help.

When to use: State your need for assistance when you want someone to offer help or when starting a request.

对不起，我需要帮忙，怎么把这个门打开？

Duìbuqǐ, wǒ xūyào bāngmáng, zěnme bǎ zhège mén dǎkāi?

Sorry, I need help — how do I open this door?

我需要帮忙，把行李放上去可以吗？

Wǒ xūyào bāngmáng, bǎ xínglǐ fàng shàngqù kěyǐ ma?

I need help putting the luggage up — can you?

你能帮我弄一下___吗？

Nǐ néng bāng wǒ nòng yíxià ___ ma?

Can you help me with ___?

Meaning: Can you help me with ___?

When to use: Use this when you need help with a specific object or task—insert the thing or action in the blank.

Tip: Beginners sometimes forget to say what goes in the blank (the task/object), which makes the question unclear.

你能帮我弄一下这台打印机吗？

Nǐ néng bāng wǒ nòng yíxià zhè tái dǎyìnjī ma?

Can you help me with this printer?

你能帮我弄一下我的行李箱的拉链吗？

Nǐ néng bāng wǒ nòng yíxià wǒ de xínglǐxiāng de lāliàn ma?

Can you help me fix the zipper on my suitcase?

你能给我看一下吗？

Nǐ néng gěi wǒ kàn yíxià ma?

Can you show me?

Meaning: Can you show me?

When to use: Ask this when you need someone to point out a place, show how to use something, or demonstrate a location.

地铁站在哪里？你能给我看一下吗？

Dìtiě zhàn zài nǎlǐ? Nǐ néng gěi wǒ kàn yíxià ma?

Where is the subway station? Can you show me?

我找不到洗手间，你能给我看一下吗？

Wǒ zhǎo bù dào xǐshǒujiān, nǐ néng gěi wǒ kàn yíxià ma?

I can't find the restroom — can you show me?

你能教我怎么做吗？

Nǐ néng jiāo wǒ zěnme zuò ma?

Can you show me how?

Meaning: Can you show me how?

When to use: Use this to ask someone to demonstrate a process or teach you how to do something step-by-step.

这个应用怎么用？你能教我怎么做吗？

Zhège yìngyòng zěnme yòng? Nǐ néng jiāo wǒ zěnme zuò ma?

How do you use this app? Can you show me how?

我不会用这个机器，你能教我怎么做吗？

Wǒ bú huì yòng zhège jīqì, nǐ néng jiāo wǒ zěnme zuò ma?

I can't use this machine — can you teach me how?

你能再说一遍吗？

Nǐ néng zài shuō yí biàn ma?

Can you say that again?

Meaning: Can you say that again?

When to use: Ask this when you didn't hear or understand something and want the speaker to repeat slowly or clearly.

对不起，太快了。你能再说一遍吗？

Duìbuqǐ, tài kuài le. Nǐ néng zài shuō yí biàn ma?

Sorry, that's too fast. Can you say that again?

我听不太清楚，你能再说一遍吗？

Wǒ tīng bù tài qīngchu, nǐ néng zài shuō yí biàn ma?

I can't hear clearly — can you say it again?

我找不到___。

Wǒ zhǎo bù dào ___.

I can't find ___.

Meaning: I can't find ___.

When to use: Say this when you are looking for something and want someone to help you locate it.

Tip: Learners sometimes leave the blank empty or say 找不到 alone without saying what they can't find.

我找不到我的钥匙，你能帮我找吗？

Wǒ zhǎo bù dào wǒ de yàoshi, nǐ néng bāng wǒ zhǎo ma?

I can't find my keys — can you help me look?

我找不到取票机，请问在哪儿？

Wǒ zhǎo bù dào qǔpiào jī, qǐngwèn zài nǎr?

I can't find the ticket machine — where is it?

你在这里工作吗？

Nǐ zài zhèlǐ gōngzuò ma?

Do you work here?

Meaning: Do you work here?

When to use: Ask this to confirm whether someone is a staff member who can help (store clerk, information desk).

请问，你在这里工作吗？我需要问路。

Qǐngwèn, nǐ zài zhèlǐ gōngzuò ma? Wǒ xūyào wèn lù.

Excuse me, do you work here? I need to ask for directions.

你在这里工作吗？如果是，你能帮我办理退货吗？

Nǐ zài zhèlǐ gōngzuò ma? Rúguǒ shì, nǐ néng bāng wǒ bànlǐ tuìhuò ma?

Do you work here? If so, can you help me return this?

谁能帮我

Shéi néng bāng wǒ?

Who can help me?

Meaning: Who can help me?

When to use: Use this to ask broadly who in the area or store can provide help — useful when you don't know who to ask.

请问，谁能帮我把这个重箱子搬上楼？

Qǐngwèn, shéi néng bāng wǒ bǎ zhège zhòng xiāngzi bān shàng lóu?

Excuse me, who can help me carry this heavy suitcase upstairs?

谁能帮我？我的票买错了。

Shéi néng bāng wǒ? Wǒ de piào mǎi cuò le.

Who can help me? I bought the wrong ticket.

我可以问你一个问题吗？

Wǒ kěyǐ wèn nǐ yí ge wèntí ma?

Can I ask you a question?

Meaning: Can I ask you a question?

When to use: A polite opener before asking for help or information from someone you don't know.

对不起，我可以问你一个问题吗？关于最近的公交吗？

Duìbuqǐ, wǒ kěyǐ wèn nǐ yí ge wèntí ma? Guānyú zuìjìn de gōngjiāo ma?

Excuse me, can I ask you a question? About the nearest bus?

我可以问你一个问题吗？我第一次来这里。

Wǒ kěyǐ wèn nǐ yí ge wèntí ma? Wǒ dì yí cì lái zhèlǐ.

Can I ask you a question? It's my first time here.

这个用不了

Zhège yòng bù liǎo.

This doesn't work.

Meaning: This doesn't work.

When to use: Say this to report a broken device or something that isn't functioning; staff can then help fix or replace it.

这个用不了，按钮按了没反应。

Zhège yòng bù liǎo, ànniǔ àn le méi fǎnyìng.

This doesn't work — the button does nothing.

售票机坏了，这个用不了。

Shòupiào jī huài le, zhège yòng bù liǎo.

The ticket machine is broken — this doesn't work.

我做不了这个

Wǒ zuò bù liǎo zhège.

I can't do this.

Meaning: I can't do this.

When to use: Use this to say you are unable to handle a task and need assistance or a different solution.

我做不了这个，能帮我找别人吗？

Wǒ zuò bù liǎo zhège, néng bāng wǒ zhǎo biérén ma?

I can't do this — can you help me find someone else?

这个工作太难了，我做不了这个，抱歉。

Zhège gōngzuò tài nán le, wǒ zuò bù liǎo zhège, bàoqiàn.

This job is too hard — I can't do it, sorry.

Simplified Chinese - Asking For Help

1. Reading + Listening Practice

2. Conversational Listening Practice

3. Guided Practice

Which phrase is best when you urgently need help?

If you can't use a machine and need someone to try fixing it, which do you say?

Which phrase is the polite opener before asking a stranger for help?

If you didn't understand what someone said, which phrase asks them to repeat?

At the airport she was about to miss her flight and said urgently to staff: 'Help, please! I can't find my passport.'

By the subway ticket machine he said to a nearby person: 'This doesn't work, can you help me fix it?'

In the store a tourist politely asked the uniformed employee: 'Excuse me, do you work here? It's my first time in this city.'

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice