Ask For Help In German: 7 Must-know Chunks In German + Examples

How to ASK for HELP in German (and get people to help)

MARIE
Entschuldigung? Mein Auto springt nicht an! Können Sie mir sagen, woran das liegt?
(Excuse me? My care won’t jump. Could you tell me, why that is?)

VIBEKE
Tut mir Leid, mit Autos kenne ich mich nicht aus.
(I’m sorry, I’m not good with cars.)

MARIE
Okay. Danke trotzdem.
(Okay. Thanks anyway.)

Whether you got lost, your car broke down or the battery on your cellphone just died – asking for help can be a crucial skill! Let’s go through a few challenging (difficult) situations and how you can ask for help!

Ich bin Spring German Lehrerin Brunhild und hier sind sieben Möglichkeiten, um Hilfe zu bitten! (My name is Spring German teacher Brunhild and here are 7 ways to ask for help!)

1. The easiest way to ask for help in German: Hilfe! (Help!)

DAISY
Hilfe!
(Help!)

SAGA
Was ist passiert?
(What happened?)

DAISY
Dieser Mann hat meine Handtasche gestohlen!
(This man has stolen my bag!)

SAGA
Schnell! Rufen Sie die Polizei!
(Quick! Call the police!)

In welche Richtung ist er gelaufen?
(In which direction did he run?)

DAISY
Da lang!
(This way!)

Hilfe (Help!) means Help! As an outcry, Hilfe is for acute situations, like when you have been robbed. Crying Hilfe (Hilfe) also makes sense when you’re injured or in a life-threatening situation.

VIBEKE
Hilfe!
(Help!)

SIGYN
Was ist passiert? Hast du dir in’s Bein gehackt?
(What happened? Did you chop your leg?)

VIBEKE
Seh’ ich wie ein Tollpatsch aus? Nein, ich will Hilfe beim Holzhacken. Sonst werde ich hier nie fertig.
(Do I look like a fool? No, I want help chopping wood. Otherwise, I will never be done here.)

SIGYN
Oh Gott, und ich dachte, es wäre etwas passiert.
(Oh God, and I thought, something had happened.)

VIBEKE
Weniger denken, mehr Holz hacken!
(Less thinking, more wood chopping!)

As you can see, you may not want to cry Hilfe when you just want a hand. People might get worried.

The phrase “Weniger denken, mehr Holz hacken”(Less thinking, more wood chopping!) is actually a derivation of the German phrase “Weniger denken, mehr machen!” (Less thinking, more doing) which means “Less thinking, more doing”. I guess you all know the phenomenon that when you overthink something, you get stuck in your head, and you don’t get into action. The phrase Weniger denken, mehr machen! (Less thinking, more doing!) is an attempt to keep us from falling into the overthinking-trap.

For more helpful insider chunks like Weniger denken, mehr machen, make sure to download our free essential German chunking kit. The link is in the description.

2. A polite way to ask for help in German: Entschuldigung (Excuse me)

In less life-threatening matters, Entschuldigung (excuse me) is a great way to catch someone’s attention.

MONIKA
Entschuldigung? Können Sie mir sagen, wie ich zum Bahnhof komme?
(Can you tell me how to get to the station?)

FLORIAN
Ja, sicher. Da vorne links und dann einfach immer geradeaus.
(Yes, sure. Turn left over there and then keep going straight.)

MONIKA
Da vorne links?
(Over there to the left?)

CHRISTIAN
Genau. Einfach der Straße folgen.
(Exactly. Just follow the street.)

MONIKA
Vielen lieben Dank!
(Thank you very much!)

CHRISTIAN
Sehr gerne.
(You’re welcome.)

MONIKA
Schönen Abend noch!
(Have a nice evening!)

CHRISTIAN
Gleichfalls!
(You too!)

You can also use the phrase to reprimand someone.

BRUNHILD is trying to work on her laptop. IVAN sings.

BRUNHILD
Entschuldigung? Kannst du bitte etwas leiser sein?
(Excuse me, could you do me a favor? Could you be a bit quieter?)

Danke dir.
(Thank you).

As you can see, Entschuldigung (excuse me) is an expression that you can follow up with any request. But before stating your request, you may want to make sure that the person you’re addressing has a moment to spare in the first place. For that, you can use the following chunk:

3. Haben Sie einen Moment Zeit? (Do you have a moment?)

Haben Sie einen Moment Zeit? (Do you have a moment?) is not a must. You could also state your request directly. But Haben Sie einen Moment Zeit? (Do you have a moment?) takes out some pressure for you, because you reassure yourself that you’re not stalling the other person from their own urgent matters.

how to ask for help in german listed on screen with female teacher explaining

After you have someone’s attention, and you know they have time, it’s the golden opportunity for you to state your request.

4. Polite, full sentence help in German: Können Sie mir bitte helfen? (Can you help me, please?)**

MARIE
Entschuldigung! Haben Sie einen Moment Zeit?
(Excuse me! Do you have a moment?)

CHRISTIAN
Ja, schon.
(Yes, I guess.)

MARIE
Können Sie mir bitte helfen? Ich habe einen Platten.
(Can you help me, please? I have a flat tire.)

CHRISTIAN
Okay. Brauchst du Hilfe beim Auswechseln?
(Okay. Do you need help changing it?)

MARIE
Ich habe keinen Ersatzreifen dabei!
(I don’t habe a spare tire!)

CHRISTIAN
Dann musst du wohl den ADAC anrufen.
(Then you’ll have to call the ADAC.)

So let’s take a moment to understand what the ADAC (ADAC) is. ADAC stands for “Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club” (General German Automobile Club) which means as much as “General German Car Club”. It’s Europe’s largest automobile association. Its original and most well-known service is roadside assistance. So if your car ever breaks down, the ADAC is always an option. And it has its headquarters in München (Munich), which is my hometown.

Können Sie mir bitte helfen? (Could you help me, please?) is in itself not a specific request. Turns out, what Marie really needed help with was receiving a spare tire. This is how she could have asked more specifically:

5. Asking for anything in German: Haben Sie … ? ( Do you have …? )

The chunk Haben Sie … (Do you have …) is great if you need something and want to find out if the other person has it on them for you to borrow. Like: Entschuldigung, haben Sie… (Excuse me, do you have…)

  • einen Ersatzreifen (a spare tire)
  • einen Hammer (a hammer)
  • eine Luftpumpe (an air pump)
  • einen Schraubenzieher (a screwdriver)

FRAU SCHMIDT
Brauchen Sie Hilfe?
(Do you need help?)

MARIE
Haben Sie eine Luftpumpe dabei? Ich habe einen Platten.
(Do you have an airpump with you? I have a flat tire.)

FRAU SCHMIDT
Leider nicht. Tut mir Leid!
(Unfortunately, not. I’m sorry!)

Of course, you could also ask for more earthly things like: Entschuldigung, haben Sie … ? (Excuse me, do you have…?)

  • eine Zigarette (a cigarette)
  • ein Feuerzeug (a lighter)
  • einen Kugelschreiber (a pen)
  • ein Tempo-Taschentuch (a paper tissue)

TYRA
‘Tschuldigung! Haben Sie Feuer?
(Excuse me! Do you have a light?)

ELSA
Ja, klar.
(Yes, of course.)

TYRA
Vielen Dank! Sie sind meine Rettung!
(Thank you so much! You’re saving me.)

ELSA
Behalten Sie es. Ich habe mit dem Rauchen aufgehört.
(Keep it. I quit smoking).

TYRA
Oh, okay. Danke!
(Oh, thank you!)

CHUNK ALERT!

Haben Sie Feuer? (Do you have a lighter? Lit.: Do you have fire?) is a way of asking someboy for a lighter. Literally Haben Sie Feuer? (Do you have a lighter? Lit.: Do you have fire?) means “Do you have fire?”. Haben Sie ein Feuerzeug? (Do you have a lighter?) means “Do you have a lighter?”. Haben Sie Feuer (Do you have fire?) is equivalent to Haben Sie ein Feuerzeug? (Do you have a lighter?)

So now you know they’re not asking you how passionate you are, Haben Sie Feuer? (Do you have fire?), no, they just want you to light a cigarette.

So, what if you want to light your cigarette, and you can see someone else is already doing it? When you already know that somebdy else has what you desire, you can jump to the question, whether you can borrow it right away. Entschuldigung, kann ich Ihr … leihen? (Excuse me, can I borrow your …?)

6. Borrow anything in German: Kann ich Ihr … leihen? (Can I borrow your…?)

KIM can’t fight her lighter. She sees TYRA smoke.

KIM
‘Tschuldigung! Kann ich Ihr Feuerzeug leihen?
(Excuse me! Can I borrow your lighter?)

TYRA
Ja. Bitteschön.
(Yes. There you go.)

KIM
Vielen Dank! Sie sind meine Rettung!
(Thank you so much! You’re saving me.)

TYRA
Sehr gerne.
(My pleasure.)

Sometimes, we can use this phrase without even having seen that the other person has the desired item on them, because it’s just safe to assume that they do. Like with a cellphone, right? In such a case, we could just ask directly: Entschuldigung, kann ich Ihr Handy leihen? (Excuse me, can I borrow your cell phone?)

MARIE
Entschuldigung! Kann ich ihr Handy leihen?
(Excuse me, can I borrow your cell?)

KUNDRY
Haben Sie kein Handy?
(Don’t you have a cell?)

MARIE
Mein Akku ist alle und ich habe einen Platten. Ich muss den ADAC anrufen.
(My battery died and I have a flat tire. I have to call the ADAC.)

KUNDRY
Oh, okay. Hier, bitte schön.
(Oh, okay. Here you go. Take mine.)

MARIE
Danke!
(Thank you.)

A little tip! If you want to maximize your chances of getting the desired item, you can add the words kurz (shortly) or schnell (quickly). Entschuldigung, kann ich schnell Ihr Handy leihen? (Excuse me, can I quickly borrow your cell?) That way, the other person is being reassured that it will only take a moment, and that they will get their thing right back.

ELSA
Brunhild?
(Brunhild?)

BRUNHILD
Hmm?
(Hmm?)

ELSA
Kann ich kurz dein Auto leihen?
(Can I borrow your car for a moment?)

BRUNHILD
Wie kurz?
(How short of a moment?)

ELSA
Super kurz. Ich möchte nur schnell zum Bäcker fahren. Ich bin zu faul zu laufen.
(Super short. I just want to drive to the bakery real quick. I am too lazy to walk.)

BRUNHILD
Hmm… Na gut. Aber nur, wenn du mir einen Krapfen mitbringst.
(Hmm… Alright. But only if you bring me a cruller.)

ELSA
Danke! Bist ein Schatz.
(Thanks! You’re a treasure.)

BRUNHILD
Beeil dich bitte. Ich muss nachher noch weg.
(Hurry, please. I have to leave later.)

ELSA
Ich bin ganz schnell.
(I’ll be quick.)

Now if that thing, that you’d like to borrow is something like a tissue or chewing gum, obviously the other person won’t want to get it back. In such a case you could ask Entschuldigung, kann ich ein… haben? (Could I have a….). Can I have that insead of can I borrow that. For example:

  • Ein Taschentuch (A tissue)
  • Einen Kaugummi (A chewing gum)
  • Eine Zigarette (A cigarette)
  • Eine Halstablette (A throat pill)

MARIE
Kim! Kann ich einen Kaugummi haben?
(Kim! Can I have a chewing gum?)

KIM
Seit wann kaust du Kaugummi?
(Since when are you chewing gum?)

MARIE
Da kommt Adrian! Ich brauche frischen Atem. Schnell!
(Adrian is coming. I need fresh breath! Quickly!)

7. Asking for a favor in German: Kannst du mir einen Gefallen tun? (Could you do me a favor?)

Now this one is mainly for somebody you’re already somewhat close to, a family member, a friend, a neighbor. After all, you’re asking for a favor here. For example, if you need help watering the plants over the weekend.

BRUNHILD
Hallo, Herr Maier! Hier ist Brunhild von nebenan.
(Hello, Mr Maier! This is Brunhild from next door.)

MR MAIER
Ah! Servus Brunhild!
(Hello, Monika!)

BRUNHILD
Herr Maier. Könnten Sie mir einen Gefallen tun?
(Mr Maier. Could you do me a favor?)

MR MAIER
Ja freilich! Was gibt’s?
(Yes, of course! What’s up?)

BRUNHILD
Könnten Sie am Wochenende meine Pflanzen gießen?
(Could you water my plants over the weekend?)

MR MAIER
Gar kein Problem. Das mache ich gerne.
(No problem at all. I’m happy to.)

BRUNHILD
Vielen lieben Dank.
(Thank you very much.)

MR MAIER
Ist schon Recht.
(No worries.)

BRUNHILD
Ich lasse den Schlüssel unter der Fußmatte.
(I leave the key under the doormat.)

MR MAIER
Ja, passt.
(Yes, alright.)

So, what favors are there? Well, you could for example be asking: Kannst du (Can you):

  • meine Pflanzen gießen (water my plants)
  • meine Katzen füttern (feed my cats)
  • mir dein Handy leihen (lend me your cellphone)

Kannst du mir einen Gefallen tun? (Could you do me a favor?) is an expression that works in many contexts.

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