Lesson 50: Asking for Help
Everyone needs a hand sometimes. Knowing how to ask politely — and how to offer — is one of the friendliest skills in any language.
Lost in the city
סְלִיחָה, אַתָּה יָכוֹל לַעֲזֹר לִי?
slicha, ata yachol la’azor li?
Excuse me, can you help me?
בְּוַדַּאי, מָה קָרָה?
bevadai, ma kara?
Of course, what’s the matter?
אֲנִי לֹא מוֹצֵא אֶת הַתַּחֲנָה.
ani lo motse et hatachana.
I can’t find the station.
אֵין בְּעָיָה, אֲנִי אַרְאֶה לְךָ.
ein be’aya, ani ar’e lecha.
No problem, I’ll show you.
תּוֹדָה רַבָּה עַל הָעֶזְרָה!
toda raba al ha’ezra!
Thank you so much for the help!
Grammar: polite requests
The everyday way to ask for help is אַתָּה יָכוֹל לַעֲזֹר לִי? (ata yachol la’azor li?) / אַתְּ יְכוֹלָה…? (to a woman) — “are you able to help me?”. The little לִי (li, “to me”) attaches to the action.
To ask a favor specifically, use לְבַקֵּשׁ טוֹבָה (levakesh tova, “to ask a favor”): אֶפְשָׁר לְבַקֵּשׁ טוֹבָה? (“May I ask a favor?”). Thank them with תּוֹדָה עַל הָעֶזְרָה (“thanks for the help”).
Tip: אֵין בְּעָיָה (ein be’aya, “no problem”) is the warm, standard reply when you agree to help.
Vocabulary
Help
| עֶזְרָה | ezra | help |
| לַעֲזֹר | la’azor | to help |
| טוֹבָה | tova | a favor |
| לְבַקֵּשׁ | levakesh | to ask, request |
Useful words
| יָכוֹל / יְכוֹלָה | yachol / yechola | able to, can (m. / f.) |
| לְהַרְאוֹת | lehar’ot | to show |
| אֵין בְּעָיָה | ein be’aya | no problem |