Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'help'

English Word: help

Key Russian Translations:

• помощь [ˈpo.məɕʲ] - [Formal, Noun, Used in general contexts for assistance]
• помочь [pəˈmot͡ɕʲ] - [Formal/Informal, Verb (Perfective), Used for completing an act of help]
• помогать [pə.mɐˈɡatʲ] - [Informal, Verb (Imperfective), Used for ongoing or repeated help]

Frequency: High (Commonly used in everyday conversations, media, and formal writing in Russian).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb aspects and noun declensions, but basic forms are accessible to learners at this level. For 'помочь' and 'помогать', the aspect distinction may add slight complexity for beginners.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

помощь: [ˈpo.məɕʲ] (The 'щ' sound is a soft, palatalized 'sh' as in 'sheen', which can be challenging for English speakers.)

помочь: [pəˈmot͡ɕʲ] (Note on помочь: The 'ч' is a voiceless palatal fricative, similar to 'ch' in 'loch'. Stress on the second syllable.)

помогать: [pə.mɐˈɡatʲ] (Note on помогать: The 'г' is a voiced velar fricative, and the final 'ть' is a soft ending. Pronunciation may vary slightly in rapid speech.)

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Assistance or aid given to someone (Noun form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• помощь - Used in contexts involving support, such as emergency aid or daily help (e.g., in formal reports or conversations about volunteering).

Usage Examples:

• Я нуждаюсь в помощи. (I need help.)

  Translation: I am in need of assistance. (This example shows the noun in a personal context, emphasizing dependency.)

• Его помощь была неоценимой. (His help was invaluable.)

  Translation: His assistance was priceless. (Demonstrates use in appreciative or reflective contexts.)

• Помощь пришла вовремя. (Help arrived on time.)

  Translation: Aid came just in time. (Illustrates the noun in narrative or emergency scenarios.)

• Без вашей помощи я бы не справился. (Without your help, I wouldn't have managed.)

  Translation: Without your assistance, I wouldn't have coped. (Shows gratitude in interpersonal communication.)

Meaning 2: To provide assistance (Verb form, perfective/imperfective)

Translation(s) & Context:

• помочь - Used for a completed action of helping (e.g., in stories or instructions).
• помогать - Used for ongoing or habitual help (e.g., in descriptions of routines).

Usage Examples:

• Можете помочь мне с сумками? (Can you help me with the bags?)

  Translation: Could you assist me with the bags? (This uses 'помочь' in a polite request for immediate action.)

• Она помогает детям с уроками каждый вечер. (She helps the children with their homework every evening.)

  Translation: She assists the children with their lessons every evening. (Here, 'помогать' shows a repeated action.)

• Доктор помог пациенту выздороветь. (The doctor helped the patient recover.)

  Translation: The doctor aided the patient in recovering. (Uses 'помочь' for a successful, finite outcome.)

• Я помогу тебе, если ты попросишь. (I will help you if you ask.)

  Translation: I will assist you if you ask. (Demonstrates conditional use of 'помочь'.)

• Помогая друзьям, он чувствует себя полезным. (By helping his friends, he feels useful.)

  Translation: By assisting his friends, he feels useful. (Employs 'помогая' in a gerundive structure for ongoing benefit.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'помощь' (feminine noun, 3rd declension), it follows standard Russian noun declension patterns:

For 'помочь' (perfective verb), it is irregular and conjugated as follows in present tense (though perfective verbs often use future for actions):

For 'помогать' (imperfective verb), it conjugates regularly in present tense:

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: поддержка (podderzhka) - More formal, implying sustained support; содействие (sodeistvie) - Used in official or collaborative contexts; оказывать помощь (okazyvat' pomoshch') - A phrase for providing aid, with subtle emphasis on action.
• Antonyms: вред (vred) - Harm; игнорировать (ignorirovat') - To ignore, especially in refusal contexts.

Related Phrases:

• оказать помощь - To provide help (e.g., in emergencies); Meaning: Offering immediate assistance.
• попросить о помощи - To ask for help; Meaning: Seeking aid in a polite or desperate situation.
• взаимная помощь - Mutual help; Meaning: Reciprocal support, often in community settings.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'help' often requires distinguishing between perfective ('помочь') and imperfective ('помогать') verbs to convey completion versus ongoing action, unlike English. For formal contexts, use 'помощь' as a noun. Be mindful of case agreements; for example, 'нуждаюсь в помощи' shows genitive case. When choosing between translations, opt for 'помочь' for one-time events and 'помогать' for habits.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'помогать' when a completed action is needed, e.g., saying "Я помогаю ему вчера" instead of "Я помог ему вчера". Correct: The imperfective form doesn't fit past completed actions; use perfective 'помог'. Explanation: Russian verbs of motion and help require aspect matching; this mistake can confuse tense.
• Error: Forgetting declension, e.g., saying "Я нуждаюсь помощь" instead of "Я нуждаюсь в помощи". Correct: Use genitive case after prepositions like 'в'. Explanation: English speakers often overlook Russian's complex case system, leading to grammatical errors.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, offering help ('помощь') is deeply tied to concepts of community and solidarity, as seen in historical contexts like mutual aid during wartime or in rural traditions. It reflects the value of 'коллективизм' (collectivism), where individual assistance strengthens social bonds, unlike more individualistic Western approaches.

Related Concepts:

• поддержка
• сочувствие
• взаимопомощь