How do you say "Can you help me?" in German?

"Can you help me?" in German is "Können Sie mir helfen?". This phrase is commonly used in Germany.

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How to Say ‘Can you help me?’ in German

Q: What does "Können Sie mir helfen?" mean in English?

"Können Sie mir helfen?" means "Can you help me?" in English. Usage tip: [Sie] takes the same verb form as [sie] (they): [können], not [kannst]. [mir] means [to me], so literally this is more like [Can you help me?] than just [help?].

Können Sie mir helfen?

KUR-nen zee meer HEL-fen

[KUR-nen zee meer HEL-fen]

💬 Usage Tip: [Sie] takes the same verb form as [sie] (they): [können], not [kannst]. [mir] means [to me], so literally this is more like [Can you help me?] than just [help?].

🇩🇪 In Germany: A very normal polite way to ask a stranger for help. In Germany, opening with this before your actual question often lands better than jumping straight in.

Phrase Breakdown

Können

[KUR-nen]

can; are able to

A modal verb used to ask if someone is able to do something.

Example

Können Sie mir helfen? Ich bin neu hier.

Can you help me? I am new here.

Sie

[zee]

you

The formal pronoun used for polite questions.

Example

Können Sie mir helfen, bitte?

Can you help me, please?

mir

[meer]

me; to me

A dative pronoun meaning 'to me' in this phrase.

Example

Können Sie mir helfen mit dem Ticket?

Can you help me with the ticket?

helfen

[HEL-fen]

help

The verb meaning to give assistance.

Example

Können Sie mir helfen beim Finden des Hotels?

Can you help me find the hotel?

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