How to Say ‘I helped.’ in Japanese
手伝いをしました。
tetsudai o shi mashi ta
[teh-tsu-dah-ee oh shee mah-shee tah]
💬 Usage Tip: Simple and correct. For extra detail, add what/for whom: [祖母の手伝いをしました] (“I helped my grandmother”).
🇯🇵 In Japan: Interviewers like specifics. After this line, add 1–2 examples (meals, bathing support, cleaning) to sound credible.
Phrase Breakdown
手伝い
tetsudai
[teh-tsu-dah-ee]
help; assistance
Noun: “help.” In interviews it can soften your claim: “I helped (with care).”
祖母の介護の手伝いをしました。
I helped with my grandmother’s care.
を
o
[oh]
(object marker)
Marks 手伝い as the object of しました.
手伝いをしましたが、もっと学びたいです。
I helped, but I want to learn more.
しました
shi mashi ta
did (polite past)
Past polite form of 「する」. Used to say you did something: 「〜をしました」.
昨日、掃除をしました。
Yesterday, I cleaned.
Words in this phrase
し
shi
[shee]
do (verb stem)
Verb stem of する. Combined with ました to make polite past: しました.
食事の介助をし、見守りもしました。
I assisted with meals and also monitored.
まし
mashi
[mah-shee]
(polite verb ending, part of past form)
Part of しました; indicates polite style used in interviews.
介助をまし（※単独では使いません）。
(“まし” is not used alone; it’s part of the polite form.)
た
ta
[tah]
(past marker, part of polite past)
Finishes the polite past: ました. Used for completed actions.
手伝いをしまし た（※「た」は単独では使いません）。
(“た” is not used alone; it completes the past form.)
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