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How to Say ‘I want to help’ in Japanese

手伝いたいです

tetsudai tai desu

[teh-tsoo-DAH-ee tie desu]

💬 Usage Tip: To say "want to do" something, swap the ます ending for たい. For example, 手伝います becomes 手伝いたい, and 働きます becomes 働きたい "want to work." Adding です makes it polite.

Phrase Breakdown

手伝い

tetsudai

[teh-tsoo-DAH-ee]

help (stem)

Stem of 手伝う, to help or assist someone.

Example

母を手伝いました。

I helped my mother.

たい

tai

[tie]

want to

Added to a verb stem to express the speaker's desire to do something.

Example

前の方の席を予約したいです。

I want to reserve seats toward the front.

です

desu

[desu]

is; polite ending

A polite sentence ending often used to soften statements.

Example

キャンセルしたいです。

I want to cancel.

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