Emergencies
How to say “help” in Spanish
“¡Ayuda!” is the word for help. For a real emergency you can shout “¡socorro!” or “¡auxilio!”. To ask for help politely, say “¿me puede ayudar?” or “necesito ayuda”.
In Spanish
¡Ayuda!
Help!
Say it: ah-YOO-dah
Other ways to say “help”
-
¡Socorro!
Help!
An urgent cry, common in spain.
-
¡Auxilio!
Help!
Urgent cry common in latin america.
-
Necesito ayuda
I need help
Calm and clear.
-
¿Me puede ayudar?
Can you help me?
Polite request to a stranger.
Example sentences
-
¡Ayuda, por favor!
Help, please!
-
Necesito ayuda, me han robado el bolso.
I need help, my bag has been stolen.
-
¿Me puede ayudar con esto?
Can you help me with this?
How to reply
Sí, dígame.
Yes, tell me.
Good to know
- Emergency numbers differ: 112 in Spain and the EU, 911 in Mexico and many Latin American countries. Check the number for the country you are in.
- “Policía” (police), “ambulancia” and “bomberos” (firefighters) are the words to know.
Questions about “help” in Spanish
How do you say “help” in Spanish?
“help” in Spanish is “¡Ayuda!” (Help!). It is pronounced ah-YOO-dah. You can also say “¡Socorro!”, “¡Auxilio!”, “Necesito ayuda”.
How do you pronounce “¡Ayuda!”?
“¡Ayuda!” sounds like ah-YOO-dah. The capital letters mark the stressed syllable. Tap the speaker on this page to hear it.
What are other ways to say “help” in Spanish?
“¡Socorro!” (Help!): an urgent cry, common in Spain. “¡Auxilio!” (Help!): urgent cry common in Latin America. “Necesito ayuda” (I need help): calm and clear. “¿Me puede ayudar?” (Can you help me?): polite request to a stranger.
How do you reply to “¡Ayuda!”?
A natural reply is “Sí, dígame.” (Yes, tell me.).
Practise it, don't just read it.
Play short games with real Spanish sentences and audio, free on the web and in the Pinglingo app.