Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'assist' is a versatile and vital part of our vocabulary, denoting the act of helping or supporting another person in need. Its significance extends beyond mere semantics, as it embodies the very essence of human cooperation and kindness. Throughout history, acts of assistance have played a crucial role in shaping our societies and cultures, from heroic rescues to everyday favors. Understanding the translation of 'assist' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the unique perspectives and values of various cultures around the world.
For instance, the Spanish translation of 'assist' is 'ayudar,' which shares its roots with the word 'help.' Meanwhile, in German, 'assist' becomes 'assistieren,' reflecting the language's emphasis on precision and clarity. In Japanese, 'assist' is translated as 'tesudai suru,' highlighting the humility and respect inherent in Japanese culture.
Join us as we explore the many translations of 'assist' in languages from every corner of the globe, shedding light on the fascinating cultural nuances and historical contexts that make each one unique.
Afrikaans | bystaan | ||
The Afrikaans word "bystaan" comes from the Dutch word "bijstaan", which also means "to assist". | |||
Amharic | መርዳት | ||
The word መርዳት (mərdat) in Amharic also means 'to escort' and 'to accompany' | |||
Hausa | taimaka | ||
While taimaka most commonly means 'help', it can also mean 'assist', 'support', 'aid', or 'facilitate' in Hausa. | |||
Igbo | inyere aka | ||
"Aka" in "inyere aka" connotes "support" or "backing", not simply "helping." | |||
Malagasy | hanampy | ||
"Hanampy" comes from the French word "aider", meaning "to help". | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | thandiza | ||
The verb 'thandiza' is also used to mean 'help' or 'support' in Nyanja. | |||
Shona | batsira | ||
The word 'batsira' also means 'to help' or 'to aid' in Shona. | |||
Somali | caawin | ||
The Somali word "caawin" is derived from the Arabic word "al-ma'una" which has the broader meaning of help or aid. | |||
Sesotho | thusa | ||
The word "thusa" in Sesotho derives from the Proto-Bantu root "-tus-", meaning "to work". It also has the alternate meaning of "to cultivate". | |||
Swahili | kusaidia | ||
Kusaidia is also used in a metaphorical context to indicate support and assistance. | |||
Xhosa | ncedisa | ||
The noun form 'incede' (a helper) refers to the role of young women within a household | |||
Yoruba | iranlọwọ | ||
"Iran l'ọwọ" is etymologically derived from "Iran-ni-l'owo" - "I have the wealth (resources) for it", emphasizing assistance in terms of providing resources for achieving a goal. | |||
Zulu | siza | ||
The word "siza" in Zulu also means "to help" or "to support." | |||
Bambara | ka dɛmɛ don | ||
Ewe | kpeɖeŋu | ||
Kinyarwanda | fasha | ||
Lingala | kosalisa | ||
Luganda | okuyamba | ||
Sepedi | thuša | ||
Twi (Akan) | boa | ||
Arabic | مساعدة | ||
In addition to "assist," "مساعدة" can mean "aid," "help," or "support"} | |||
Hebrew | לסייע | ||
The Hebrew word לסייע originated from the Greek word "synethein" | |||
Pashto | مرسته | ||
The Pashto word "مرسته" also means "help" or "aid". | |||
Arabic | مساعدة | ||
In addition to "assist," "مساعدة" can mean "aid," "help," or "support"} |
Albanian | ndihmoj | ||
The Albanian word "ndihmoj" (assist) derives from the Slavic word "pomoći," meaning "to help." | |||
Basque | lagundu | ||
The Basque word "lagundu" also means "to help" or "to aid". | |||
Catalan | ajudar | ||
The verb "ajudar" (assist) also means "help" and comes from the Latin "adiutare" with an assimilated "r". | |||
Croatian | pomoći | ||
"Pomoći" can also be used figuratively to describe someone aiding others emotionally | |||
Danish | hjælpe | ||
The word 'hjælpe' is derived from the Old Norse word 'hjalpa', which means 'to assist' or 'to support'. | |||
Dutch | helpen | ||
The word "helpen" in Dutch is derived from the Proto-Germanic *helpaną, meaning "to seize" or "to grasp". | |||
English | assist | ||
The word "assist" derives from the Latin "assistere," meaning "to stand by" or "to aid." | |||
French | aider | ||
In French, the word 'aider' comes from the Latin 'adjutare', meaning 'to help or assist'. | |||
Frisian | helpe | ||
The word "helpe" also means "handle" or "grip" in Frisian. | |||
Galician | axudar | ||
The word 'axudar' is a borrowing from Portuguese, with an original meaning of 'help', and is related to the Portuguese word 'ajudar'. In Galician, it means 'to assist'. | |||
German | helfen | ||
The word "helfen" is derived from the Old High German word "helf-an," meaning "to seize" or "to lay hold of." | |||
Icelandic | aðstoða | ||
"Aðstoða" (assist) in Icelandic also means "to be in the way," "to prevent," or "to hinder." | |||
Irish | cúnamh | ||
The word 'cúnamh' has its roots in the Proto-Indo-European language, and is cognate with the Latin 'conatus', meaning 'attempt'. | |||
Italian | assistere | ||
The Italian word "assistere" ultimately derives from the Latin expression "ad-sistere", meaning "to stand by". | |||
Luxembourgish | hëllefen | ||
The word 'hëllefen' is derived from the Old High German word 'helfan', which also means 'to heal' and 'to help'. | |||
Maltese | tassisti | ||
The word "tassisti" can also be used to refer to a taxi driver in Maltese. | |||
Norwegian | assistere | ||
Norwegian "assistere" comes from Latin "assistere," meaning "to stand by", and can also mean "to provide aid" or "to be present"} | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | ajudar | ||
"Ajudar" derives from the Latin "adiutare", meaning "to aid", "to support", and also "to be present at". | |||
Scots Gaelic | cuideachadh | ||
"Cuideachadh" can also mean "to take care of" or "to look after". | |||
Spanish | ayudar | ||
In addition to "assist," "ayudar" can mean "benefit," "favor," or even "heal." | |||
Swedish | hjälpa | ||
The word "hjälpa" is derived from the Old Norse word "hjalpa", which means "to support". It can also be used to mean "to heal" or "to save". | |||
Welsh | cynorthwyo | ||
The Welsh word 'cynorthwyo' originates from 'cynorthwy', meaning 'help', and is related to the word 'cynor', meaning 'lord' or 'master'. |
Belarusian | дапамагаць | ||
"Дапамагаць" comes from the Old East Slavic word "помогати", which also means "help" or "support". | |||
Bosnian | pomoć | ||
The word "pomoć" also means "help" in Bosnian. | |||
Bulgarian | съдействие | ||
The word "съдействие" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "съдѣиство", which means "help" or "assistance". | |||
Czech | pomáhat | ||
The verb 'pomáhat' derives from the noun 'pomoc' ('help'), and also means 'to help' in modern Czech. | |||
Estonian | abistama | ||
The word "abistama" in Estonian originated from the German "beistehen", meaning "to stand by someone's side". | |||
Finnish | avustaa | ||
"Avustaa" (assist) in Finnish shares etymological origins with "auxiliary," both derived from the Latin root "augere" (increase). | |||
Hungarian | segít | ||
"segít" shares the same root as "segély", meaning aid, assistance, or support. | |||
Latvian | palīdzēt | ||
The word "palīdzēt" is derived from the Proto-Baltic root *p(a)l- "help, aid" which is of common Indo-European origin. | |||
Lithuanian | asistuoti | ||
The word "asistuoti" also means "to help" or "to support" in Lithuanian. | |||
Macedonian | асистираат | ||
The Macedonian word "асистираат" comes from the French "assister" and can also mean "to be present" or "to accompany." | |||
Polish | wspierać | ||
Wspierać has another meaning, "to support", and derives from the Proto-Slavic word "*sper-ti". | |||
Romanian | asista | ||
In Romanian, the word "asista" also means "attend"} | |||
Russian | помогать | ||
The word "помогать" ("assist") originally meant "to give help to someone who is weak or sick". | |||
Serbian | помоћ | ||
The word "помоћ" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *pomogъ, meaning "help, aid." | |||
Slovak | pomáhať | ||
The word "pomáhať" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *pomogti, meaning "to help" or "to aid". | |||
Slovenian | pomagati | ||
The word 'pomagati' in Slovenian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word 'pomogati', meaning 'to help' or 'to assist'. | |||
Ukrainian | допомогти | ||
The Ukrainian verb "допомогти" derives from the Proto-Slavic root *pomošti, meaning "to help". |
Bengali | সহায়তা করুন | ||
"সহায়তা করুন" is derived from the Sanskrit word "sahay" meaning "help" or "assist" and the verb "koro" meaning "to do" or "to make." | |||
Gujarati | સહાય કરો | ||
સહાય કરો is a Gujarati verb that is often used in the context of offering help or providing assistance to someone. | |||
Hindi | सहायता | ||
सहायता, meaning "assist" can also refer to a type of Ayurvedic medicine. | |||
Kannada | ಸಹಾಯ | ||
The Kannada word "ಸಹಾಯ" can also be used to refer to "help", "aid", or "support". | |||
Malayalam | സഹായിക്കുക | ||
The word 'സഹായിക്കുക' ('assist') is also used to refer to 'aid' or 'help', as in 'someone who aids or helps'. This can be extended to refer to providing 'support' or 'assistance' to someone. | |||
Marathi | मदत करा | ||
मदत करा in Marathi can also refer to 'giving support'. | |||
Nepali | सहायता गर्नुहोस् | ||
The Nepali word 'सहायता गर्नुहोस्' ('assist') derives from the Sanskrit word 'sahayata', which means 'help' or 'support'. | |||
Punjabi | ਸਹਾਇਤਾ ਕਰੋ | ||
The word 'सहायता ਕਰੋ' ('assist') is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit word 'सहाय' ('help'), which also gave rise to the Hindi word 'सहायता' ('assistance'). | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | සහාය | ||
In Sinhalese, the word සහාය also refers to the act of protecting, supporting or favouring something. | |||
Tamil | உதவு | ||
உதவு (udavu) is also used to mean "to help," "to aid," or "to support" in Tamil. | |||
Telugu | సహాయం | ||
The word "సహాయం" also means "assistance" and "support". | |||
Urdu | مدد کریں | ||
The word "مدد کریں" literally means "extend my hand" in Urdu, implying a physical act of assistance. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 助攻 | ||
助攻 (simplified) is an old military term from ancient Chinese and literally meant "support from an allied force". | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 助攻 | ||
助攻 in the Chinese language has the alternative meaning of helping someone out or lending a helping hand. | |||
Japanese | 支援する | ||
"支援する" (assist) is a compound verb that can also mean "to support" or "to help out". | |||
Korean | 돕다 | ||
돕다 is also used to refer to "assisting oneself," a meaning not present in the English word "assist." | |||
Mongolian | туслах | ||
The word "туслах" is a denominal verb derived from the noun "туслал" which means "help" or "support." | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ကူညီ | ||
The word "ကူညီ" can also mean "to help" or "to cooperate" in Burmese. |
Indonesian | membantu | ||
Membantu is derived from the Malay word 'bantu', meaning 'to help' or 'to aid'. | |||
Javanese | nulungi | ||
"Nulungi" in Javanese not only means "assist" but also "to help" and "to support". | |||
Khmer | ជួយ | ||
The word “ជួយ” can also mean “to help” or “to support”. | |||
Lao | ຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອ | ||
Malay | menolong | ||
The term menolong derives from the Proto-Austronesian term *tulun 'to help'. | |||
Thai | ช่วยเหลือ | ||
The word "ช่วยเหลือ" can also mean "to protect", "to support", or "to rescue". | |||
Vietnamese | hỗ trợ | ||
Hỗ trợ literally means to support or to lean on; it can also be used to mean assistance or help. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | tumulong | ||
Azerbaijani | kömək etmək | ||
The word "kömək etmək" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Persian word "کمک", which also means "help" or "assistance". | |||
Kazakh | көмектесу | ||
The word "көмектесу" also means "to help each other". | |||
Kyrgyz | жардам берүү | ||
The word "жардам берүү" is derived from the Persian word "ياردم" ( yardım) which means "help, assistance, support, aid". | |||
Tajik | кӯмак расонидан | ||
Turkmen | kömek et | ||
Uzbek | yordam berish | ||
Yordam berish means 'assistance' and comes from the Turkish word 'yardım'. It can also refer to financial aid or any other kind of support. | |||
Uyghur | ياردەم | ||
Hawaiian | kōkua | ||
The Hawaiian word 'kōkua' can also mean 'help', 'aid', or 'support', and is often used in the context of community assistance. | |||
Maori | awhina | ||
Awhina, "assist" in Maori, derives from "awhi," embracing; hence, to hold close. | |||
Samoan | fesoasoani | ||
In the 19th century, fesoasoani was sometimes used to refer to a person who provided assistance or leadership, rather than the act of assisting. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | tulungan | ||
The Tagalog word "tulungan" is related to the word "tulong," which means "help" or "aid," and also has a sense of "mutual help" or "cooperation." |
Aymara | chikanchasiña | ||
Guarani | pytyvõ | ||
Esperanto | helpi | ||
The word "helpi" can also mean "to serve" or "to help out". | |||
Latin | adiuvaret | ||
The word "adiuvaret" can also mean "to help" or "to support". |
Greek | βοηθώ | ||
The word 'βοηθώ' comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰeh₂, meaning 'to strike,' and is related to the Sanskrit word 'bahu,' meaning 'arm.' | |||
Hmong | pab | ||
"Pab" can also mean "help" or "support". | |||
Kurdish | alîkirin | ||
The word 'alîkirin' is derived from the Persian word 'alî yâr', which means 'helper'. | |||
Turkish | yardım | ||
The Ottoman Turkish word 'yardım' originally meant 'help' in Persian, and derives from the old Persian word 'yari' meaning 'friend'. | |||
Xhosa | ncedisa | ||
The noun form 'incede' (a helper) refers to the role of young women within a household | |||
Yiddish | אַרוישעלפן | ||
The component 'ארויס' ('out') in "אַרוישעלפן" ('assist') implies assisting someone out of a predicament or unfavorable situation. | |||
Zulu | siza | ||
The word "siza" in Zulu also means "to help" or "to support." | |||
Assamese | সাহায্য | ||
Aymara | chikanchasiña | ||
Bhojpuri | हाथ बँटावल | ||
Dhivehi | އެހީވުން | ||
Dogri | मदाद करना | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | tumulong | ||
Guarani | pytyvõ | ||
Ilocano | baddangan | ||
Krio | ɛp | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | یارمەتی | ||
Maithili | सहयोग देनाइ | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯇꯦꯡꯕꯥꯡꯕ | ||
Mizo | tanpui | ||
Oromo | gargaaruu | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ସାହାଯ୍ୟ କରନ୍ତୁ | ||
Quechua | riy | ||
Sanskrit | सहाय् | ||
Tatar | булыш | ||
Tigrinya | ሓገዝ | ||
Tsonga | pfuna | ||