While traveling, many people often encounter difficulties. Unknown matter or things that need help from Japanese people unexpectedly. In Japan, there are still quite a few people who are not fluent in English. Therefore, the opportunity to communicate with each other in English is not very high. In this situation, if you can communicate in Japanese easily, it’s no problem.
In Japanese, the basic and most common phrase for “I need help” is “Sumimasen Tasukete kudasai” (すみません。助けてください。). It translates as “Sorry, please help me”. If you want to say it more politely you can use the phrase “Tasukete kudasai masenka (助けてくださいませんか。) which means “Can you please help me?”
If you remember this phrase, you’ll be good to go both in daily life and in emergencies. You can use different phrases to say “I need help” in Japanese, depending on the situation. For more information on common phrases and when to use them, read on.
How to Say “I Need Help” 10 Common Phrases
In Japan and abroad, indoors and outdoors, from small to big things.
You might think, “I want you to help me!”
However, there are many ways to say… In such a case, this article may be helpful!
1) これを手伝ってくれませんか? Can you give me a hand with this?
2) 少し手伝ってくれませんか。Could you help me for a second?
Explain: This is the way you say “Can you help me?” when you need help moving your luggage or getting help from another. If you require assistance, please inform us of what you need.
If you are in a sudden accident, you can say “Help me”, but if you want the other person to help you or assist you in your life, you should politely request that.
It’s even more polite if you add “for a second” when you want to be helped because you only need a little politely.
3) お願いがあるのですが? Can I ask you a favor?
Explain: You should use “お願い” when asking. Whenever you have a request, “お願い” means kindness and favor expressed through the phrase “ask you a favor”.
4) 手を貸してくれませんか。 Give me a hand with this, will you?
Explain: Directly, it is a way of asking for help. Whenever a request needs to be handled, The expression is a general one that implies asking the other party something.
5)これを手伝ってくれませんか。 I wonder if you could help me with this?
6)手が回らないので、助けてもらえますか。 I can’t manage. Can you help?
Explain: It is used when you have something you can’t do, and when you have many tasks such as work, you can ask someone for help.
7) 手を貸してくれませんか。Lend me a hand with this, will you?
Explain: It is often used by older people or when you want help for a long time.
8) ちょっといいですか? Could you spare me a minute?
9) 手助けしてくれませんか I need some help, please.
Explain: It is a direct way of communicating, and is often used in everyday situations and when you want people around you to help you in an emergency or accident.
10) 少々お手伝いいただけますか I could do with some help, please.
Explain: It’s a direct and slightly stronger expression, but it’s used when you really want help.
Sentences for asking for help when the unexpected happens in Japanese
We encounter unexpected events when we meet. No matter what happens in Japan, an accident or crime happens. How do we seek help? let’s learn
| 助けてください。 | Tasuketekudasai | Please help me. | |
| 待て! どろぼう! | Mate! Doro bō! | Stop! Thief! | |
| 警察を呼んで下さい。 | Keisatsu o yonde kudasai. | Please call the police. | |
| 救急車を呼んでください。 | Kyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai. | Please call the ambulance. | |
| 財布をなくした。 | Saifu o nakushita. | I lost my wallet. | |
| ひったくりに遭いました。 | Hittakuri ni aimashita. | I have been robbed. |