Hi, Spanishdicters. "Les pido ayudarme". "Pedir" + infinitive = correct?
First of all, thanks in advance for any help provided. I have heard various different answers to this query, and all of them seem to contradict the other.
I am familiar with "Les pedí que me ayudaran," but I have also heard "Les pedí ayudarme." Some people have indicated that, specifically with "pedir," you can not use an infinitive to form a periphrastic form without a nexus word. Other people have said that you could, but only in the present ("Les pido ayudarme. Me pide ayudarlo. Te piden ayudarles. (Is pedir a verbo de influencia, de causación, de persuación? How is this verb classified?), (I apologize if I am using the incorrect terminology, by the way)
Les pediría que me ayudaran , pero no me atrevo.
Les pediría ayudarme, pero no me atrevo. (¿correcto?)
Me han pedido que les enseñe, pero no tengo el conocimiento
Me han pedido enseñarles, mas no tengo el conocimiento. (¿correcto?)
How is this construction called? Please, guys, I beg you...I really want some help, because this is one of those things that won't let me sleep. 
I have an abbreviated version of Nueva Gramática de la Lengua Española, but I can't seem to find anything on it (or maybe I don't know where to look).
¡Graciñas!
4 Answers
Some people have indicated that, specifically with "pedir," you can not use an infinitive to form a periphrastic form without a nexus word.
That is not true, but see my comments below.
Other people have said that you could, but only in the present ("Les pido ayudarme. Me pide ayudarlo. Te piden ayudarles.
That is utter nonsense. See a counter-example below.
(Is pedir a verbo de influencia, de causación, de persuación? How is this verb classified?)
That's the tricky part: it is both "influencia" and "voluntad" at the same time, because you are trying to get someone to do something, but at the same time, it expresses a wish. To a certain extent, natives perceive "Le dije que viniera" and "Le pedí que viniera" are very similar, with a meaning closer to informing rather than influencing people, which explain why the subjunctive with "que" is much more common than the infinitive alternative, which can sound a bit strange sometimes to some people outside of formal styles. I personally would never say "Les pido ayudarme".
The fact that it is a verb of "voluntad" too, explains why the infinitive can also be used when the verb refers to the main subject. Thus, in "Le pediré poder participar también" (=Le pediré que me deje poder participar), that "poder" refers to myself, and you can even say "Le pediré poder participar yo también". The potential ambiguity without explicitly stating the subject of the infinitive is another reason to use que + subjunctive when you are trying to influence others.
The three-volume version Nueva gramática de la lengua española (Notice that only "Nueva" is capitalised!) gives the following example of "pedir" as a verb of "influencia":
Le pidieron no salir del escondite antes que ellos...
How is this construction called?
When the infinitive matches the object of verbs of "influencia", the construction is called "causativa".
This link might be helpful? How to use pedir 
And there's this point too: Pedir
The following verbs may use subjunctive or infinitive, but are not followed by 'a.' When they use the subjunctive, they must be followed by que:
dejar to allow / let
No me dejaron salir que saliera. (The wouldn't let me out.)
mandar to order
Les mandé limpiar / que limpiara la cocina. (I ordered them to clean the kitchen.)
pedir to ask (request) Te pedí callarse / que te calles. (I asked you to be quiet.)
Interesting, KiwiGirl. (Thanks a million)
Does this mean that:
Me pidió acompañarle would necessarily need to be said instead as Me pidió que lo acompañara, because it means that HE asked ME to go with him?
I am confused still, but I so appreciate your help. You rock!
