"Puedo ayudarla" vs. "Puedo ayudarle"

Question

Can you translate this into spanish using a pronoun?

"I can help her."

Is it "Puedo ayudarla" or "Puedo ayudarle" ???

To me, I think I would use "la" (a direct object pronoun), but most of the online translators seem to use "le" (an indirect object pronoun).

Thanks!!!

Great question! :) - 0066c384, Mar 15, 2011

Welcome to the froum:) - 00494d19, Mar 15, 2011

Fixed a small typo... there was a U missing in the second "ayudar". =) - DJ_Huero, Mar 15, 2011

Answer 1

Both are used in contemporary parlance, but it is more correct to say "ayudarla" than "ayudarle," since the person you're going to help is the direct object of the verb, that is, the recipient of the action of helping. "Ayudarle" is an example of a leísmo. Again, these are both commonly used & you will be understood either with la or le in this context.

Thanks fort he response! - scuba561, Mar 16, 2011

Answer 2

I am not sure if that falls into "leísmo" or not.

But consider the following:

Puedo ayudarla? Can I help you? (female) Can I help her?

Puedo ayudarle (a usted) = Can I help you? (male or female)

Leísmo would be if you try to use "puedo ayudarle" to mean "Can I help her/him"

Answer 3

In some places, it does matter which one you use: I have heard: ¿Puedo ayudarle señorita? ¿Puedo ayudarle señor? I'm not saying it is right, but that is the way some people use it when talking. You might want to study "leísmo" to see if you can understand better this type of situation. I think that in some cases, depending on the type of verb, you could use "le" instead of "la." Examples: A mi madre la asombro cuando como mucho. A mi madre le asombra mi apetito.

Answer 4

I remember somewhere in Collins. Pocket Grammar, it says when it refers to a person, le can be used equally. But still, some in Spanish speaking countries refuse to use that and keep using la. So I guess both are ok.

Answer 5

I would like to take a shot at this one. I am a student, so consider the source.

In this case, "ayudar" is used as a transitive verb. By my understanding, the help is provided "to her", meaning "her" assumes the role of indirect object.

Here is a link I used to arrive at that conclusion

link text

I may be totally wrong, but my guess is "le", since I believe "her" is the indirect object in this case.

edit begins here ---

I appear to be wrong with this answer. In this sentence, "her" appears to be the direct object.

Answer 6

I agree that "she" is the direct object, and therefore, we would use "la."

Answer 7

I believe that you would use "le".

I am not sure, though. I have read many threads dealing with the same issue, and it seems that nobody agrees. One half say to use "le" and the other half says to use "la".

Here are som similar threads:

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/133914/to-help-her-do-something-where-is-the-direct-object-

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=1684062

Answer 8

No, ayudar takes the direct object pronoun, so the OP is correct, it's "puedo ayudarla". Think of it, you help someone directly.