using lo with ayudar

Question

I have been studying spanish using a computer program and came upon this sentence: quizás está señora puede ayudarlo mejor, yo no sé.

if auydar is a reflexive verb than how can you use lo to mean you in the above sentence?

I think it was "esta señora" not "está-" - Goyo, Dec 30, 2011

Answer 1

¡Hola!, Omgirl :

In your example sentence, "Quizás esta señora puede ayudarlo mejor, yo no sé." ayudar is not a reflexive verb. This is identifiable since a reflexive verb would need to be used in company with one of the reflexive pronouns which are, "me, te, se, nos, os, and se".

The verb ayudar can be reflexive depending on the meaning, and if it were reflexive would be "ayudarse".

To get back to your question, it is because ayudar is not used reflexively in your example sentence that 'lo' is used to mean 'you'. As I understand your example sentence, in English it says, "Maybe this woman can help you better, I do not know."

Saludos y Feliz Año Nuevo,

Moe

you have a typo...ayudar; not aydar - 0074b507, Dec 30, 2011

Ok, now I'm confused. Wouldn't te be used? As in te ayuda? Or am I just way off base. - TanCansado, Dec 30, 2011

@QFreed - Thanks, Q. I fixed the typo. - Moe, Dec 30, 2011

@Austin - I've added my translation of the example sentence to my answer. You will see that i have a different translation from yours and that may be leading to your confusion. - Moe, Dec 30, 2011

You and Goyo cleared it up for me. Thanks! - TanCansado, Dec 30, 2011

gracias Moe; an excellent example! - omgirl, Dec 31, 2011

Answer 2

To say help me, it would be ayudame.

Informally, "Help me" would be "ayúdame" (with the tilde).

Formally, it would be "ayúdeme".

"Can you help me?" would be "¿Puede ayudarme?" or "¿Me puede ayudar?".

Thank you, I always forget accents. - TanCansado, Dec 30, 2011

Answer 3

lo is referring to "it"

So in the sentence, lo refers to what she can help make better. Its unstated.

"Perhaps this lady can help make it better. I don't know."

And after the 5 edit of this, I read your question completely.

To say help me, it would be ayudame.

No, "lo" can refer to "you"- if it's formal. Te is informal, lo/la are formal for "you" - Goyo, Dec 30, 2011

ahhhhh this is where I was getting confused. Thanks a lot. For some reason I forgot that. - TanCansado, Dec 30, 2011