French Phrase
Comment je peux t'aider ?
Meaning
Literally, “How can I help you?” It is a friendly, informal way to offer assistance. The sentence uses the modal pouvoir to express ability and the object pronoun t' (te) to refer to the person being helped.
When to use
Use this phrase with friends, family, or anyone you address with the informal ‘tu’. It works well in casual conversations, at work with close colleagues, or when you want to show willingness to assist someone directly.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Commentjepeuxt'aider?
Comment
Interrogative adverb meaning 'how' used to introduce a question.
je
Subject pronoun 'I' (first person singular).
peux
Present tense of the modal verb pouvoir (to be able to).
t'
Clitic form of the second‑person singular object pronoun 'te' before a vowel.
aider
Infinitive verb meaning 'to help'.
🗨In Conversation
Comment je peux t'aider ?
How can I help you?
Tu peux m'expliquer comment remplir ce formulaire.
You can explain to me how to fill out this form.
✕Common Mistakes
Comment je peux aider ?
Missing the object pronoun; you need to specify who you are helping.
Comment je peux t'aides ?
The verb ‘aider’ stays in the infinitive after ‘pouvoir’; do not add -s.
Comment je peux t' vous aider ?
Mixing informal ‘t'’ with formal ‘vous’ is inconsistent; choose one pronoun.
↔Alternatives
Comment puis‑je t'aider ?
How can I help you? (more formal order)
Que puis‑je faire pour toi ?
What can I do for you?
Comment puis‑je vous aider ?
How can I help you? (formal, using ‘vous’)
Cultural Tip
In French, the level of formality is crucial. With strangers, acquaintances, or in professional settings you should use the formal pronoun ‘vous’: “Comment puis‑je vous aider ?”. The informal version with ‘t’ is reserved for people you know well. Also, placing the verb before the subject (puis‑je) is considered more polished, though the more common spoken order is ‘je peux’.