Lending a hand
Idioms, Stage 1chunk 2 of 21Getting on with people
Offering and giving help, from a quick hand to joining forces.
- te o kasuhelp out, give someone a handliterally “lend a hand”
- chikara ni narube there for someone, helpliterally “become (someone's) strength”
- chikara o kasulend your support, help (with something big)literally “lend strength”
- chikara o awaserupull together, join forcesliterally “put strengths together”
Mix-ups te o kasu (a quick hand) vs chikara o kasu (back something bigger) share kasu; chikara ni naru (be there for someone) vs chikara o awaseru (join forces) share chikara.
te o kasu
polite te o kashimasu
“lend a hand”
help out, give someone a hand
In English: lend a hand
The everyday ask or offer for a quick bit of hands-on help, usually chotto te kashite (give me a hand). chikara o kasu is backing for something bigger, and chikara ni naru is any support ('anything I can do'). Also an accomplice's help: hanzai ni te o kasu (help with a crime).
Plain alternative: tetsudau (tetsudatte = help me).
kore omoi kara, chotto te kashite.
This is heavy, give me a hand.
これ重いから、ちょっと手貸して。
kore omoi node, chotto te o kashite moraemasu ka?
This is heavy, could you give me a hand?
これ重いので、ちょっと手を貸してもらえますか？
Written 手を貸す · てをかすHeard 640× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside chikara ni naru, chikara o kasu, chikara o awaseruMain list kasu (Stage 2), -te (Stage 2), -te moraeru? (Stage 2), chotto (Stage 1)
chikara ni naru
polite chikara ni narimasu
“become (someone's) strength”
be there for someone, help
In English: be there for someone
The go-to offer of support when someone is struggling, mostly in the potential: chikara ni nareru koto attara itte, or chikara ni narenakute gomen. It covers any help at all; te o kasu is a quick hand and chikara o kasu is backing something big.
nanka chikara ni nareru koto attara itte ne.
If there's anything I can do, just say.
なんか力になれることあったら言ってね。
nanika chikara ni nareru koto ga attara, itte kudasai ne.
If there's anything I can do, just say.
何か力になれることがあったら、言ってくださいね。
Written 力になる · ちからになるHeard 422× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside te o kasu, chikara o kasu, chikara o awaseruMain list naru (Stage 1), -eru / -rareru (Stage 2), -tara (Stage 2)
chikara o kasu
polite chikara o kashimasu
“lend strength”
lend your support, help (with something big)
The serious ask for backing on a project, a cause or a hard situation: chikara o kashite hoshii (I need your help). Bigger than te o kasu (a quick hand); chikara ni naru is offering support yourself.
chie o kasu = help someone think something through.
kono purojekuto, chikara kashite kurenai?
Would you help me out on this project?
このプロジェクト、力貸してくれない？
kono purojekuto ni, zehi chikara o kashite itadakemasen ka?
Would you be willing to help us with this project?
このプロジェクトに、ぜひ力を貸していただけませんか？
Written 力を貸す · ちからをかすHeard 267× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside te o kasu, chikara ni naru, chikara o awaseruMain list kasu (Stage 2), -te kurenai? (Stage 2), -te hoshii (Stage 2)
chikara o awaseru
polite chikara o awasemasu
“put strengths together”
pull together, join forces
In English: pull together
The rallying line for a team, class, family or workplace facing something hard, usually minna de chikara o awasete (all of us together). Heard in pep talks and speeches as much as in chat; te o kumu is two sides forming an alliance.
minna de chikara awasete ganbarou!
Let's all pull together!
みんなで力合わせて頑張ろう！
minna de chikara o awasete ganbarimashou.
Let's all pull together and do our best.
みんなで力を合わせて頑張りましょう。
Written 力を合わせる · ちからをあわせるHeard 137× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside te o kasu, chikara ni naru, chikara o kasuMain list minna (Stage 1), ganbaru (Stage 4), -ou / -you (Stage 4)