AtelierLe journal · French, understood
English

Language

The course

Updated

Phrasebook

Donner un coup de main: French phrases for lending a hand

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Offer help, ask for a hand and thank someone in French. Practise donner un coup de main in a move, a shared document and a polite request.

In short

Donner un coup de main à quelqu’un means “give someone a hand”. Say Je peux te donner un coup de main ? to offer help, or Tu peux me donner un coup de main ? to ask for it. Add pour + infinitive to name the task.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out

Friends carrying moving boxes into an apartment.
Offer un coup de main with the boxes. Illustration: Atelier
1

Offer help with a move

You see a friend carrying boxes. Offer a specific contribution.

YouTu veux un coup de main pour porter les cartons ?Would you like a hand carrying the boxes?
Your colleague or friendOui, merci. Tu peux prendre celui-ci ?Yes, thanks. Can you take this one?
YouBien sûr. Je le pose où ?Of course. Where shall I put it?
Your colleague or friendDans la cuisine, s’il te plaît.In the kitchen, please.
2

Ask a colleague about a document

The expression also works for a task at a desk.

YouTu peux me donner un coup de main avec ce tableau ?Can you give me a hand with this table?
Your colleague or friendOui. Qu’est-ce qu’il faut vérifier ?Yes. What needs checking?
YouLes noms et les dates, surtout.The names and dates, mainly.
Your colleague or friendD’accord, je commence par les noms.All right, I’ll start with the names.
3

Use vous and give a polite reply

YouPourriez-vous me donner un coup de main pour installer les chaises ?Could you give me a hand setting out the chairs?
Your colleague or friendJe termine ce message et j’arrive.I’ll finish this message and come over.
YouMerci pour le coup de main !Thanks for the help!
Your colleague or friendAvec plaisir !My pleasure!

How do you use donner un coup de main?

Three useful sentence frames
PurposeFrenchEnglish
Name the recipientJe donne un coup de main à Nora.I’m giving Nora a hand.
Replace the recipient with a pronounJe lui donne un coup de main.I’m giving her a hand.
Name the taskJe lui donne un coup de main pour ranger les livres.I’m helping her put the books away.

Me, te, lui and vous come before the conjugated verb: Tu me donnes un coup de main ? With pouvoir, put the pronoun before the infinitive: Tu peux me donner un coup de main ? In both questions, the other person is the helper and you receive the help.

Nora m’a donné un coup de main hier pour classer les livres.

Nora gave me a hand sorting the books yesterday.

The past tense reports help already given. Compare the present offer in the opening answer.

For a direct alternative, use aider quelqu’un à + infinitive: Nora m’aide à classer les livres. Notice the change from pour in the idiom to à after aider. Learn each complete frame with its preposition.

Je peux vous aider ? — Oui, vous pouvez me donner un coup de main pour installer les chaises ?

Can I help you? — Yes, can you give me a hand setting out the chairs?

The M15 speaking lesson practises this offer-and-request pattern with aider. Here the task gives the idiom a concrete purpose.

Question 1No account needed
You need someone to help you. Choose the request.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Tu peux me donner un coup de main ?. Tu peux me donner… asks the other person to help you. Je peux te donner… offers your help.

Question 2No account needed
Complete the direct alternative with aider.Elle m’aide ___ ranger les cartons.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

à. Use aider quelqu’un à faire quelque chose: Elle m’aide à ranger.

Question 3No account needed
Which sentence reports help given yesterday?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Elle m’a donné un coup de main hier.. A donné is the passé composé and hier places the help yesterday.

Keep going