Asking for help with a task | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: In a workplace, one adult asks for help with an unclear task and gets guidance on where to start..

EN → ES / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Asking for help with a task to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Necesito ayuda con esta tarea.

neh-seh-SEE-toh ah-YOO-dah kohn EH-stah tah-REH-ah I need help with this task.
B

¿Qué parte te parece difícil?

keh PAR-teh teh pah-REH-seh dee-FEE-seel Which part feels difficult?
A

La primera parte no está clara.

lah pree-MEH-rah PAR-teh noh eh-STAH KLAH-rah The first part is unclear.
B

Puedo explicarte cómo hacerlo.

PWEH-doh ehk-plee-KAR-teh KOH-moh ah-SER-loh I can walk you through it.
A

¿Debo empezar con este archivo?

DEH-boh ehk-peh-SAR kohn EH-steh ar-CHEE-boh Should I start with this file?
B

Empieza por ahí y luego enséñame lo que tienes.

ehk-MPYEH-sah por ah-EE ee LWEH-goh en-SEH-nyah-meh loh keh TYEH-nes Start there, then show me what you have.
A

Lo intentaré ahora.

loh een-ten-tah-REH ah-OH-rah I'll try that now.
B

Puedo revisar tu trabajo después de eso.

PWEH-doh reh-bee-SAR too trah-BAH-hoh dehs-PWEHS deh EH-soh I can check your work after that.

Word by Word

Necesito “Necesito” means “I need” here. It is the form used to say that the speaker needs something, as in “Necesito ayuda”. A common reuse pattern is “Necesito” plus a noun when asking for or stating a need.
ayuda “Ayuda” means “help” here and is the thing the speaker needs. In “Necesito ayuda”, it is used as a noun. You can reuse “ayuda” when asking for assistance with a task or problem.
con “Con” means “with” in “con esta tarea”, linking the help to the task. It commonly comes before a noun to show what something is connected with. Use “con” when saying that help or difficulty concerns a particular thing.
esta “Esta” means “this” and points to the nearby task in “esta tarea”. It is used before the feminine noun “tarea” in this dialogue. A reusable pattern is “esta” plus a feminine noun for one specific thing.
tarea “Tarea” means “task” in “esta tarea”. It refers to the piece of work that needs to be done. You can use “tarea” when discussing a work assignment or another defined task.
Qué “Qué” asks which or what in the question “¿Qué parte te parece difícil?”. It introduces the thing being asked about, here a part of the task. A common pattern is “¿Qué” plus a noun when asking which thing or part.
parte “Parte” means “part” in “Qué parte”. It identifies one section of the task. You can reuse “parte” when asking or talking about one section of a larger thing.
te “Te” refers to “you” in “te parece difícil”. It marks the person to whom something seems difficult. The reusable pattern “te parece” is used when describing how something seems to you.
parece “Parece” means “seems” or “feels” in “te parece difícil”. Together, “te parece difícil” asks whether the part seems difficult to you. This pattern can be reused with an adjective to describe your impression of something.
difícil “Difícil” means “difficult” in “te parece difícil”. It describes the part as not easy for the person being asked. You can use “difícil” after “parece” to describe how something seems.
La “La” means “the” in “La primera parte”. It identifies one specific feminine noun, “parte”. It is commonly placed before a feminine noun when referring to a particular thing.
primera “Primera” means “first” in “La primera parte”. It identifies the part that comes at the beginning of the task. You can use “primera” before a feminine noun to identify the first one.
no “No” makes the statement negative in “no está clara”. It shows that the first part is not clear. It is placed before the verb in this sentence to negate the statement.
está “Está” describes the current state of the first part in “está clara”. With “no”, “no está clara” means that it is not clear. A reusable pattern is “está” plus an adjective to describe a current state.
clara “Clara” means “clear” in “no está clara”. It describes whether the first part can be understood, and its form matches “parte” in this dialogue. You can use “está clara” to say that something is clear.
Puedo “Puedo” means “I can” in “Puedo explicarte cómo hacerlo”. It introduces something the speaker is able or willing to do. A common reuse pattern is “Puedo” plus an infinitive.
explicarte “Explicarte” means “explain to you” in “Puedo explicarte cómo hacerlo”. It contains the action of explaining and the “to you” part attached to the infinitive. Use “explicarte” when offering to explain something directly to one person.
cómo “Cómo” means “how” in “cómo hacerlo”. It introduces the way an action can be done. A reusable pattern is “cómo” plus an infinitive when explaining or asking about a method.
hacerlo “Hacerlo” means “do it” in “cómo hacerlo”. It combines the action “hacer” with “lo”, referring to the task or action already being discussed. Use “hacerlo” when referring to carrying out a known task.
Debo “Debo” means “should” or “must” in “¿Debo empezar con este archivo?”. It asks whether the speaker is expected to begin in a particular way. A common pattern is “Debo” plus an infinitive when asking what one should do.
empezar “Empezar” means “start” in “¿Debo empezar con este archivo?”. It is the action the speaker is asking about. It follows “Debo” in a reusable pattern for asking whether to begin an action.
este “Este” means “this” in “este archivo”. It points to one specific file. It is used before the masculine noun “archivo” in this dialogue.
archivo “Archivo” means “file” in “este archivo”. It is the file the speaker asks about starting with. You can use “archivo” when referring to a digital or work-related file.
Empieza “Empieza” means “start” as a direct instruction in “Empieza por ahí”. It tells one person to begin. You can use this form when giving a simple instruction about where or how to begin.
por “Por” helps express the starting point in “Empieza por ahí”. The whole phrase means to start there or begin from that point. A reusable pattern is “Empieza por” plus a place, step, or starting point.
ahí “Ahí” means “there” in “Empieza por ahí”. It points to the file or place just mentioned. You can use “ahí” to refer to a nearby or previously identified location.
y “Y” means “and” in “Empieza por ahí y luego enséñame”. It connects the instruction to the next action. Use “y” to join two related actions or ideas.
luego “Luego” means “then” in “y luego enséñame”. It places the next action after the first one. A common pattern is “luego” before an action that should happen afterward.
enséñame “Enséñame” means “show me” in “enséñame lo que tienes”. It is a direct instruction addressed to one person, with “me” showing who should be shown something. Use it when asking someone to show you a specific thing or result.
lo In “lo que tienes”, “lo” helps refer to the thing or things that the other person has. The meaning “what you have” comes from the whole expression “lo que tienes”, not from “lo” alone. This expression can be reused to refer to what someone has available.
que In “lo que tienes”, “que” links the thing being referred to with the information about having it. Together, “lo que tienes” means “what you have”. Use this construction when referring to the thing or things a person has.
tienes “Tienes” means “you have” in “lo que tienes”. It says that the other person possesses or has something available to show. A common pattern is “tienes” plus a noun when talking about what one person has.
intentaré “Intentaré” means “I will try” in “Lo intentaré ahora”. It says that the speaker plans to make an attempt now. You can use it when agreeing to try an action or follow advice.
ahora “Ahora” means “now” in “Lo intentaré ahora”. It places the attempt in the present moment. Use “ahora” when saying that something will happen immediately or at this time.
revisar “Revisar” means “check” or “review” in “Puedo revisar tu trabajo después de eso”. It is the action the speaker can perform on the other person’s work. It follows “Puedo” in a reusable pattern for offering to check something.
tu “Tu” means “your” in “tu trabajo”. It shows that the work belongs to or was done by the person being addressed. It is placed before a noun in this dialogue.
trabajo “Trabajo” means “work” in “tu trabajo”. It refers to the work produced by the person who is receiving help. You can use “trabajo” when discussing someone’s work in a workplace or task context.
después “Después” means “after” or “later” in “después de eso”. It places the review after the action just mentioned. A common pattern is “después de” plus a noun, pronoun, or event.
de “De” connects “después” with the thing that comes before the review in “después de eso”. The full expression “después de eso” means “after that”. Use “de” after “después” before the event or thing that comes later.
eso “Eso” means “that” in “después de eso”. It refers to the attempt mentioned immediately before, rather than naming the action again. You can use “eso” to refer to something already mentioned.

Grammar Points

Pronombre unido al infinitivo: explicarte

Puedo explicarte la primera parte.

PWEH-doh ehk-plee-KAR-teh lah pree-MEH-rah PAR-teh

I can explain the first part to you.

En español, el pronombre «te» puede unirse al infinitivo «explicar»: explicarte.

Futuro simple: intentaré + infinitivo

Intentaré revisar el trabajo después.

een-ten-tah-REH reh-bee-SAR ehl trah-BAH-hoh dehs-PWEHS

I will try to check the work later.

«Intentaré» expresa una acción futura y va seguido del infinitivo «revisar».

Spanish Vocabulary

ayuda noun
ah-YOO-dah help

Necesito ayuda con esta tarea.

clara adj
KLAH-rah clear

La primera parte no está clara.

Debo verb
DEH-boh should

¿Debo empezar con este archivo?

difícil adj
dee-FEE-seel difficult

¿Qué parte te parece difícil?

está verb
eh-STAH is

La primera parte no está clara.

explicarte verb
ehk-plee-KAR-teh explain to you

Puedo explicarte cómo hacerlo.

Necesito verb
neh-seh-SEE-toh need

Necesito ayuda con esta tarea.

parece verb
pah-REH-seh seems

¿Qué parte te parece difícil?

parte noun
PAR-teh part

¿Qué parte te parece difícil?

primera adj
pree-MEH-rah first

La primera parte no está clara.

Puedo verb
PWEH-doh can

Puedo explicarte cómo hacerlo.

tarea noun
tah-REH-ah task

Necesito ayuda con esta tarea.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I need help with this task.

Show AnswerNecesito ayuda con esta tarea.

Which part feels difficult?

Show Answer¿Qué parte te parece difícil?

The first part is unclear.

Show AnswerLa primera parte no está clara.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

seems

Show Answerparece

help

Show Answerayuda

task

Show Answertarea

clear

Show Answerclara