# asking to help someone



## Serrand

Hello,

I would like to say : "George, Help Mary". It is not an order, but I ask for a favor.

Could I say : ο Γιώργος να βοηθήσει την Μαρία ?

Thank you very much for your help.


----------



## LoukasX

A good translation would be ''Γιώργο, βοήθησε τη Μαρία''. If you want it to sound more like a favor you can add a ''παρακαλώ'' in the end of the sentence, so we have ''Γιώργο, βοήθησε τη Μαρία παρακαλώ''.


----------



## Serrand

βοήθησε is the aorist imperative. If Γιώργος is a superior like a boss, should I use the imperative to ask for a favor ? That is why I used the subjunctive to make it sound like a wish. Am I right ?


----------



## LoukasX

Oh. Now I understand. I don't know if what you wrote would be acceptable and how it would sound to a bosses ears. If you are talking to a boss, a possible solution would be to say 'Γιώργο, μπορείς να βοηθήσεις τη Μαρία παρακαλώ;'. You could also add 'κύριε' before George to make sure that it will sound as you accept his excellence. So we have 'Κύριε Γιώργο, μπορείτε να βοηθήσετε τη Μαρία παρακαλώ;'.


----------



## LoukasX

A sentence even more polite is 'Κύριε Γιώργο, μήπως θα μπορούσατε να βοηθήσετε τη Μαρία παρακαλώ;'.


----------



## Serrand

Great ! Thank you very much.

What about my try "ο Γιώργος να βοηθήσει την Μαρία ?" Is it grammaticaly correct ? And if so, how could I use it ?


----------



## LoukasX

I don't think there is a grammatical mistake in your sentence but what you want to say is not said this way very often


----------



## ireney

Hi,
 Your sentence is basically the equivalent of saying "George should help Mary". It cannot be therefore used when talking to George but in all cases where you'd use the equivalent In English you can use your original sentence in Greek.
If you are talking to George you have to use second person: "Γιώργο να βοηθήσεις την Μαρία". Obviously if George is a boss a "please" would make the order go down easier


----------

