Helfen
/ˈhɛlfən/noun
To give assistance or support to someone.
Did you know?German helfen is a direct descendant of Proto-Germanic *helpanan, and its English cousin is help — a reminder that some of the most ordinary words are survival spells from the oldest layer of the language.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*helpanan
“to help, support, aid”
Old English
OE
helpan
“to help, aid, assist”
Old High German
OHG
helfan
“to help, support”
Middle High German
MHG
helfen
“to help, assist”
Modern German
German
helfen
“to help, assist”