मदद (madad)

noun A single-sense everyday noun meaning 'help/assistance', almost always paired with the verb करना (karnaa) or the frame की मदद से (kii madad se, 'with the help of').
Sense 1 : help, assistance
noun, feminine The standard verb pairing is मदद करना (madad karnaa, 'to help'), with the person helped marked by की (kii): उसकी मदद करो (uskii madad karo, 'help him/her'). The frame की मदद से (kii madad se) means 'with the help of/by means of' and is common with tools or instruments as well as people.
Synonyms: सहायता (sahaaytaa, slightly more formal), सहयोग (sahyog, cooperation/support), इमदाद (imdaad, literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: मदद (madad) is one of the first 'community' words learners pick up in India, since asking for or offering help is woven into daily life, from a stranger helping you find an address to neighbors pitching in during a wedding. You will also hear the urgent cry मदद करो! (madad karo!, 'Help!') if someone is in trouble, distinct from the calmer, planning-oriented tone of की मदद से (kii madad se).
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say उसे मदद करो (use madad karo) by analogy with English 'help him', but the correct construction takes की (kii): उसकी मदद करो (uskii madad karo). 2) मदद (madad) is used with करना (karnaa), not the more literal-sounding देना (denaa) for 'to help' (मदद देना (madad denaa) exists but is less idiomatic for the everyday sense of helping someone do something).
Sample Sentences:
मुझे थोड़ी मदद चाहिए। I need a little help.
(mujhe thodii madad chaahie।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बचाओ, कोई मदद करो! Help! Somebody help!
(bachaao, koii madad karo!)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
उसने मुसीबत में मेरी मदद की थी। He had helped me during a difficult time.
(usne musiibat men merii madad kii thii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
दोस्तों की मदद से हमने घर बनाया। With the help of friends, we built the house.
(doston kii madad se hamne ghar banaayaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगर वक्त हो तो कल मेरी मदद कर देना। If you have time, help me out tomorrow.
(agar vakt ho to kal merii madad kar denaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
वह हर जरूरतमंद की मदद करता है। He helps every person in need.
(vah har jarooratmand kii madad kartaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम मेरी मदद कर सकते हो? Can you help me?
(kyaa tum merii madad kar sakte ho?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
सरकार की मदद से यह योजना पूरी हुई। With the government's assistance, this scheme was completed.
(sarkaar kii madad se yah yojnaa poorii huii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
अगर उस समय कोई मदद करता तो हादसा टल जाता। If someone had helped at that time, the accident would have been averted.
(agar us samay koii madad kartaa to haadsaa tal jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
पीड़ितों की मदद के लिए राहत शिविर लगाए गए। Relief camps were set up to help the victims.
(piiditon kii madad ke lie raahat shivir lagaae gae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
बच्चा अपनी माँ की रसोई में मदद कर रहा है। The child is helping his mother in the kitchen.
(bachchaa apnii maan kii rasoii men madad kar rahaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): मदद (madad)
(sg.f.oblique): मदद (madad)
(pl.f.direct): मददें (madden)
(pl.f.oblique): मददों (maddon)