aidé

Aidé is the masculine past participle of the French verb aider, meaning to help or assist. It can function as a participle in compound tenses or as an adjective. In the passé composé, it forms j'ai aidé, tu as aidé, il a aidé. When the direct object precedes the verb, the participle agrees in gender and number (les amis que j'ai aidés; elle m'a aidée).

As an adjective, aidé describes someone or something that has received help. Examples include un enfant aidé or une personne aidée. The term can also qualify programs or actions designed to provide assistance, as in une aide destinée aux personnes aidées.

Noun use exists in a social or administrative context: l'aidé (masculine) or l'aidée (feminine) can refer to a person who has benefited from aid. This noun is most common in formal discourse or policy language, such as descriptions of welfare programs, support services, or beneficiary groups: les aidés du dispositif, le nombre d'aidés.

Etymology and related forms: aidé derives from aider plus the -é participle ending. Related words include aide (the act of helping or assistance) and aidant, which denotes a helper. The gendered forms aidé/aidée align with the noun or pronoun they modify.

In usage, aidé is a common, neutral term in French grammar and social vocabulary. Its meaning hinges on context, referring to the act of helping, the help itself, or the recipient of assistance.