ayudó

Ayudó is the third-person singular form of the Spanish verb ayudar in the pretérito indefinido (simple past). It corresponds to "he helped," "she helped," or the formal you helped (usted) in a completed past action. The verb ayudar is regular in this tense, following the standard -ar verb endings: yo ayudé, tú ayudaste, él/ella/usted ayudó, nosotros ayudamos, vosotros ayudasteis, ellos/ellas/ustedes ayudaron. The accent on la vocal ó is required to indicate the stressed syllable in this past-tense form.

Usage and meaning

Ayudó describes an action in the past in which someone provided assistance or support to another person or entity. It is commonly used in narrative or factual statements about past events. It can express physical aid, emotional support, or help in solving a problem, depending on the verb phrase that accompanies it (e.g., ayudar a alguien, ayudar a resolver).

Distinctions

- Ayudó is distinct from ayuda (the noun meaning "help" or "aid") and from ayudar (the infinitive verb "to help").

- It differs from ayudas or ayudas, which are plural or different forms of the verb in other tenses or persons.

- In many Spanish varieties, context or accompanying pronouns clarify the subject (él, ella, usted, etc.).

Etymology

Ayudar comes from the Latin adiuvare, meaning “to aid” or “to help.” Ayudó retains a regular conjugation pattern for -ar verbs in the past tense, with orthographic accent marking on the final syllable.