hilfreich

Hilfreich is a German adjective meaning helpful or useful. It describes information, actions, or persons that provide aid or support. In everyday language, something is called hilfreich when it makes a task easier, reduces uncertainty, or enables a positive outcome. Examples include eine hilfreiche Anleitung (a helpful manual), hilfreiche Hinweise (useful tips), or eine hilfreiche Hand (a helping hand). In sentences it can appear as Die Hinweise waren hilfreich or Es war hilfreich, früh zu fragen.

Etymology and form: The word derives from Hilfe (help) and the adjectival suffix -reich, forming gleichsam “full of help.” The term is attested in Middle High German and has continued to be used into modern German. As an adjective, hilfreich declines like other strong adjectives (hilfreiche Tipps, hilfreiche Informationen; der hilfreiche Rat; die hilfreiche Unterstützung).

Usage notes: Hilfreich is primarily evaluative, implying usefulness in a given situation rather than a purely factual attribute. It is often contrasted with nützlich, which also means useful but can carry a more practical or instrumental sense. It is distinct from hilfsbereit, which describes a person who is willing to help rather than the help itself. The word commonly appears with predicates after sein (ist/war hilfreich) and with attributive or predicative placements.

See also: Hilfe, Hilfsbereitschaft, Nützlichkeit, Nützlich.