1.
to be saved, to survive
To escape danger.
命が助かった。
My life was saved.
全員助かった。
Everyone was saved.
早く病院に行ったので助かった。
I was saved because I went to the hospital early.
2.
to be helpful, to be a great help
For something to be useful or convenient.
助かります。
That would be a great help.
手伝ってもらえると助かる。
It would help if you could assist.
近くに店があって助かった。
It was a big help that there was a shop nearby.
助かる is an intransitive verb with two main meanings: to be rescued/survive, or to find something helpful.
TRANSITIVITY:
- Type: 自動詞 (intransitive)
- Pair: 助ける (transitive, to help/save someone)
ASPECT (ている):
助かっている is rarely used. The verb typically appears in past tense (助かった) or non-past (助かる/助かります).
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 助かります: That would be helpful (polite way to accept help)
- 助かった: That was a big help / I was saved
- 〜と助かる: It would help if ~
- 〜てもらえると助かる: It would help if you could ~
USAGE NOTE:
助かります is a common polite expression when accepting assistance. It sounds humble because the speaker is the one being helped, not doing the helping.